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Headquarters, First Army
4705 N. Wheeler Drive
Forest Park, GA 30297 - 5000

News Release

HQ, First U.S. Army PRESS RELEASE 4705 N. Wheeler Drive, Forest Park, GA 30297- 5000 ================================================= NOTE: MEDIA IS INVITED TO VIEW THE TRAINING Contact - LTC SAXON, 404 362-7326; Robert.Saxon@gillem-emh1.army.mil or K. Bradshaw, 404 362-3095; Karen.Bradshaw@gillem-emh1.army.mil FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 01/30/01 First Army Commander Pins Bronze Star Medal on Korean War Veteran By: Karen Bradshaw, First US Army Public Affairs Office Ft. Gillem, Ga., Jan. 30, 2001…In a simple ceremony at Alabama’s state capitol, 50 years were swept away as Lt. Gen. John Riggs, First U.S. Army commander pinned the Bronze Star medal on Edward Reynolds, a Korean War veteran. Reynolds, an Alabama native, served at Fort McPherson before going to Korea in 1950. When he was finally discharged from the Army a couple of years later, his awards and medals never caught up with him. Now, 50 years later, Reynolds was recognized for his contributions in the Korean War with help from Alabama Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA), Richard Allen and First Army. Riggs recounted events in the young soldier’s odyssey half a century earlier. Reynolds joined the Army in ’48, and was assigned to special services at Ft. McPherson, Ga., where he was captain of the sports teams and ran the golf course. He met his wife, an East Point girl, at one of the ball games, they married and lived in a little apartment over the golf house. It was a wonderful Army assignment for a while. In June 1950, the war on the Korean peninsula erupted and by August, Ed Reynolds was on his way to the 2d INFANTRY Division in Korea. He had been gone a few days, when his family received a telegram delivered by taxi informing them of his death. Shocked by the news his mother and wife broke down were hospitalized. The report caused an uproar in Alabama, because he would have been the first killed in action. As it turned out, another soldier with the same name was the victim. Reynolds never knew of the mix up until he returned home. For Reynolds, there was no silence on this eastern front where shelling, rifle fire and atrocities were the order of the day. Fighting was brutal and conditions harsh. Winter arrived with a vengeance and most of the troops were ill equipped for the terrible cold. Sgt. Reynolds, assigned to the frontline, to a squad of nine was part of 2nd Division’s push northward. Fighting on the move each day, the troops stopped at night to chip out foxholes in the frozen earth, hunkering down in the subzero cold with only field jackets for warmth. Pain and fear was their constant companion. In the dark, no one moved in their foxholes, it was too dangerous; there were no fires for cooking; supper was a frozen C-ration, and sleep was fitful. This went on for months as they fought northward to the Manchurian border, they had come so far and lost so many, to the cold and to enemy fire. [i] Riggs went on, “And, finally Sgt. Reynolds came home to an America that called this bloody war, a police action. But he knew differently…he had seen the face of war; the unspeakable horrors of what people can do to each other…even to children, women, and old people. He remembers the starving children’s haunted faces as he fed them food from his C-rations. Riggs continued, “it is only fitting that we offer our humble thanks and bestow a “bit of ribbon” …The Bronze Star Medal – for meritorious service to Sergeant Edward Reynolds on behalf of a grateful Army, a grateful nation and a grateful old soldier. Thank you and your family for your service and sacrifice. We will never forget.” Overcome with emotion as the Bronze Star and other medals were bestowed on him, Reynolds with tears in his eyes could only thank his wife. -30- NOTE: MEDIA IS INVITED TO VIEW THE TRAINING, Contact - LTC SAXON, 404 362-7326; Robert.Saxon@gillem-emh1.army.mil or K. Bradshaw, 404 362-3095 or Karen.Bradshaw@gillem-emh1.army.mil Back to the top