Marlen E Reber

Military
An airman of the 306th Bomb Group with the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24487) nicknamed "Eager Beaver". media-387685.jpg FRE 5932 An airman of the 306th Bomb Group with the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24487) nicknamed "Eager Beaver". From PCT article: 'It was then-First Lt. Reber who dubbed the B-17 the Eager Beaver. He identified with the term as a description of one who “wants to do everything” and is ready to move front and center when called upon to serve. He recalls that he paid a Sgt. Lee Kessler, of Ohio, $5 to paint a beaver on each side of the plane’s nose before he first flew it across the Atlantic in 1942. ' Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5932 - An airman of the 306th Bomb Group with the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24487) nicknamed "Eager Beaver". From PCT article:...

He completed 25 missions. He flew the 'Eager Beaver' from Westover AFB to England. He had the 'Eager Beaver' throughout his first 15 missions until 3 March 1943 when it got badly shot up by the ball turret gunner on John Reagan's crew. He was the 19th Officer to complete tour 29 June 1943.



According to a letter written by Col. Claude E. Putnam on 5 November 1943, 'he has the outstanding record of having completed an operational tour of 25 daylight heavy bombardment sorties over targets in occupied Europe and Germany without once having returned early. '



AM w.3 Oak Leaf Cluster, DFC, 5 Battle Stars, Legion of Merit, Air Force Commendation Medal



Short article from The Gettysburg Times, PA, published 12 May 1944:



TWO BROTHERS MEET IN LONDON



"Major Marlin E Reber, formerly New Oxford, is a veteran of 26 missions over enemy lines, according to word received here. The pilot of a Flying Fortress, he is holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Silver Star."



"Recently, while walking on a London street, he accidentally jostled against another soldier, according to letters to friends here."



"Both stopped, stared and then started talking. The solder who had jostled the major was Staff Sergeant Wellington R. Reber, of near New Oxford, the major's brother. Neither had recognized the other until the accident."



"Both are sons of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin A. Reber, formerly of New Oxford and now of Hanover. Sergeant Reber recently returned from England where he spent 19 months as an administrative clerk for a heavy bombardment group. He is now stationed at the Stuttgart, Arkansas, Army Air Field."



From PCT article:

'Hollywood immortalized the bomber and others (Col. Reber said there were a total of 60 fighting B-17s) in movies like “Twelve O’Clock High.” In fact, in one scene from this American classic featuring leading man Gregory Peck as Gen. Armstrong, Col. Reber the real man, not an actor can be seen flying the plane beside the famous actor.'



Marlen served in the US Air Force for 27 years, retiring as a full Colonel. He went on to serve as City Safety Service Director for the city of Troy, Ohio. He moved to Florida when he retired in 1980. He died in 2012. As one obituary put it, 'Marlen loved to golf, boat and be with Virginia his loving wife of 70 years. He is survived by his wife Virginia as well as his four loving sons, Robert (Sylvia) of Plano, TX; William (Patricia) of Columbia, SC; Michael of Punta Gorda, FL and Steven (Alice) of Exton, PA. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Connections

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Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Clerk

Aircraft

An airman of the 306th Bomb Group with the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24487) nicknamed "Eager Beaver".
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Eager Beaver
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Lykens, PA, USA 4 May 1918

Enlisted

Detroit, MI, USA 12 July 1941

Other

Flew Eager Beaver to England

Westover Air Force Base, Chicopee, MA 01022, USA 25 August 1942

Died

Punta Gorda, FL, USA 29 July 2012
New Oxford, PA 17350, USA Exact dates not yet known. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Irvin A. Reber

Based

Thurleigh 29 June 1943

Buried

Royal Palm Memorial Gardens, 27200 Jones Loop Road, Punta Gorda, FL 33982, USA
Punta Gorda, FL, USA Moved to Florida when he retired.

Other

Served as City Safety Service Director

Troy, OH, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

The Gettysburg Times, PA article published 12 May 1944 and made available through Newspapers.com: http://www.newspapers.com/image/38817809/?terms=Wellington%2BR%2BReber

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition, First Over Germany pg. 10-11, 40, 48, 132, 137-8, & 158, Combat Crews pg. 136,   / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Marlen E Reber: Gallery (1 items)