Robert Reed

Age 94

Born 1921 in Grundy Center, Iowa

Now lives in Armstrong, IA.

U.S. Army World War II Veteran

Reed entered the U.S. Army in 1942 at the age of 18 years old. What his eyes would see during his deployment to the Pacific War Theater could never have been imaged at his young age.

As a member of the Army's 32^nd Infantry, he quickly earned the rank of Battalion Sgt. Major before shipping over seas. He saw action in New Guinea and the Philippines, among other small islands, and was preparing to invade Japan when Japanese General Yamashita surrendered to the the U.S. Army's 32rd Infantry on Sept. 2^nd, 1945. “They saved a lot of lives because of that,” Reeds recalled.

Reed was awarded the Bronze Star by General Robert McBride Jr. and had made Master Sgt. rank before heading back stateside in 1946. He joined up with his dad to help with the family's International Harvester dealership in Ringsted, Ia, until 1980, when he had to get out due to health reasons.