Tuhia he tomokanga mō tēnei whārangi - I whānau a Swift ki Fort Laramie, Wyoming, he tama a Major General Eben Swift rāua ko Susan Palmer. I puta ia i West Point i te tau 1904 a i whakauruhia ia ki te hoia eke hoiho. I mahi ia hei kaitiaki o te puni ki a General John J. Pershing i nga Philippines
kātahi ka mahi i Mexico. I a ia e rangatira ana i te Tuarua Tuatahi o te C Troop, 13th Cavalry, i haere tahi ia me te Tuatahi o nga Tuarua a George S. Patton i te rapu i a Julio Cardenas, rangatira o nga kaitiaki whaiaro a Pancho Villa. I te Pakanga Tuatahi o te Ao i mahi ia hei Kaihauturu Kaihauturu mo te 86th Division.