Obituary for Cecil Pinkney Reese
Cecil Pinkney Reese was born in Black Mountain, NC on March 17, 1920 and entered his eternal home in Heaven on September 28, 2020 in Calhoun, GA. He was 100 years old when he passed.
Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, Edith; his parents, Benjamin F. and Carrie Reese; sisters, Connie, Sadie, Margie and Valeria; brothers, Ben Jr., Robert, Wayne, Charles, and Edward. Cecil is survived by his son, Alan Reese; brothers, Oliver and Dan; two granddaughters; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was a kind, loving, and generous man who will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Cecil resided in Black Mountain, NC, Los Angeles, CA, Homosassa, FL, and Calhoun, GA during his 100 years. Cecil was a successful contractor and owned Reese Plumbing for many years before retiring to Florida.
Cecil joined the United States Army on January 8, 1940. He was a World War II veteran and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Cecil had just completed his training on a new defense weapon called radar. On the previous Thursday, December 4th, while on duty he and his assistant picked up the first activity of the Japanese fleet northwest of Oahu, Hawaii. The command ordered all anti-aircraft guns to prepare for a possible invasion. Cecil along with his company, worked all day and night Friday, December 5th sandbagging anti-aircraft guns and hauling ammo from the ammo dumps to the guns. On Saturday morning, December 6th, orders came to stand down and all ammunition had to go back to the dumps. The company followed orders working all day and night Saturday, returning the ammo back to the dumps. On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 at 6:30am, Cecil and his assistant were walking down the company street to get breakfast when the first Japanese plane dropped the first bomb in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The bomb hit the mess hall that Cecil was headed to for breakfast. Because they had a stand down order, they were not ready for battle when they were attacked. There was little they could do.
Other battles and campaigns Sergeant Reese was a part of, were in the Central Pacific G033, WD45, the invasion of the Marshall, Gilbert and Caroline Islands. His last invasion was on the Island of Guam. He received a Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal and the American Defense Service Medal.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 from 12:00 to 1:00pm in the chapel of Harwood Home for Funerals & Cremation Services. A celebration of life service will immediately follow at the funeral home.
Burial will be in the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery.
Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, Edith; his parents, Benjamin F. and Carrie Reese; sisters, Connie, Sadie, Margie and Valeria; brothers, Ben Jr., Robert, Wayne, Charles, and Edward. Cecil is survived by his son, Alan Reese; brothers, Oliver and Dan; two granddaughters; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was a kind, loving, and generous man who will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Cecil resided in Black Mountain, NC, Los Angeles, CA, Homosassa, FL, and Calhoun, GA during his 100 years. Cecil was a successful contractor and owned Reese Plumbing for many years before retiring to Florida.
Cecil joined the United States Army on January 8, 1940. He was a World War II veteran and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Cecil had just completed his training on a new defense weapon called radar. On the previous Thursday, December 4th, while on duty he and his assistant picked up the first activity of the Japanese fleet northwest of Oahu, Hawaii. The command ordered all anti-aircraft guns to prepare for a possible invasion. Cecil along with his company, worked all day and night Friday, December 5th sandbagging anti-aircraft guns and hauling ammo from the ammo dumps to the guns. On Saturday morning, December 6th, orders came to stand down and all ammunition had to go back to the dumps. The company followed orders working all day and night Saturday, returning the ammo back to the dumps. On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 at 6:30am, Cecil and his assistant were walking down the company street to get breakfast when the first Japanese plane dropped the first bomb in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The bomb hit the mess hall that Cecil was headed to for breakfast. Because they had a stand down order, they were not ready for battle when they were attacked. There was little they could do.
Other battles and campaigns Sergeant Reese was a part of, were in the Central Pacific G033, WD45, the invasion of the Marshall, Gilbert and Caroline Islands. His last invasion was on the Island of Guam. He received a Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal and the American Defense Service Medal.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 from 12:00 to 1:00pm in the chapel of Harwood Home for Funerals & Cremation Services. A celebration of life service will immediately follow at the funeral home.
Burial will be in the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery.