Reeves

Pfc. Harley G. Reeves was born in June 1918 to Ellen & Elmer H. Reeves. He was one of the couples' four children. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended Central High School. After graduating, he worked for a material supply company.

He was drafted into the U. S. Army in January, 1941. He did his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. It is not known if he joined the 192nd Tank Battalion there, or if he was sent to Camp Polk, Louisiana, as a member of the 753rd Tank Battalion. What is known is that he was assigned to Headquarters Company.

After taking part in the maneuvers in Louisiana in late 1941, the 192nd learned they were being sent overseas. Harley received a furlough home on which he said goodbye to his fiancé Dorothy Von Wille. It appears that during his leave he married Dorothy. Harley returned to Camp Polk, Louisiana to pack equipment and travel by train to California.

Harley sailed for the Philippine Islands after a stay on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. He and the other members of the battalion received the necessary inoculations during their stay on the island.

Arriving in the Philippines, Harley worked with the other members of HQ Company to insure that the letter companies received the supplies they needed. It was at this time that he lived through the Japanese attack on Clark Field.

For the next four months Harley and the other members of HQ worked to supply the tank companies in the fight against the Japanese. Being assigned to HQ meant that he never saw frontline action, but he did live with the constant strafing and bombing by Japanese planes.

On April 9, 1942, Harley and the other members of HQ Company were surrendered to the Japanese. With the company, he traveled to Mariveles at the southern tip of Bataan. It was from there that he began the Death March.

The treatment of the prisoners varied from group to group. One group would have guards who would bayonet or shoot any Prisoner Of War who attempted to relieve himself. Other groups had guards who gave them rest periods and made sure that they were fed and received water.

The group Harley was with were guarded by Japanese soldiers who did not show pity on the American prisoners. According to U.S. Army records, on April 12, 1942, while on the march, Pfc. Harley G. Reeves is reported to have died of dysentery. 1st Lt. Jacques Merrifield diary which he kept while a POW has Harley's date of death as April 16, 1942. Regardless of which date he may have died, he most likely was executed by a Japanese guard.

Since his final resting place is unknown, Pfc. Harley G. Reeves' name appears on The Tablets of the Missing at the American Military Cemetery outside Manila.\