Ambrose Willard Reese
Military
(correcting squadron # typo)
Object Number - UPL 6960 - Lt. A. Willard Reese, B-17 pilot, 457th Bomb Group, 751st Squadron.
Ambrose Willard Reese was born August 4, 1923, in Kingston, Pa., to the late Ambrose and Marjorie (Walters) Reese and moved to Palm Coast from Scotch Plains, N.J., in 1986. He was an Army Air Corps veteran serving as a B-17 pilot in World War II, flying 30 missions with the 457th Bomb Group. Mr. Reese received many medals including The Presidential Unit Citation.
As the first member of his family with a college degree (Lehigh University), he had over 30-years as a professional engineer in New Jersey.
He was a member of the 457th Bomb Group Association and was the Webmaster for their web site: www.457th bomb group.org, which he started in 1998. This site is dedicated to the memory of the men who served during World War II as members of the Eighth Air Force, First Division, 94th Combat Wing, 457th Bomb Group.They were the men who flew in the B-17 Flying Fortress.
He has recorded his experiences and some of the events of World War II, as well as anecdotes and mission details, and these can be found in the attached documents kindly provided by his daughter, Diane Elizabeth Reese.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Missions
- Date: 23 March 1945
- Date: 19 March 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 17 March 1945
- Date: 11 March 1945
![B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group drop bombs over their target. Image stamped on reverse: 'US Official Photograph.' [stamp], 'Sacred.' [stamp] Handwritten caption on reverse: 446 BG led by "Ronnie" unloading demolition + incendiaries on Rheine Marshalling Yards, 9 March 1945.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380571.jpg.webp?itok=36lZj_Ve)
- Date: 9 March 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Connington
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Kingston, PA, USA | 4 August 1923 | |
|
Based |
Glatton | 12 March 1944 - 3 August 1945 | Pilot. Flew 30 combat missions in European Theatre as B-17 pilot, having had several squadron and deputy group leads. Participated in bombings of Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Bremen, Merseberg. Had total of 1030 flying hours, 230 of which were in combat. Qualified as instrument pilot. |
| Palm Coast, FL, USA | 1 July 1986 - 12 March 2008 | Home in retirement. | |
|
Died |
Palm Coast, FL, USA | 12 March 2008 | |
|
Buried |
Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home | 17 March 2008 | |
| Kingston, PA, USA | |||
| Baltimore, MD, USA | Aircraft inspector at Glenn L. Martin Company; inspected complete operation and installation of hydraulic systems on B-26 medium bombers. | ||
|
Enlisted |
Aviation Cadet, Feb 1943 - Mar 1944. | ||
| Scotch Plains, NJ, USA | 30 June 1986 | Various other locations lived included Bethlehem PA, Roselle Park NJ, Colonia NJ before moving to Scotch Plains NJ. |
Revisions
Removing incorrect reference to "715 Squadron" which was likely a typo for my father's actual 751st Squadron of the 457th Bomb Group.
My father served in the 751st Squadron of the 457th Bomb Group. "715 Squadron" must be a typo, he had nothing to do with that squadron.
Mission Connections added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese, from "751st Bombardment Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Office of the Operations Officer. Lt. Reese Record of Combat Missions 26 March 1945". Signed by Franklin D. Rollins, Capt, Air Corps., Operations officer.
Personal and biographical details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese.
Biographical information added from http://www.flaglercountyfamilies.com/obits-hope-reese-a-willard.html
Images added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/
Merged duplicate entry to include information drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.457thbombgroup.org/roster/Rnames.html
Army Air Force discharge paperwork and personal family records (02 Dec 2014, Diane E Reese, daughter).
Personal details: http://www.457thbombgroup.org/New/Recollections/stories.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self
