WWII Tail Gunner’s Final Visit with 'Sentimental Journey'
WALLA WALLA, Wash. (September 22, 2025)— The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Arizona had the rare honor of hosting a World War II veteran for what would become his final visit. SSgt. Harold Reed, a tail gunner who flew 27 combat missions in B-17 Flying Fortresses, visited the CAF’s iconic B-17 Sentimental Journey during a tour stop at Walla Walla Regional Airport in early September.
Though Reed once dreamed of being a pilot, wartime needs placed him in the tail gunner’s seat—one of the most dangerous positions aboard a Flying Fortress. He endured bitter cold, enemy fire, and near-misses on every mission. His survival through 27 missions was a testament to both skill and luck, as casualty rates for bomber crews were staggeringly high.
On Saturday, September 6, 2025, eight decades after serving in combat from the tail of the Flying Fortress, Reed was reunited and once again climbed aboard the bomber. While visiting the touring aircraft, he would take part in a time-honored tradition: signing the aircraft’s bomb bay doors, where hundreds of veterans before him had left their names. His signature, carefully scrawled alongside theirs, now stands as a permanent reminder of the men who risked everything flying into combat over Europe.
Later that evening, at age 103, Reed peacefully passed away at a cared living facilit, surrounded by family.
A week later, Virgil Hatfield, CAF Media Specialist, received a call at CAF headquarters. Reed’s caretaker called to let the CAF know that Reed passed just after his touching visit with the CAF’s B-17. The caretaker wanted to share that as Reed’s body was being taken from the care home, Sentimental Journey passed overhead. The caretaker said, “It was almost as if it were a final salute.”
The CAF extends its condolences to Reed’s family and friends, while honoring the memory of a man whose bravery helped secure victory in Europe. His story—and his name etched inside Sentimental Journey—will inspire future generations to remember not just the aircraft, but the people who gave them meaning.
