Charles A. Reed.
Gunner · Of 1800 Linden Street, Ridgewood, Long Island, New York.
The Man Behind the Name
S/Sgt. Charles A. Reed (ASN 12146785) served as tunnel/waist gunner aboard a 93rd Bomb Group B-24 on the August 1, 1943 low-level raid on Ploesti, Romania. Born October 16, 1923, he had completed 7 missions and 23 months of service at the time.
Reed was wounded during the mission when a 20mm explosion at the waist position knocked him across the camera hatch, cutting his leg at the thigh. He bailed out at roughly 100 to 150 feet altitude, his parachute opening just in time. Upon landing, Romanian soldiers confiscated his aids box, purse, maps, compass, and currency.
Reed was held in Romania and released following Romania's surrender in August 1944. He signed a security certificate at Bari, Italy on September 4, 1944, and departed for the UK on September 7, arriving on September 9, 1944. His next of kin was his father, Mr. Charles Reed, of 1800 Linden Street, Ridgewood, Long Island, New York.
In his debrief, Reed noted that civilian morale in Romania was very low and that local civilians would not assist evaders. He advised future airmen to stay away from railroads, main roads, and bridges. His account is documented in E&E Report No. 1801.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.