Walter J. Reber was born on June 20, 1923 to Mr. and Mrs. John Reber who lived at 212 Morris Street in Phoenixville , Pennsylvania.  He was the oldest of three children: Walter, John J. and Barbara L.

Walter, or “Pecksie”, as he like to be called, attended Memorial Junior High School where was a member of their football team. Located at 320 Second Avenue, Memorial Junior High School was  one of the locations where the famed 1957 movie  “The Blob” was filmed. It has since been refurbished and today is known as the Samuel K. Barkley Elementary School.

Pecksie was a member of the First Baptist Church (pictured lower right), located at the corner of Church and Gay Streets (today the Baptist Church”).  He was employed by the Boiler Construction and Supply Company in Phoenixville.  His family later moved to Schuylkill Road, Kimberton.

Walter entered service in the Army, and after basic training was assigned to the 88^th Infantry Division.   He then transitioned into the 350^th Infantry Regiment, 88^th Infantry “Blue Devil” Division.  This is the same division that heroes William Ammon, Robert Mock, and Edward Stott served.

The 88^th Division was stationed at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma.  Between June and August, Walter’s division was in Louisiana for Army sized (includes several divisions) maneuver training.  Following this training, Walter’s division was sent to Camp Patrick Henry in Virginia to be shipped overseas to the European Theater of Operations.

The 88^th was shipped overseas in November 1942 to Casablanca.  Walter’s Division then was sent to Italy to join the 5^th Army in February, entering combat.

At the end of the month, elements of the 88^th Division were sent to relieve the 141^st Infantry Regiment in the Casino area.

On June 4^th, 1944, elements of the 88^th were the first to enter Rome. Other elements of the division were halted to allow Free French forces to enter Rome.

In July, his parents received notice that Walter received a certificate of honor for sniping, scouting and patrolling, issued from the Fifth Army Headquarters.

They also received a letter from their son:

It was some terrible place.  German snipers in all the buildings but we finally routed them out and cleared the place by night.

I guess here are lots of mothers and dads who worry if their sons are in the Infantry, but when you do not hear from them, you know that we have the Germans on the run.

On December 5th, Walter was severely wounded in the area of the Castle Battaglia while on a scouting mission.   He was standing at a window in a house, when the Germans attacked setting the house on fire, and wounding Walter.  As he was evacuated, he shouted encouragement to his fellow soldiers.  According to his commanding officer, Private Reber had no regard for danger and his coolness and courage under fire were an example to his comrades.  He was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions.

Walter returned to duty and to combat.

Private Walter J. Reber was Killed In Action on December 18, 1944.

His parents first received notification that Walter was Missing In Action as of December 18^th, but German records later captured, record him as Killed In Action.

Walter was awarded the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing in Action at the Florence American Cemetery at Via Cassia, Italy.

 

 

His brother, John, served with the Ninth Air Forces, his uncle Harold served in Germany, another Uncle John Gubanich in the Philippines and cousin Earl served in Hawaii.