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Rank and organization. Private, U.S. Army, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry
Division. Place and date: At Mt. Vassillio, Sicily, 5 August 1943.
Entered service at:
Chester, Pa. Birth: Chester, Pa. G.O. No.: 85, 17 December
1943. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of
life. above and beyond the call of duty in action involving actual conflict
with the enemy. 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.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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