91-year-old vibrant veteran in Forsyth County still packs a punch

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  November 11, 2024 4:29pm EST
FOX 5 Atlanta
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Korean veteran, 91, shares his perspective

Our veterans, especially our older ones, come with such a unique perspective. On this day, we honor our veterans. One of those distinctive people is 91 years old. His warning for future generations.

The Brief

    • At 91 years old, Ralph Szweda is a regular and energetic participant at the Forsyth County YMCA.
    • The Korean War-era vet expressed concern that many people do not fully appreciate Veterans Day and are often unaware of important historical events like the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
    • Szweda, who served four years in the Air Force stationed in Japan as a base mechanization specialist, emphasized the importance of historical awareness to prevent repeating past mistakes.
    • Even after his service, he continued to contribute to society by pursuing higher education and teaching.
    • Szweda credits his longevity to regular exercise and a healthy diet.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - You can catch Ralph Szweda at the Forsyth County YMCA several times a week. He, and a number of other veterans, participate in a slew of activities there. At 91, he is easily among the oldest. But, that hasn't stopped him from boxing to keep his mobility up.

Szweda is full of energy and pretty talkative for his age. FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Kevyn Stewart took him one-on-one, and the vet pulled no punches.

In his opinion, too many people take Veterans Day for granted.

"In fact, I heard this comment the other day: 'Gee, I didn't notice any Veterans Day sales,'" recalled the Korean War-era veteran. "Well, I guess they were looking for a new mattress; kind of sad."

Szweda is hopeful for a bright future, but admits he gets disappointed sometimes. He doesn't believe Americans are good at remembering history.

Korean War Veteran Ralph Szweda

"Many places in this world still rely on our services. Being in the Korean War-era, many people don't realize what happened, don't remember," he exclaimed. "Youngsters aren't aware of [the] Vietnam [War]."

He reminded Stewart there is real danger in not knowing one's history, nor what he and other veterans experienced.

"'Cause if you don't know your history, you are going to repeat it," he said. "I know that's an axiom, but, at this time in our life, it's a very important axiom."

Too tall to fly the jets of the day, the veteran served the U.S., working in the Air Force for four years. He was stationed in Japan where he worked as a base mechanization specialist – meaning IT, before it was called IT.

After he was discharged, he went to college and taught.

Korean War Veteran Ralph Szweda

There's no fountain of youth responsible for Szweda's vibrant spirit after all these years. In fact, he told Stewart it's actually pretty simple.

"My secret is, mentally, I feel like I've got to exercise to go ahead and work," said Szweda. "I also try to eat healthily."

Check out more of FOX 5 Atlanta's stories involving veterans:

The Source: This story was reported by FOX 5 Atlanta's Kevyn Stewart and edited by the FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team.