[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E9]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN REMEMBRANCE OF MR. JACK REID

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 20, 2004

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the passing of one 
of our nation's great heroes. Jack Reid, a former Naval Aviator who 
helped turn the tide of World War II, passed away on December 12, 2003 
in Santa Cruz County. Many veterans throughout California and beyond 
will observe his passing. He was ninety years old.
  Mr. Reid was born in Kentucky, in the small town of Bandana, and was 
an excellent student. However, the hard times of the Great Depression 
precluded college, so he joined the Navy in 1933. His hard work and 
dedication to service earned him the chance to attend flight training, 
which he began in 1937, graduating as a Naval Aviation Pilot in 1938. 
After receiving his wings, he continued his education, attending the 
University of Washington and earning a degree in Aeronautical 
Engineering from LaSalle Extension University in Chicago.
  Mr. Reid is perhaps most well known for his role in the Battle of 
Midway, in the Pacific. On June 3, 1942, he spotted the Japanese fleet 
800 miles from Midway Island, allowing Admiral Nimitz and the fleet 
commanders to prepare and successfully defend their position. In an 
interview in May of 2002, Mr. Reid commented, ``It was the greatest 
naval battle in the history of the world--a battle we won that we 
should have lost.'' What he did not acknowledge was that it was his 
early action and information that helped save the day, and eventually 
the war.
  His naval service continued after the war, including piloting 
dignitaries such as Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Admiral Radford, and he 
finally retired with the rank of Captain after twenty-five years of 
service. He continued his interest in naval history and aviation, 
speaking as a panelist before symposiums at the National Air and Space 
Museum and on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Battle of Midway.
  Mr. Reid settled in Aptos, California, in 1967, after a successful 
second career as a real estate broker and developer. He was a life 
member of the California Alumni Association and a member of the Who's 
Who in California, as well as the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10110 
in Aptos. I have also heard that he was an avid golfer, and enjoyed the 
many courses available in our area.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this moment to honor Jack Reid for the 
service he gave to his country, for his continuing efforts to make a 
difference in the world, and for his significant contributions to the 
history of naval aviation in World War II. He will be greatly missed by 
his family, including his wife, Ina Mae Reid; two sons, Hal Reid and 
Jim Reid; his sister, Berah McKinney; his grandson, Jim Reid and two 
great grandchildren. His grandson, Steve Reid, preceded him in death in 
1991. In addition to his large and loving family, Jack will be missed 
and remembered by all who knew him.




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