Walter Francis Reed was born on November 12, 1919, in Custer County, Nebraska. He was the son of Francis Oscar Reed and Julia Lavetta Huff Reed. He served in the 339th Bomber Squadron, 96th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Top Turret Gunner of B-17 #42-30359 nicknamed 'Rikki Tikki Tavi' during World War II.

On November 29, 1943, the B-17 “Rikki Tikki Tavi” of the 96th Bomb Group took off from Snetterton Heath for a mission to Bremen, Germany. It was heavily damaged by anti-aircraft fire over the target but managed to stay airborne until reaching the area near Syke, where German fighters attacked and ultimately caused it to explode in mid-air at high altitude. The aircraft broke apart, scattering debris, burning fuel, and wreckage across the town and nearby forests. In the explosion, the tail section separated with Staff Sgt. Eugene “Gene” Moran is still trapped inside. Unable to escape, he remained in the falling tail, which descended like a glider rather than tumbling, allowing him to survive the multi-mile fall, an extremely rare event in World War II aviation history. He was injured but captured and held as a POW. Navigator Lt. Jesse Orrison parachuted to safety, while the remaining eight members of the crew were killed and later recovered in and around Syke.

TSgt Reed was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Broken Bow Cemetery, Broken Bow, Custer County, Nebraska, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, aircrewremembered.com, en.everybodywiki.com