Colonel Kenneth L. Reusser
It is my sad duty to report that Colonel Kenneth L. Reusser, USMC (Ret.) made his last takeoff on 20 June 2009. He is survived by his wife Trudy, sons, Richard and Ken II and sister Betty Vuylsteke. Funeral services will be held at the New Hope Community Church in Portland OR on Friday June 26th, 2009 at 11:00 AM, followed by graveside services at Willamette National Cemetery. Detailed instructions were sent under separate cover.
Ken Reusser enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as a seaman recruit on August 23, 1941, and entered flight training. In April 1942, he completed flight training, was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, and in May 1942 left for the Southwest Pacific. Upon arrival at Guadalcanal, was assigned to VMF-122, flying the F4F-3. On his first combat mission, he was credited with a probable kill of a Mitsubishi “Betty.” In October of that year, he was injured during a ditching and spent 6 months in a hospital.
Ken returned to the Pacific in 1944 flying F4U’s from USS Hollandia, (CVE 97) off Okinawa. He led a flight of Corsairs intending to shoot down a Japanese KI-45 “Nick” high-altitude photo reconnaissance airplane gathering information for the day’s Kamikaze flights. With altitude frozen guns, the only weapon left was the Corsair itself. Ken and his wingman severely damaged the tail of the KI-45 with their propellers. It entered a graveyard spiral, breaking up before hitting the water. Ken and his wingman shared the kill. Each was awarded the Navy Cross.
In 1950, Ken found himself again in combat, flying F4U’s from USS Sicily, (CVE 118). He was awarded a second Navy Cross for making two very low-level passes down a street to identify, through a building’s windows, what was hidden inside. He then led a flight back, destroying the target. Exiting the area, with only 20mm guns remaining, he made a firing pass on a ship moored to a camouflaged pier. Loaded with fuel, the ship exploded, flipping the Corsair inverted. After righting the airplane, Ken returned to USS Sicily where the severely crippled F4U was pushed over the side for being too damaged to repair.
In combat for the third time, Ken was shot down and severely wounded while directing a rescue mission in Viet Nam. He retired from the Marine Corps in July 1968 due to his combat wounds.
Colonel Ken Reusser’s distinguished combat record includes 363 combat missions, earning 2 Navy Crosses, 4 Purple Hearts, 5 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 19 Air Medals.
We have lost another three-war hero. He will be missed. Sadly, Harry Blot – Pilot