James W. Reese

He held his mortar post alone against a fierce enemy attack.

James W. Reese was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1920 and entered the United States Army from that community. He served with the 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.

By August 1943, Reese was fighting in the Sicilian Campaign during the brutal Battle of Troina. Official Army history records that the 26th Infantry was ordered to outflank Troina by seizing Monte Basilio, roughly two miles north of the town, a position that threatened the Axis line of retreat. German artillery and repeated counterattacks made the position extremely costly to hold; by 5 August, parts of the regiment were short of food and ammunition and had suffered severe casualties.

On 5 August 1943, Reese was serving as the acting squad leader of a 60-mm mortar squad when German infantry launched another counterattack. Acting on his own initiative, he moved his squad forward to a more favorable position and skillfully directed mortar fire against the attacking troops, inflicting casualties and helping to break the counterattack.

As German machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire intensified, Reese's position became untenable. He ordered the other members of his squad to withdraw to safety but chose to remain behind. With only three mortar rounds left, he moved the mortar by himself to a new position and engaged an enemy machine-gun nest. His final mortar round scored a direct hit and destroyed the position.

With his mortar ammunition exhausted, Reese picked up a rifle and continued advancing into an exposed position overlooking the enemy. He remained there under what his citation described as the heaviest concentration of machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire his unit had experienced during the Sicilian campaign, continuing to inflict casualties until he was killed. Army campaign history credits his stand as part of the effort that allowed the 26th Infantry to hold Monte Basilio despite the German attacks.

The German forces withdrew from Troina soon afterward, unable to eliminate the threat posed by the 26th Infantry to their line of retreat. Reese's action therefore took place during one of the decisive final phases of the Battle of Troina, although his Medal of Honor was specifically for his individual conduct on 5 August 1943.

For his extraordinary courage, Private James W. Reese was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. His award was announced in War Department General Orders No. 85, dated 17 December 1943. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society records that the medal was presented to his family at Fort DuPont, Delaware, in December 1943, by Major General Lunsford E. Oliver.

Reese was buried at Chester Rural Cemetery in Chester, Pennsylvania, in the Soldiers' Circle. His name was later carried by the James W. Reese U.S. Army Reserve Center in the Chester/Upland area of Pennsylvania; an official Army Reserve facilities listing identifies the installation by his name.

Official 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.