Royal Reynolds Jr.

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Royal Reynolds Jr.
BornOctober 17, 1910
California, US
DiedNovember 24, 2003(2003-11-24) (aged 93)
Arlington, Virginia, US
Buried
AllegianceUnited States United States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army seal United States Army
Years of service1933–1963
Rank Brigadier General
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War
AwardsSilver Star
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (2)
RelationsBG Royal Reynolds, father
MG Charles R. Reynolds, uncle

Royal Reynolds Jr. (October 17, 1910 – November 24, 2003) was a decorated American brigadier general who served with an American-Filipino guerrilla force on the Japanese-occupied Philippines during World War II. His last assignment was as the Assistant Commander of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Biography[edit]

Royal Reynolds Jr. was born on October 17, 1910, in California as a son of future Brigadier General Royal Reynolds and his wife Romietta Redman Reynolds. His uncle was Major General Charles R. Reynolds, who served as Surgeon General of the United States Army between 1935 and 1939.

Royal Jr. attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and graduated in 1933. He was then commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the infantry.[1]

During World War II, Reynolds was assigned to the 57th Infantry Regiment, stationed at Philippines, where he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion. After the defeat by Japanese during the Battle of Philippines in May 1942, Reynolds refused to surrender and spent the remainder of the war as a guerrilla. For his service during the war, Reynolds received the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.

After the war, Reynolds remained on active duty in the Army and subsequently served with the 7th Infantry Division in the Korean War. He commanded a regiment during this conflict and was decorated with another Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device, Legion of Merit and also Silver Star for gallantry in action.[2]

He also attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Army War College.

In his late military career, Reynolds was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and served as Assistant Commander of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He received another Legion of Merit for his service in this capacity and finally retired from the military service in 1963.[3]

Brigadier General Royal Reynolds Jr. died on November 24, 2003, at the age of 93 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia along with his father and mother.[4]

Decorations[edit]

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General Reynolds Jr.:

Bronze oak leaf cluster
V
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
Bronze star
Combat Infantryman Badge with one star
1st Row Silver Star Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and "V" Device American Defense Service Medal with Foreign Service Clasp
2nd Row Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two service stars American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
3rd Row Korean Service Medal with two service stars Philippine Defense Medal Philippine Liberation Medal United Nations Korea Medal

References[edit]

  1. ^ "United States Military Academy, Class of 1933" (PDF). digital-library.usma.edu. 2010-07-04. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  2. ^ "Valor awards for Royal Reynolds, Jr". militarytimes.com. 2010-07-04. Archived from the original on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  3. ^ "Philippine Scouts Heritage Society – Brigadier General Royal Reynolds, Jr". philippine-scouts.org. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  4. ^ "Burial Detail: Reynolds, Royal". ANC Explorer. Retrieved 2020-12-14.