Technical Sergeant John C H Reed
John Charles Henry Reed was born on August 29th, 1890 in Grafton, West Virginia to James Reed and Ollie Reddehaus. John worked at a family plumbing company as a shop foreman once he stopped going to high school after 10th Grade. Eventually, he decided to make some extra money and enlisted in the army on March 3rd, 1914 and then Company K, West Virginia National Guard on June 27th, 1916. Pancho Villa had just attacked Columbus, New Mexico and a general order was given to retaliate. John transferred to Company C, 2nd WVNG on September 23rd, 1916, but health complications forced him to be discharged a month later. Determined to continue his service, John managed to reenlist in 1917 and join his comrades at Camp Wilson, Texas while they protected the border from bandits. Although an expedition was led into Mexico to pursue Pancho Villa, the WVNG soldiers never crossed over and were one of the last to return home on March 24th, 1917. A month later, the United States entered World War One, but Reed was discharged due to a disability once again on July 28th, 1917.
WW1
John did not take no for an answer, especially since his country was now involved in a costly war. He was finally able to reenlist on March 12th, 1918 and after training, went overseas and participated in two campaigns before the war ended on November 11th, 1918. He also became part of the thousands of US troops used for the occupation of Germany. Sadly, his exact combat record for World War One is lost, and he was discharged on March 28th, 1919 but reenlisted into the Cavalry at his home town. He officially left the army on March 27th, 1920 to get a job with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as a brakeman from 1920 to July 1925, but civilian life was never his forte.
On July 2nd, 1926, John enlisted in the Marine Corps and was sent to Parris Island for boot camp but quickly became sick, necessitating a delay for training until August. His prior army service allowed him to easily pass, and he became a security guard at the base through early 1927.
Nicaragua
On May 9th, Private Reed transferred to the 52nd Company, 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment and left on the USS Medusa. He arrived at Corinto, Nicaragua on the 22nd and marched to Chinandega to join the unit. The 11th Marines had been activated after renewed guerrilla campaigns in the country, but only for a brief period before other units arrived to take over. Private Reed and the 52nd Company left Nicaragua in late July, arrived in San Diego on August 6th, and the battalion was disbanded shortly after. Reed found a new home with Service Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines which was preparing for deployment to China to join General Butler’s expeditionary force.
sailed for China on September 11th.
WW1
John did not take no for an answer, especially since his country was now involved in a costly war. He was finally able to reenlist on March 12th, 1918 and after training, went overseas and participated in two campaigns before the war ended on November 11th, 1918. He also became part of the thousands of US troops used for the occupation of Germany. Sadly, his exact combat record for World War One is lost, and he was discharged on March 28th, 1919 but reenlisted into the Cavalry at his home town. He officially left the army on March 27th, 1920 to get a job with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as a brakeman from 1920 to July 1925, but civilian life was never his forte.
On July 2nd, 1926, John enlisted in the Marine Corps and was sent to Parris Island for boot camp but quickly became sick, necessitating a delay for training until August. His prior army service allowed him to easily pass, and he became a security guard at the base through early 1927.
Nicaragua
On May 9th, Private Reed transferred to the 52nd Company, 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment and left on the USS Medusa. He arrived at Corinto, Nicaragua on the 22nd and marched to Chinandega to join the unit. The 11th Marines had been activated after renewed guerrilla campaigns in the country, but only for a brief period before other units arrived to take over. Private Reed and the 52nd Company left Nicaragua in late July, arrived in San Diego on August 6th, and the battalion was disbanded shortly after. Reed found a new home with Service Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines which was preparing for deployment to China to join General Butler’s expeditionary force.
sailed for China on September 11th.
