WWII vet sings in parade, tells his story
BRANSON MO NEWS: A couple days after Harry Reed participated in the Veterans Day Parade, he stopped by Branson Tri-Lakes News’ office to tell a bit more of his story.
Reed, 93, served four years in the Army during World War II.
As a “spearhead” division in the army, Reed said his group, the 3rd Armored Division, “were always out front.” They were among the first soldiers to discover 3,000 slave laborers who were dead or near starvation at Nordhausen, Germany.
“Right here was the most memorable, I guess,” Reed said, pointing to photo of the grim scene. “Whenever we get in there, we didn’t know that was there. Whenever we come up on that, we didn’t know that was the slave laborers that worked in the factories that manufactured the V-1 and V-2 rockets that they were shooting over in London, England.
“We just run onto it. What do you expect whenever you run onto it and see all them people dead there at 19 years old?”
His immediate reaction: “Could that be me?” he said.
Reed has been awarded several medals for his service. The Knight of the Legion of Honor is among the most recent.
This medal was given to Reed in July from the French government for his service.
“Thanks to your courage and to our American friends and allies, France and Europe have been living in peace for the past seven decades,” Vincent Floreani, Counsel General, wrote in a letter. “You saved us. We will never forget. For us, the French people, you are a hero. Gratitude and remembrance are forever in our souls.”
Reed said he was proud to receive the medal.
“It is the highest honor of the French government,” he said. “It’s higher than a medal of honor from the United States. I didn’t …
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