JACKSONVILLE, Fla. | Armard L. “Al” Swindle, died January 25, 2014, at age 95.
He was born in Samantha, Alabama on May 22, 1918 to the late Will and Sally (Hagler) Swindle. He was known to many of his friends and relatives in Alabama as “Cotton.” In 1938, he joined the U.S. Navy and retired after 20 years as a Chief Petty Officer. While stationed at Pearl Harbor, he was aboard the USS New Orleans during the attack on December 7, 1941 that brought the U.S. into World War II. In 1942, he was in the Battle of Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, and was aboard the USS New Orleans when it was torpedoed in November of that year. He went on to serve on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin and was on board when it was bombed off the coast of Japan in March 1945. He left active military duty in 1958 and continued his service with the U. S. Navy as a civilian from 1959 to 1980 at Mayport Naval Station, Florida.
He was preceded in death by his wife, LaVeda Hill Swindle; his brother, Arnold L. Swindle; his stepdaughter, Carolyn DeLoach Avila; and great- nephew, Shane Swindle.
He is survived by his son, Rod (Jan); his daughter, Brenda Smith (Roy); stepdaughter, Jackie Dicks (Wesley), and nephews, A.L. Swindle (Neta) and Philip Swindle (Lisa); step granddaughter, Shannon Amundson; grandsons, Jedediah Smith, and Bridger Smith; step-grandchildren, Cynthia Velazquez (Frank), Sheryl Howell (David), Cary Dicks (Terrianne), Mitchell Dicks (Karen), Lisa Wallace (Michael), Lori Dutton, and many nieces, nephews, great-grandchildren and step-great- grandchildren.
He was a long-time member of Parkwood Baptist Church. The family would like to thank the staff of the Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans’ Nursing Home for the outstanding care he received the last two and a half years of his life.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans’ Nursing Home, 4650 State Road 16, St. Augustine, FL 30292.
Visitation was held on Wednesday, January 29, at Corey-Kerlin Funeral Home, 940 Cesery Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida 32211 from 5 to 7 p.m. A graveside ceremony with Military Honors will be at the Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32218 on today, January 30, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. Friends and family are welcome to Westminster Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville for refreshments following the graveside service at 3:30.

Published in Tuscaloosa News on Jan. 30, 2014