Robert T. Reid

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Bio

Robert T. Reid was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1932. Like others of his generation, he lived through the shock and the hardships of both the Great Depression and World War II. As with others of his generation, he was drafted and honorably served in the Armed Forces of the United States to defend his country and the people of South Korea.

At 21 years old, Sgt. Reid experienced a culture quite unlike that he knew from his youth. He went from a city known for its historical contributions to American industrialization to a nation ravaged by violent civil war. One of the most prominent memories of his time in Korea was the sight of people living on rice paddies, simply trying to get by day to day. He also remembered the bitter winter cold experienced by all those involved in the war.

Sgt. Reid’s service in Korea was short – only about a year (1953-1954) – yet in that time, he was a witness to history. With his platoon, he was present when the last mortar was fired before the cease-fire. Even though the war ended shortly after his arrival, he continued to serve in Korea after the cease-fire and was among the last soldiers to leave the peninsula.

As a result of his service in Korea, he earned four military service awards: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, and the United Nations Service Medal.

Upon returning to the United States, Robert returned to his beloved Massachusetts and re-joined the private sector. He began working at Teradyne as a Quality Control Inspector, where he remained for over 25 years.

In 1955, Robert married the love of his life (Lois A. Wilkins) and shared a home for 47 years until she passed away in 2002. From their loving home, they raised six children – 3 boys & 3 girls. Their family eventually grew to include 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, many of whom chose to continue the family tradition. Reid’s patriotic legacy through their own military service.

Special thanks to Robert’s daughters, Lois Reid Dubay and Julie Reid Brissette, for sharing recollections and information as well as helping with the interview process. Their contributions were invaluable to creating this profile.

Photos

Training Camp

Relaxing with Buddy

The Platoon

Robert and Lois

Robert and Lois