Frank B. Reid

Frank Burrus Reid was born in Hickman, Fulton County, Kentucky on June 25, 1919.

Prior to entering military service he was employed by E. I. DuPont De Nemours & Company
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The application for his grave marker indicates he entered military service on October 2, 1941.

The 1st Battalion website does not have access to
Captain Frank Reid's service record.

Apparently he entered the Army as an
enlisted man and later became an officer.

The article at left describes how Reid
was promoted to Sergeant in his
Training Company.

The article is from Warren Franklin
as posted on Ancestry.com.

Warren stated:

"Advancement from Private to Sergeant:
Frank was stationed at Camp Wheeler Georgia
before the US really got involved in WWII,
so I'm guessing this newspaper article
is from around 1940-42.

Reid landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as a 1st Lieutenant in the Anti-Tank Company of the 22nd Infantry.

On July 2, 1944 the Commander of Company C 22nd Infantry, Captain Robert B. Latimer, was assigned to the position
of Executive Officer of 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry. Reid was transferred to Company C and became the Company Commander.

In late July 1944, Frank B. Reid as a Captain, was commanding Company C of the 22nd Infantry.
His Company was attached to 2nd Battalion of the 66th Armored Regiment of the 2nd Armored Division,
during Operation Cobra, the breakout from Normandy. The breakout was centered around the town of St. Lô.

At the village of Moyon (called Le Moyen in the citation below) Captain Reid led a patrol
of 12 men from Company C, in an effort to destroy a German anti-tank gun which was
delaying the American advance. Reid and his patrol encountered German tanks in the village,
and engaged in a fierce fight, destroying several tanks. Reid was personally responsible for the
destruction of at least two German tanks himself.

The following citation was drawn up by Major Robert B. Latimer, commanding 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
at this time, recommending Reid for the Distinguished Service Cross:

Original recommendation for the Distinguished Service Cross for Frank B. Reid

Map showing the advance of 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry ( red line )
from St. Gilles to Moyon during the breakout from St. Lô.
Moyon was approximately 6-8 miles to the south of St. Lô.

Apparently the recommendation for the Distinguished Service Cross was not acted upon,
as Frank B. Reid never received the D.S.C. for which he was recommended in the above action.

Two years after his death, Captain Frank B. Reid was awarded the Silver Star Medal,
in General Orders, HQ, 1st Army, G.O. No. 10 (1946).

Captain Frank B. Reid died of wounds received in action in Germany, during the 22nd Infantry's first attack
against the Siegfried Line on September 14, 1944. The son of John M. Kolder, who was the Supply Sergeant
for Company C 22nd Infantry at the time wrote:

"...My dad was his supply Sergeant. I remember my dad telling me the story of the day Capt. Reid died. My dad mentioned
that due to not having a company commander that he had to write the letter to Capt. Reid’s family. My dad held him
until he passed away. After the battle my dad stated that Capt. Reid had removed a small heater from a German tank
( they were coveted for heating up rations ) he tripped a booby trap and lost his legs.
My dad also said that Capt. Reid was loved by his men."

CAPT FRANK BURRUS REID HOSPITAL FILE
Race: White, includes Mexican (White)
Rank: Officer, male
Admission Age: 25
Birth Date: abt 1919
Admission Date: Sep 1944
Discharge Date: Sep 1944
Military Branch: Infantry, General or Unspecified
Diagnosis: FirstLocation: Leg; SecondLocation: Back, generally; ; CausativeAgent: Land Mine, While Afoot
Type of Injury: Casualty, battle
Medical Treatment: Penicillin therapy (treatment with penicillin)
Injured in Line of Duty: In line of duty
Type of Discharge: Died
Length of service: 3 Year(s), 0 Month(s)
Service Number: 0129 0658

Immediately below is the entry in the 22ndInfantry Daily Action Journals for September 14, 1944.
Note that it is recorded, that at the time Reid was seriously wounded,
he was considered to be "The best remaining Co (Company) commander."

Journal of the 22nd Infantry Regiment for September 14, 1944.
Red star marks the line noting the loss of Captain Frank B. Reid.

Frank B. Reid was buried in the temporary U.S. Military Cemetery,
Fosse Cemetery, Namur, Belgium and some time later his remains
were returned to the United States where he was
reinterred in Kentucky.

Vase containing dirt from the orchard at the village of Moyon where the action took place in which CPT Frank Reid was involved.
The wooden cap to the vase is made from the wood of an apple tree which existed in the orchard during the war. This memento
was presented to John Tomawski upon his visit to Moyon in October 2014 to honor the grave and memory of his great-uncle
Ernest Lavoie, who lost his life in the battle of Moyon as a member of Company A 22nd Infantry.