More detail on this person: Retired Marine
Corps Col. Kenneth L. Reusser, called the most
decorated Marine aviator in history and was shot
sown in three wars, has died at age 89.
Reusser flew 253 combat missions in World War II,
Korea and Vietnam and was shot down in all three,
five times in all.
His 59 medals included two Navy Crosses, four
Purple Hearts and two Legions of Merit.
In 1945, while based in Okinawa, he stripped down
his F4U-4 Corsair fighter and intercepted a
Japanese observation plane at a high altitude.
When his guns froze, he flew his fighter into the
observation plane, hacking off its tail with his
propeller.
In 1950 in Korea, he led an attack on a North
Korean tank-repair facility at Inchon, then
destroyed an oil tanker almost blowing himself out
of the sky.
In Vietnam, he flew helicopters and was leading a
rescue mission when his Huey was shot down. He
needed skin grafts over 35 percent of his badly
burned body.
Reusser, who lived in the Portland suburb of
Milwaukie, was born Jan 27, 1920, the son of a
minister.
Reusser raced motorcycles to help pay for college
and earning a pilots license before WWII.
After retiring from the Marine Corps, he worked
for Lockheed Aircraft and the Piasecki Helicopter
Corp. He remained active in veterans groups.
Reusser died June 20 of natural causes. He is
survived by his wife, Trudy; and sons, Richard C.
and Kenneth L. Jr. Interment was Friday in
Williamette National Cemetery.
From: Statesman Journam, Salem, OR 28 June
2009.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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