China
Nationalists in China ramped up their offensives in 1926, necessitating an expedition there to protect American interests in Shanghai. The first units arrived in February, but the area was deemed under control. However, Butler expected clashes between the Nationalists and warlord armies near Tientsin, where the remainder of Marines would be diverted. The 10th Marines readied up and left the United States on September 11th to join them. The USS Chaumont arrived at Taka, China on October 24th and the 10th Marines traveled to Detring Villa, Race Course Road, Tientsin, where Reed joined the 13th Battery in November. The timing could not have been better. Warlord armies began fighting each other while the nationalists drove into northern China. Reed’s unit was split into small groups in anticipation to fight to Peking and rescue any Americans there. The next few months were filled with vigorous training and practice, but thankfully the breakout was never needed. Private Reed transferred to the 39th Company, American Legation in Peking on August 6th, 1928 after the warlords were defeated and enjoyed a comfortable life in the compound. Unfortunately, the liberties of a China Marine were too much for Reed, and he was caught causing a disturbance under the influence, court martialled, and confined for a month. Finally, on February 19th, 1930, Reed bid China farewell and left for the states aboard the USS Chaumont a day later, He arrived in California on March 31st and eventually settled down at the Marine Barracks, Norfolk, Virginia on May 4th. |
Private Reed’s enlistment expired in July, but he quickly reenlisted to continue his military career. He became sick shortly after and underwent treatment in Chelsea, Massachusetts until June 4th, 1931. Upon his release, he began preparing for his next overseas assignment. On September 17th, Private Reed boarded the USS Kittery and sailed for Port Au Prince, Haiti where he joined Brigade Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade on the 28th. Haiti was once a hot spot for action, but by the 1930s was considered a relatively calm area to serve as a Marine. Reed became the orderly for Colonel Louis McLittle until his return to the United States on March 24th, 1932
Return to China
Fighting had erupted between Japanese and Chinese troops in January as the former made moves into Manchuria. Since Reed had prior experience in China, he was chosen to return there and left aboard the USS Henderson on July 27th, arriving on September 19th. He quickly found a home with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines in Shanghai which had just left the Soochow Creek along the International Settlement where many refugees were seeking shelter. The Marines regrettably had to turn away waves of wounded and scared Chinese as they attempted to escape Japanese soldiers. By the end of the summer, fighting had died down and life returned to normal in the settlement. Private Reed spent his coveted time as a China Marine enjoying recreation outside of the camp while also acting as a messman through the end of 1934, when he returned to the states on January 29th, 1935.
He was sent to the Marine Detachment, Naval Prison, Mare Island, California briefly before shipping out to the Philippines on April 9th and joining the Marine Barracks, Olongapo for a year. The tropical climate of the Pacific was new to Reed even though he had been around the world multiple times during his service, and the weather must have been enjoyable.
Third Stint in China
He was sent to the Marine Detachment, Naval Prison, Mare Island, California briefly before shipping out to the Philippines on April 9th and joining the Marine Barracks, Olongapo for a year. The tropical climate of the Pacific was new to Reed even though he had been around the world multiple times during his service, and the weather must have been enjoyable. On August 8th, 1936, Reed left the Philippines on the USS Henderson to return to China for the third time. He arrived on the 23th and joined Service Company, 4th Marines at Billet #3, Haiphong Road, Shanghai. This time, his stint in the country would be very short and he returned to California on April 19th, then to Washington DC by June 8th. This duty was temporary while the Marines figured out his next assignment, which happened to be with the 1st Engineer Company, 1st Marine Brigade at Quantico.
The 1st Marine Brigade was busy training when Reed arrived, and he was detached to the 5th Marines in September for field maneuvers at Camp R P Williams until joining Battery E, 2nd Anti Aircraft Battalion. On January 29th, 1938, Reed finally received his first promotion after twelve years to Assistant Cook (PFC), and promptly reenlisted on July 2nd. Two months later, he shipped off to the Marine Barracks in Guam aboard the USS Chaumont and upon arrival, was promoted to Field Cook. As tensions rose the following year due to World War Two erupting abroad and Japan making further moves into China, it was no surprise that Reed was about to have another deployment.
Concerns in China Rise
Field Cook Reed left Guam on December 28th, 1939 and arrived in Shanghai in January to join Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, later joining the battalion’s Headquarters in March. The International Settlement was under mounting pressure during the year, as Japanese soldiers controlled the city around them and began harassing the Marines. It was clear to their command that the Japanese would inevitably attack, but a complete withdrawal of the 4th Marines was denied for the time being. However, the number of Marines there were slowly drawn down. Reed returned to the Philippines by late May 1940 after becoming seriously sick, but rejoined his old unit in China on November 14th. By this point, the situation had grown worse, and the debate of when to withdraw became more of an issue. Reed left China for good before that question was answered in late May 1941 and joined Base HQ Company, San Diego in July as a messman and gained a promotion to Chief Cook. If he had remained in China with the 4th Marines, he would have been captured by the Japanese when they launched their surprise attack on the United States on December 7th, which dragged the country into World War Two.
