On Sunday morning, September 14, youthful 81-year-old Wallace T. “Wally” Stewart, a Marine Corps combat veteran of the Korean War, plunged into the chill waters of San Francisco Bay. Wally was participating, together with his grandson Tom Farrar and 901 other swimmers, in the 19th Annual Alcatraz Invitational Swim. This popular 1.25 mile, open-water event, presented by San Francisco’s South End Rowing Club, began at a point abeam Alcatraz Island and finished at the foot of the Hyde Street Pier.
Wally suiting up for the swim
Several days before the swim, Wally had put out a request that people make a donation to the Korean War Memorial in support of his effort. He felt that this would be an appropriate gesture because the following day, September 15, was the 64th anniversary of the Marines’ historic Inchon Landing in 1950, a crucial turning point in the Korean War. Wally’s request resulted in an exceptionally enthusiastic response, with thousands of dollars in donations received by the Foundation in a matter of days.
Swimmers heading for the finish line, with Alcatraz in the background on the right
Wally had completed the Alcatraz Invitational Swim five times between 1970 and 1990, and has also swum the Golden Gate four times. He got back in the water this year because his grandson Tom Farrar had invited him to make it a family affair. They were also celebrating Tom’s 40th birthday. Tom’s friend Nick Abramczyk also decided to get in on the fun. All three finished the race in very respectable times: Tom in 50 minutes 39 seconds, Nick in 60 minutes 55 seconds, and octogenarian Wally in 67 minutes 41 seconds – first in his age group! All three plan to be back in the water next year for the 20th Annual Alcatraz Invitational Swim.
Wally Stewart, Tom Farrar, and Nick Abramczyk with their newly-earned medals
Wally currently lives in Sonoma County, but was a San Francisco resident for many years. After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School, he joined the Marine Corps and fought in the Korean War. Following his discharge from the Corps, he received his undergraduate degree from San Francisco State and his graduate degree from Stanford. He then commenced a teaching career at several San Francisco schools, including Lowell High School and Wallenberg Traditional High School. Among those who donated on Wally’s behalf is one of his former students at Wallenberg. She commented,
“I’m donating because I’d like to thank Wally for making a difference in my life when he wrote my college letter of recommendation. I received a “D” in his trigonometry class, but surprisingly made it through grad school thanks to his help and encouragement.”
All of us at KWMF would like to thank Wally for his fundraising assistance, and commend him for his athletic achievement.
Photos courtesy of Carolyn Carswell