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Reed Milton Daniel
Born	August 23, 1923 Willow Grove, Clay County, TN
Died	Unknown
Awards	Bronze Star Medal with "V" device Purple Heart; Army Good Conduct Medal; American Campaign Medal' European Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal

Reed Milton Daniel

Reed Milton Daniel was a World War Two veteran, member of the 10th Mountain Division, a two-time Bronze Star recipient, and a Purple Heart recipient. Daniel served as Private First Class with the 10th Mountain Division Antitank Battalion and Battery A and in the 727th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, and participated in several pivotal battles of WWII in the Italian campaign, including the assaults on Riva Ridge and Mt. Belvedere, and the Battle of Po Valley.

Early Life

Daniel was born in Willow Grove, Tennessee on August 23, 1923. Willow Grove no longer exists since the completion of the Dale Hollow Dam in 1943. Reed was the youngest of nine children born to Martin Luther and Helen Daniel. While growing up in Tennessee he had only received a 8th grade education. At some point, Daniel moved to Dayton, Tennessee and was working for a man by the name of Elijah McDonald.

Military Service

Daniel registered for the United States Army draft at 18, on June 30, 1942, and was called to active duty on June 11, 1943. He joined the 10th Light Division (Alpine) at Camp Hale, Colorado, initially assigned to the 727th Antiaircraft Artillery Machine Gun Battalion, which later merged with the 576th Antitank Battery to form the 10th Mountain Division Antitank Battalion.

Reed Milton Daniel Draft Card WWII (Front)

In the spring of 1944, all of the men went on training maneuvers known as the D-Series, in the mountains surrounding Camp Hale. The D-Series required the men to live in the snow and ice, camping full-time, in a simulated combat environment. The combat environment prevented them from lighting fires or burning anything for warmth, even as temperatures dropped to 30 degrees below zero. By the end of the D-Series, over 30% of the Division was in the hospital suffering from exhaustion, frostbite, and broken bones.

10th mountain beer party during training

In June 1944, the division moved to Camp Swift, Texas for regular ground training. While there, the 10th Light Division (Alpine) was reorganized and designated the 10th Mountain Division. Through the summer and fall, most men were granted furlough, in preparation for deployment overseas at the end of the year. Daniel excelled in weapons qualifications, scoring as an expert with the M1 machine gun.

Daniel Reed M marksmanship test

The majority of the 10th Mountain Division departed Camp Swift by train on the evening of December 21, 1944 and arrived at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on Christmas Eve morning. There they made final preparations for deployment to Italy, although for security reasons the men did not know where they were going until they were well out to sea. The men boarded the USS West Point on the evening of January 3, 1945 and set sail for Italy on the morning of January 4, arriving in Naples on January 13.

Italian Campaign

Reed joined Co A 10th Mt Inf At Bn already in combat in Italy on January 19, 1945. At that time, the 10th Mountain Division was preparing for two of its most famous assaults: Riva Ridge and Mt. Belvedere. These operations were pivotal in breaking through the German defensive positions in the Apennine Mountains, which were a critical barrier to the Allied advance in Italy. Although combat was almost continuous for four months, the 10th fought three major battles against the German Army in Italy: February 18-25, March 2-6, and April 14-May 2, 1945. However, just before the first of those battles, Reed was temporarily sent on detached service (DS) with the 85th Infantry Regiment.

Reed rejoined his company sometime around April, in time for the 10th's Spring Offensive. This offensive aimed to break through the German Gothic Line and advance into the Po Valley, ultimately leading to the surrender of German forces in Italy. The three days of the Spring Offensive are the costliest of the 10th’s war in Italy. The division suffered 1336 casualties: 286 killed, 1047 wounded, and 3 prisoners of war.

As the 10th was closing in on the Po Valley, they were exposed to heavy artierllery fire from the Germans, who occupied the high ground. On April 17th, somewhere near Castel d'Aiano, Italy, Reed's unit was charged with reliving a division on a strategic mountain peak. As they moved toward their goal, they were exposed to enemy fire, which wounded a solider. Over the next few moments, Reeds acts earned him the Bronze Star. His citation reads:

Daniel Reed M Bronze Star citation

REED M. DANIEL, 34736423, Private First Class, Infantry, United States Army. For meritorious since in combat on 17 April 1945, near Castel d'Aiano, Italy. While mountain troops were reliving other elements of a division on a prominent mountain peak, they were subjected to severe hostile artillery shelling, wounding a solder. Private First Class DANIEL, with complete unconcern for his own safety, ran several years to the wounded solider's side to administer first aid and did save a life by his prompt action. His courage and selfless devotion to his comrades won the praise and respect of all. Entered the military service from Dayton, Tennessee.

After nearly four months of fighting, on April 19, the 10th Mountain Division was at last able to break through the German lines and push north through the Po Valley. Over the next 12 days, Reed's division forced the Germans back north over 150 miles through the Po Valley and up to Lake Garda. Having nearly been driven out of the country, the German Army surrendered in Italy May 2, 1945.

At the end of May, Reed’s status was changed from regular duty (dy) to undetermined (SUD), meaning he was unaccounted for. On June 3 his record was updated to show he had been wounded in action and sent to the 5th Army detachment of patients (DOP) at the 56th Evacuation Hospital. Having been wounded, Reed received a Purple Heart Medal. He rejoined his unit on June 11. Shortly after, his military occupational specialty (MOS) was changed from 605, or Heavy Machine Gunner, to 610, or Antitank Gunner.Reed and six other enlisted men (EM) went on temporary duty (TDY) on June 25th to a rest center in Alassio. Rest centers had been established to give respite to men who spent all of their time on the front lines. They returned on July 5.

Following occupation duty in northern Italy, the 10th Mountain Division was ordered back to the U.S. for further training on July 14, 1945 in preparation for the Invasion of Japan. Plans called for the division to attack Kyushu on November 2, 1945. Fortunately, the Japanese surrender made this invasion unnecessary. On August 2, 10-AT-A set sail from Naples on the Mt. Vernon and arrived at Newport News, Virginia on August 11.

Upon arriving in the United States, soldiers who were eligible were discharged, while others remained with the Division and were transferred to Camp Carson, Colorado. The 10th Mountain Division was inactivated in November 1945, at which point men were either discharged or transferred to different units. After being discharged on Feb 6th, 1946 at Ft. McPherson, GA, Reed hitchhiked back to TN.

Daniel Reed Honorable Discharge

Later Life

Daniel Milton Reed later life