Return to China
Fighting had erupted between Japanese and Chinese troops in January as the former made moves into Manchuria. Since Reed had prior experience in China, he was chosen to return there and left aboard the USS Henderson on July 27th, arriving on September 19th. He quickly found a home with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines in Shanghai which had just left the Soochow Creek along the International Settlement where many refugees were seeking shelter. The Marines regrettably had to turn away waves of wounded and scared Chinese as they attempted to escape Japanese soldiers. By the end of the summer, fighting had died down and life returned to normal in the settlement. Private Reed spent his coveted time as a China Marine enjoying recreation outside of the camp while also acting as a messman through the end of 1934, when he returned to the states on January 29th, 1935.
He was sent to the Marine Detachment, Naval Prison, Mare Island, California briefly before shipping out to the Philippines on April 9th and joining the Marine Barracks, Olongapo for a year. The tropical climate of the Pacific was new to Reed even though he had been around the world multiple times during his service, and the weather must have been enjoyable.
Third Stint in China
He was sent to the Marine Detachment, Naval Prison, Mare Island, California briefly before shipping out to the Philippines on April 9th and joining the Marine Barracks, Olongapo for a year. The tropical climate of the Pacific was new to Reed even though he had been around the world multiple times during his service, and the weather must have been enjoyable. On August 8th, 1936, Reed left the Philippines on the USS Henderson to return to China for the third time. He arrived on the 23th and joined Service Company, 4th Marines at Billet #3, Haiphong Road, Shanghai. This time, his stint in the country would be very short and he returned to California on April 19th, then to Washington DC by June 8th. This duty was temporary while the Marines figured out his next assignment, which happened to be with the 1st Engineer Company, 1st Marine Brigade at Quantico.
The 1st Marine Brigade was busy training when Reed arrived, and he was detached to the 5th Marines in September for field maneuvers at Camp R P Williams until joining Battery E, 2nd Anti Aircraft Battalion. On January 29th, 1938, Reed finally received his first promotion after twelve years to Assistant Cook (PFC), and promptly reenlisted on July 2nd. Two months later, he shipped off to the Marine Barracks in Guam aboard the USS Chaumont and upon arrival, was promoted to Field Cook. As tensions rose the following year due to World War Two erupting abroad and Japan making further moves into China, it was no surprise that Reed was about to have another deployment.
Concerns in China Rise
Field Cook Reed left Guam on December 28th, 1939 and arrived in Shanghai in January to join Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, later joining the battalion’s Headquarters in March. The International Settlement was under mounting pressure during the year, as Japanese soldiers controlled the city around them and began harassing the Marines. It was clear to their command that the Japanese would inevitably attack, but a complete withdrawal of the 4th Marines was denied for the time being. However, the number of Marines there were slowly drawn down. Reed returned to the Philippines by late May 1940 after becoming seriously sick, but rejoined his old unit in China on November 14th. By this point, the situation had grown worse, and the debate of when to withdraw became more of an issue. Reed left China for good before that question was answered in late May 1941 and joined Base HQ Company, San Diego in July as a messman and gained a promotion to Chief Cook. If he had remained in China with the 4th Marines, he would have been captured by the Japanese when they launched their surprise attack on the United States on December 7th, which dragged the country into World War Two.
Reed’s Second World War
While the US was preparing for an offensive against Japan, Reed remained stateside including temporary duty with the 2nd Medical Battalion, 2nd Marine Division and gained a promotion to Mess Sergeant in June. He reenlisted for the duration of the war in July and became Staff Sergeant in August while on mess duty. On February 23rd, 1943, SSGT Reed was given a surprising duty with Headquarters Squadron, MCAS, Cherry Point, North Carolina which marked his new line of units for the rest of the war. After floating around Marine Air units through 1943 and early 1944, Technical Sergeant Reed finally joined Marine Bombing Squadron 613, MAG 62, 9th Marine Air Wing at Newport, Arkansas on July 5th which later patrolled the west coast of California. On November 20th, TSGT Reed and VMB 613 boarded the USAT George W Julian and left San Diego for the Pacific. They arrived at Kwajalein Island on December 23rd and now fell under MAG 31, 4th Marine Air Wing. Unfortunately, Reed transferred out of his unit on January 11th, 1945 and joined Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd MAW in Hawaii. By the time Japan had surrendered, TSGT Reed had already returned to San Francisco and missed out on the occupation. Post War Reed’s entire life was the military, so he decided to serve for as long as possible. In November 1948, Reed returned to China for the fifth time and finished out his service as a mess management chief in Hawaii and California until being released from active duty on June 15th, 1950. It is unknown when he passed away. |