Charles Reed was born on July 31, 1918, in Crystal City, Texas. He enlisted in the Texas National Guard on August 1, 1940, and went on active duty in the U.S. Army as a cavalryman on November 18, 1940. Reed enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on March 23, 1942, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Luke Field, Arizona, on January 4, 1943. After completing P-47 Thunderbolt training, Lt Reed served with the 63rd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group in Europe, where he was credited with the destruction of 2.25 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. When he returned to the U.S., he was assigned to the 463rd Fighter Squadron of the 507th Fighter Group, and deployed with the group to Ie Shima, off the coast of Okinawa, in June 1945. During his time there, Capt Reed was credited with 1 additional enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, for a total of 3.25 during World War II. After the war, he served in several fighter assignments before serving with the 3530th Pilot Training Wing at Bryan AFB, Texas, until October 1952. Maj Reed next completed F-84 Thunderjet Combat Crew Training before serving in combat as the commander of the 7th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Teagu AB, South Korea, from December 1952 to March 1953, followed by service as commander of the 428th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, also at Teagu, from April to May 1953. He then transferred to Headquarters 5th Air Force, where he served as a staff officer from May to October 1953, and then attended Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, from October 1953 to July 1954. Col Reed served with the Inspector General Group at Norton AFB, California, from July 1954 to June 1957, followed by service as operations officer with the 3600th Combat Crew Training Group at Luke AFB, Arizona, from June 1957 to July 1958. His next assignment was as operations officer for the 7367th Flying Training Group at Furstenfeldbruck AB, West Germany, from July 1958 to May 1960, and then with 17th Air Force at Ramstein AB, West Germany, from May 1960 to August 1961. Col Reed served as chief of the operations and training division with the 4510th Combat Crew Training Group at Luke AFB from August 1961 to November 1963, and then served as commander of Detachment 2, 39th Air Division, at Kunsan AB, South Korea, from November 1963 to January 1965. His next assignment was as commander of the 12th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa, from January 1965 to May 1966, followed by service as deputy commander for operations of the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena from June 1966 to January 1967. He served as commandant of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada, from January to May 1967, and then served as test director for the F-111 program at Nellis AFB from May 1967 to October 1968. After completing Spanish Language School, Col Reed served as an Air Force Advisor to Bolivia from June 1969 to June 1971. His final assignment was with the 3700th Air Base Group at Lackland AFB, Texas, where he served as Deputy Base Commander from June 1971 until his retirement from the Air Force on April 1, 1972. Charles Reed died on January 7, 2010.