Field McLeod Reed, Jr. – Harrodsburg Tanker

Field McLeod Reed, Jr.

Corporal

Cpl. Field McLeod Reed, Jr. (Harrodsburg Tankers Survivor, WW II) 1920–2003 BIRTH 24 FEB 1920 • Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, United States of America DEATH 28 AUG 2003 • Died, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky; Buried at Spring Hill Cemetery Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA; MEMORIAL ID, 13594366 Highest Grade Completed; College, 1st year. Occupation; Director (He was married with 2 daughters, 1 son and 1 step-son.)

He was a retired assistant superintendent for International Harvester, where he worked for 38 years.

Field McLeod Reed, Jr
BIRTH, 24 Feb 1920, Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, USA
DEATH, 28 Aug 2003 (aged 83), Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA
BURIAL, Spring Hill Cemetery, Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, USA
MEMORIAL ID, 13594366

Field M. Reed Jr., 83, of Louisville, died at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. He was the son of the late Field M. Reed Sr. and Merrtie Mae Woodard and was raised in Harrodsburg. He was a retired assistant superintendent for International Harvester, wherehe worked for 38 years. He was an army veteran of World War II, serving in the 192nd Tank Battalion, a former POW and a member of the Masonic Lodge, American Legion #201, VFW and the International Harvester Retiree Club.

Survivors include: two daughters, Anita Landers and Susan Jordan; one son, Thomas (Sue) Reed; one stepson, Mark McDonald; one sister, Harriette Ann Butler; 12 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. A private graveside service was held at Spring Hill Cemetery in Harrodsburg.

Private First-Class Field McLeod Reed, Jr. joined the Harrodsburg tank company sometime before the unit was activated in November 1940. He was a truck driver for the unit and spent four months attempting to deliver ammunition and gasoline to the tanks, with often only an idea where the tanks might be.

He was taken prisoner on April 9, 1942 and made his way to Mariveles where he began the Death March. A piece of shrapnel wounded Reed during the march from an artillery round fired from Corregidor, in an exchange with Japanese artillery near the march route. He was able to borrow a hidden knife and cut the shrapnel out of his leg.

Near San Fernando, Field was bayoneted by a guard and he continued the march bleeding. He was put on a train to Capas and then marched to Camp O'Donnell. He was later sent to Cabanatuan and then on to a work detail to Las Pinas to work on runways at Nichols Field. Here he received a beating from his captors that resulted in permanent hearing loss. He was later put in a sweatbox for two weeks for breaking a guard’s jaw. He was then returned to Cabanautan. He was still there when the U.S. Army Rangers liberated the prisoners in January 1945 and they made it safely to the American lines. He returned to Harrodsburg.