#VeteranOfTheDay: Navy Veteran Jesse Reynolds

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is U.S. Navy Veteran Jesse Reynolds. Jesse was aboard the USS MacDonough when it was anchored in Pearl Harbor. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Jesse had just finished cutting 100 steaks in the galley. He was among the first to spot the incoming Japanese aircraft that morning and informed the only officer on board of the pending attack. He went down into the ship’s magazine and passed up 11 cases of ammunition that weighed 150 pounds apiece. During the attacks, the crew of the USS Macdonough downed one of the Japanese attack planes before heading out to sea to join others in the search for the Japanese task force.

After Pearl Harbor, Jesse was assigned to the newly commissioned USS Radford, where he served in support of the Battle of Guadalcanal. During the Battle of Kula Gulf, he helped rescue the survivors of the USS Helena. Jesse passed away on May 5, 2016, at the age of 100. He was believed to be Missouri’s oldest Pearl Harbor survivor. We honor his service.