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| PFC James Reese earned the Medal of Honor while serving with the 1st Infantry Division in Sicily. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7217061/james-william-reese 1st Infantry Division, 1939-1945, pg 13, by Philip Katcher |
James William Reese never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
James was born on April 16, 1920 in Chester, Pennsylvania. His parents Howard and Helen were also both born in Pennsylvania. His father worked as a tobacco company salesman and later as a county inspector. Still later he was a WPA foreman. James had an older brother and younger sister. By 1940 James had completed four years of high school. He was still living at home and worked as an export clerk.
He enlisted in the army in November 1941. He became a private first class in Company F, 2nd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. PFC Reese's unit first saw action in North Africa during the winter of 1942-1943. The 26th IR landed at Gela, Sicily on July 10, 1943. It moved up through the center of the island facing tough German resistance.
By August the 1st ID had pushed the Germans back to Troina. This led to the toughest fighting the Big Red One had seen to date. It stopped 24 German attacks. It took a week of fighting with gains often measured in mere feet but the city was taken on August 6. The 1st ID was next sent to reserves. It had lost 267 men KIA from the Gela invasion through Troina, including James Reese on August 5, 1943. PFC Reese's actions that day were posthumously recognized with the Medal of Honor.
PFC Reeses's Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:
When the enemy launched a counterattack which threatened the position of his company, Pvt. Reese, as the acting squad leader of a 60-mm. mortar squad, displaying superior leadership on his own initiative, maneuvered his squad forward to a favorable position, from which, by skillfully directing the fire of his weapon, he caused many casualties in the enemy ranks, and aided materially in repulsing the counterattack.
When the enemy fire became so severe as to make his position untenable, he ordered the other members of his squad to withdraw to a safer position, but declined to seek safety for himself. So as to bring more effective fire upon the enemy, Pvt. Reese, without assistance, moved his mortar to a new position and attacked an enemy machinegun nest. He had only 3 rounds of ammunition but secured a direct hit with his last round, completely destroying the nest and killing the occupants.
Ammunition being exhausted, he abandoned the mortar, seized a rifle and continued to advance, moving into an exposed position overlooking the enemy. Despite a heavy concentration of machinegun, mortar, and artillery fire, the heaviest experienced by his unit throughout the entire Sicilian campaign, he remained at this position and continued to inflict casualties upon the enemy until he was killed.
His bravery, coupled with his gallant and unswerving determination to close with the enemy, regardless of consequences and obstacles which he faced, are a priceless inspiration to our armed forces.
Thank you PFC Reese for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for James.
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 gunner Paul Haney, Operation Frantic. You can read about Paul here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
His grave is at Chester Rural Cemetery in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 gunner Paul Haney, Operation Frantic. You can read about Paul here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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