Flew on B-17 "Becky Lou".

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HE WAS IN THE US ARMY-AIR FORCE. HE SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER WITH THE 452ND GROUP IN WHICH HE WAS A NAVIGATOR ON A B-17 BOMBER AND FLEW 30 MISSIONS OVER GERMANY. RECEIVED 2 DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSSES, 5 AIR MEDALS, 4 PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS. HONORED BY HIS WIFE WINIFRED REESE.

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He participated in the England-Africa Shuttle-bombing of Messerschmitt plants at Regensburg, Germany and also did a raid on an aircraft factory at Brunswick, Germany. While at Brunswick his B-17 plane, named Becky Lou (for his wife Rebecca Lou) was heavily hit by both flak and enemy plane fire. He made it back to England and when he landed the plane's right inboard propeller fell off. Wind resistance had held the "prop" on during the flight

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From relative Mark Otto Debenport on 14 April 2019: "I contacted the 452nd Group historian and he replied with the following Oscar A. Reese was a Navigator in the 731BS and flew 24 combat missions between 24 Feb 1944 and 1 Sep 1944. Records show he was assigned to crew 54, and on or about 10 June 1944 he became Navigator for lead crews. He flew this position for his remaining missions. So we can add 731st Bombardment Squadron as to where he was assigned.

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Obituary: (Ft Worth) Star-Telegram on Mar. 31, 2014: O.A. "Jim" Reese, 91, passed away at his home Thursday, March 27, 2014. Funeral: 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in Greenwood Chapel. Interment: Greenwood Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Greenwood. O.A. "Jim" Reese was born in Longview June 17, 1922, to O.A. and Evelyn Reese. He was raised in Fort Worth and graduated from Arlington Heights High School. Prior to joining the U.S Army Air Force he attended NTAC (University ofTexas Arlington). He was a survivor of World War II, flying 30 combat missions in B-17 bombers over Germany and was often the lead navigator of his squadron, which destroyed Nazi munitions factories, railroad tracks, ball bearing factories and other targets that produced weapons to kill Americans. He was honorably discharged with a rank of major. He then attended TCU and SMU, earning a CLU in insurance, and began a 50-year career in the insurance business in Fort Worth. He belonged to the Cooke-Peavy Masonic Lodge, Moslah Temple and Scottish Rite and was a member of Ridglea Presbyterian Church. He was an avid golfer and fisherman and actually enjoyed doing yard work. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Harry Reese; sister, Evelyn Clardy; and two stepgrandsons, Nathan Fallis and "Dee" Fallis. Survivors: Jim is survived by his wife, Winifred "Liz" Reese. The patriarch of an extended family, he was blessed with three daughters, Becky Lynn Dansby, Penny Seago (Earl), Laura Hartman (Dennis); stepdaughter, Pam Cade (Steve); five grandchildren; one stepgranddaughter; 19 great-grandchildren; and four great-great- grandchildren.