With Pearl Harbor survivors well into their 90s, and some passing the century mark, their numbers are shrinking all over the United States. Of the 60,000 Pearl Harbor survivors it is believed that fewer than 2,000 survivors are alive today.
Jesse Reynolds of Gallatin, Missouri, was aboard the USS MacDonough when it was anchored in Pearl Harbor the morning of December 7, 1941. Reynolds was among the first to spot the incoming Japanese aircraft that morning and informed the only officer on board of the pending attack. After Pearl Harbor, Reynolds was assigned to the newly commissioned USS Radford, where he served in support of the Battle of Guadalcanal and in the Battle of Kula Gulf, where Reynolds helped rescue the survivors of the USS Helena.
In June, Reynolds received a lifetime achievement award during the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Missouri convention. Today, state VFW officials consider him Missouri’s oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor. He sat down with Flatland to talk about his memories of the date which will live in infamy.
Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.
Related Stories
Nick’s Picks | Roads, Bathrooms, Costco and More …
New Toll Road Opens Kansas City’s first toll road opens this week. Starting Saturday, you’ll pay up to $3.50 to travel the new express lanes on U.S. Highway 69 from 103rd to 151st streets in Overland Park. There are no toll booths — cameras scan your license plate, and a bill arrives by mail. KTAG…
Up From the Ashes: Warwick Theatre Revival Draws Applause
Two years ago, John Cleary met a fellow Kansas City actor for drinks. Their conversation centered on the fate of the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. A large portion of the ensemble’s home, the Warwick Theatre, was ash, charred timbers and soot-saturated costumes and props — remnants from a recent massive fire. The destruction was so great…
Nick’s Picks | Baseball, Drones, Romance and More …
Royals Reveal Next week, the Kansas City Royals head to Arizona for Spring Training. And that’s the mayor’s self-imposed deadline to lock in a stadium deal. So, is this finally the week owner John Sherman steps to the plate and unveils where the Royals will build their next home? At last week’s council meeting, Mayor…