HomeMy WebLinkAbout Holly Rees, Brazos Valley Heroesone in a series of tributes to
of "The Greatest
Generation" who served our country during World War ll
Holly Rees of Bryan is one of the very few who can
still do today what they once did during World War II
- wear his old uniform.
"I have had to deal with diabetes for most of my life,
so I had to watch my weight, what I ate, and exercise
daily. I guess you could say that my physical condition
today and reasonably good health was caused by
changing a negative into a blessing in my life," he said.
Rees was born in Prescott, Arizona, in 1926. On
January 21, 1944, he turned 18 years old as he began
his last semester of his senior year in high school.
Shortly thereafter, he received a notice from his draft
board.
"At that time, you could be drafted when you
turned 18, even though you hadn't finished high school.
I had been elected class president and was in line to
be the class valedictorian if I graduated. I asked for an
extension because of those circumstances and they let
me graduate. I graduated on Friday, June 3, 1944. and
the next Monday morning before sunup I was on my
way to the induction center for my physical. While we
were on the bus on the way to the induction center, we
heard the news about the D -Day invasion.
"After we completed our physical I tried to volunteer
for the Navy, but they turned me down. But the Army
liked me just fine. I was drafted into the Army and sent
to Camp Roberts, California, for infantry training. On
February 23,1945, we shipped out of Seattle, eventually
ending up on Okinawa."
Okinawa would be the last battle of World War 11, and
it would also be the bloodiest. The island of Okinawa
was 400 miles from Japan and was considered part of
Japan. The invasion began on Easter Sunday, April 1,
1945, and was declared officially concluded on June
21,1945. Before it was over, 12,281 American soldiers
and sailors would lose their lives as well as 110,071
documentable Japanese military personnel. Thirty -six
Navy ships were sunk by kamikaze pilots and 368 other
ships damaged. On May 11, 1945, 19- year -old Holly
Rees arrived on Okinawa as a replacement for Company
1, 184th Infantry of the 7th Infantry Division.
"When I arrived, the hillside along the beach
was crawling with G.L's. There were 3,000 of us as
replacements fresh off the troopship. Within a short time
after landing, I heard someone yell 'Hey, Holly!' It was
one of my high school classmates. He told me about
another classmate that was there also and the three of
us got together before going into the line. Years later at
our high school reunion, I told our other classmates that
our reunion was the second reunion because the first
one occurred on the beaches of Okinawa."
last casualty of the day. For 30 days we had been
fighting foxhole to foxhole through heavy resistance.
The Japanese would not give up even if wounded. They
fought to their death. It had been mud, blood, death and
then more mud, all without being wounded. Now I was
to be the last casualty of the day on the last day of
the battle. But it too was a blessing, because I would
not now be heading to Japan. Every guy in my platoon
would probably have traded places with me."
Rees underwent three surgeries and spent several
months in the hospital. While in the hospital he received
his Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
"When I was informed I was to receive the Bronze
Star, I assumed R would be for an incident that occurred
halfway through the fighting. We had one of our platoons
ahead of us get trapped behind Japanese lines. Their
lieutenant had been killed and their radio was out.
Some of us volunteered to carry a telephone line out to
them, which we did, and were able to call in mortar fire
as a rolling barrage. We were just doing our duty, doing
what needed to be done.
"Instead, it was awarded for delivering a message
to our CO. While I was delivering the message, I was
unaware of where our lines were and had accidentally
wandered behind the Japanese lines. I was in more
danger of being shot by our guys than theirs. So I
received my Bronze Star for an act conducted through
my own ignorance instead of the one where I was trying
to and was able to help others survive in a combat
situation. But that is the way of the Army sometimes"
Reese was discharged in June of 1946 and enrolled
at the University of Arizona, graduating cum laude in
three years.
"I met my wife there and was anxious to get on with
life, so I buckled down and got my degree. My wife was
from Mississippi and she didn't want to live in Arizona.
I didn't want to live in Mississippi, so we settled on
Texas. Fifty -six years later, we are still here."
Holly Rees worked in the Social Security
Administration at various sites around Texas. He
became the supervisor of the Bryan office in 1957 and
remained there until his retirement in 1984.
"Looking back, the war cost my generation our
youth. We changed from high school boys to combat
veterans in a very short period of time. We grew up
fast, but we didn't have a choice. After my discharge,
I thought it strange that I, as a combat and wounded
veteran, couldn't vote or drink legally.
"I never have thought about going back to Okinawa
until now. My son and I will tour Okinawa for three days
On May 21, 1945, Rees' unit went back into the next year and then on to Japan. I'm looking forward to
line along the east coast of Okinawa at a place called returning to Okinawa."
Yonabure. It would take them 32 days to advance eight Holly Rees' name can be found on the Brazos Valley
miles - one - fourth of a mile per day. Veterans Memorial. For more information, to make
"I was in constant combat for the next 30 days a contribution, or it you know a Morld War lI Veteran
and remained in the line until I was shot in the foot whose story needs to be told, contact the BWM at
by a Japanese sniper on June 21, 1945, the day we www.veteransmemorfaLorg or Bill Youngkin at (979)
were told that the island was secure. I was to be the 260 -7030.
The Eagle
Here when you need us.
WW 11 vet Jim Gordon will be the guest on
Veterans of the Valley" this week on KAMU -N
Veterans of the Valley, hosted by WTAW's Tom TutbivilIs, can be "
seen Fridays at 8:30r p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. ®"'°
IUM ca .etlu
Channel 15 15/cox cables e.