Military Veterans

Celebration of Freedom panel

Lewis Francis Reagan

Date of Birth

23 April 1925

Date of Death

26 October 1996

Brick Location

Liberty Side

Panel Number

8

Biography

Other Info submitted by Janice Adams:  

Lewis Francis Reagan served on the USS Cape Henlopen in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.  

The ship was a troop transport that when down in the ocean.  His fiancée, