01of 12
Lt. William Massey
Jeff Rease
02of 12
Sgt. Tom Rice
Rice fought on D-Day in Normany, France, with the the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne, Rease says.
“He was also in Operation Market Garden in Holland and Belgium and in the Battle of the Bulge, where a German sniper shot him twice,” he adds of Rice.
03of 12
PFC Rothacker Smith
04of 12Sgt. Roberta TidmoreJeff Rease"Tidmore was working as a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ at an aircraft parts assembly plant when she decided to join the Marine Corps women’s reserve," Rease says. “She had various duties including as a driver for over two and a half years in service, mostly in California.”
04of 12
Sgt. Roberta Tidmore
“Tidmore was working as a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ at an aircraft parts assembly plant when she decided to join the Marine Corps women’s reserve,” Rease says. “She had various duties including as a driver for over two and a half years in service, mostly in California.”
05of 12Sgt. Ray LambertJeff ReaseLambert led a team of medics in north Africa, Sicily and Normandy, Rease says.“On D-Day he sustained wounds while getting soldiers to safety on Omaha Beach, yet he kept on going,” he recalls of Lambert. “What finally stopped him was a Higgins landing craft slamming him down into the water while he was rescuing a soldier, fracturing his back. Today, there is still a large rock on the beach there that is called ‘Ray’s Rock’ in his honor and those of all of his medics who served so bravely, saving as many lives as they could.”
05of 12
Sgt. Ray Lambert
Lambert led a team of medics in north Africa, Sicily and Normandy, Rease says.
“On D-Day he sustained wounds while getting soldiers to safety on Omaha Beach, yet he kept on going,” he recalls of Lambert. “What finally stopped him was a Higgins landing craft slamming him down into the water while he was rescuing a soldier, fracturing his back. Today, there is still a large rock on the beach there that is called ‘Ray’s Rock’ in his honor and those of all of his medics who served so bravely, saving as many lives as they could.”
06of 12
Paul Kerchum
He adds: “It is amazing that men like him could endure the torture and conditions he experienced in the war.”
07of 12Seaman 1C Huey BracknellJeff Rease"Huey Bracknell was my mother’s (Edna Bracknell Rease) older brother and served in the U.S. Coast Guard on theUSS Leopolddestroyer escort," Rease explains. “He was lost at sea after a German U-boat sank his ship as it was escorting a convoy of ships across the north Atlantic. Only 29 survivors were rescued.““My mother and the rest of the family became a Gold Star Family at that time, signifying they lost a family member in battle,” he continues. “It is a huge honor that I could photograph my mother with the portrait of her brother that was passed down to her years ago.”
07of 12
Seaman 1C Huey Bracknell
“Huey Bracknell was my mother’s (Edna Bracknell Rease) older brother and served in the U.S. Coast Guard on theUSS Leopolddestroyer escort,” Rease explains. “He was lost at sea after a German U-boat sank his ship as it was escorting a convoy of ships across the north Atlantic. Only 29 survivors were rescued.”
“My mother and the rest of the family became a Gold Star Family at that time, signifying they lost a family member in battle,” he continues. “It is a huge honor that I could photograph my mother with the portrait of her brother that was passed down to her years ago.”
08of 12Sgt. James SchmidtJeff ReaseSchmidt lied about his age when he was 14 and enlisted in the Army as a paratrooper, Rease says. He also forced his mother’s signature.“He made a combat jump into Sicily before his superiors were made aware of his actual age of 15 at the time and they discharged him from the Army,” he explains. “[Schmidt] returned home and promptly joined the Navy and went to the Pacific. Eventually, he was discovered again to be underage and released from the Navy.“He then joined the U.S. Merchant Marines since they had no age restriction,” Rease adds. “When he turned 18, he joined the Army again and served in Korea and Vietnam. An amazing young man who just wanted to serve his country.”
08of 12
Sgt. James Schmidt
Schmidt lied about his age when he was 14 and enlisted in the Army as a paratrooper, Rease says. He also forced his mother’s signature.
“He made a combat jump into Sicily before his superiors were made aware of his actual age of 15 at the time and they discharged him from the Army,” he explains. “[Schmidt] returned home and promptly joined the Navy and went to the Pacific. Eventually, he was discovered again to be underage and released from the Navy.
“He then joined the U.S. Merchant Marines since they had no age restriction,” Rease adds. “When he turned 18, he joined the Army again and served in Korea and Vietnam. An amazing young man who just wanted to serve his country.”
09of 12
PFC Hershel Woody Williams
10of 12Lt. Earl MillerJeff ReaseRease says: “Miller was a P-51 fighter pilot in the 364th fighter group in England. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross as he was flight leader for his group of P-51s. He and three other pilots saw about 35 German fighters come along and the four of them took them all on!““Hearing him tell about how it bothered him so much after getting his first kill against a German fighter pilot was sad,” he continues. “He did say he got over that and enjoyed the rest of his time in service.”
10of 12
Lt. Earl Miller
Rease says: “Miller was a P-51 fighter pilot in the 364th fighter group in England. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross as he was flight leader for his group of P-51s. He and three other pilots saw about 35 German fighters come along and the four of them took them all on!”
“Hearing him tell about how it bothered him so much after getting his first kill against a German fighter pilot was sad,” he continues. “He did say he got over that and enjoyed the rest of his time in service.”
11of 12Col. Carl CooperJeff Rease"Carl Cooper was my first WWII veteran to photograph and was always one of my biggest supporters of what I do,” Rease says of Cooper. “He served in the Marine Corps for 38 years, including also Korea and Vietnam. He fought in Guadalcanal and other Pacific battles.“He continues: “I knew after meeting him and hearing his story that I would continue to meet as many WWII veterans as I could because I want everyone to be able to learn from these veterans while they are still around, and even after they are gone.”
11of 12
Col. Carl Cooper
“Carl Cooper was my first WWII veteran to photograph and was always one of my biggest supporters of what I do,” Rease says of Cooper. “He served in the Marine Corps for 38 years, including also Korea and Vietnam. He fought in Guadalcanal and other Pacific battles.”
He continues: “I knew after meeting him and hearing his story that I would continue to meet as many WWII veterans as I could because I want everyone to be able to learn from these veterans while they are still around, and even after they are gone.”
12of 12Air Crewman Roy StevensJeff ReaseRease says: “Stevens was a Navy TBF Avenger torpedo bomber radioman/gunner who participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and other battles supporting ground troops and ships in the Navy fleet, flying from the light aircraft carriersUSS Makassar Straitand theUSS Shipley Bay.He survived numerous dangerous missions bombing targets and one accident trying to land on the aircraft carrier where his plane ditched nose first into the sea.”
12of 12
Air Crewman Roy Stevens
Rease says: “Stevens was a Navy TBF Avenger torpedo bomber radioman/gunner who participated in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and other battles supporting ground troops and ships in the Navy fleet, flying from the light aircraft carriersUSS Makassar Straitand theUSS Shipley Bay.He survived numerous dangerous missions bombing targets and one accident trying to land on the aircraft carrier where his plane ditched nose first into the sea.”
source: people.com
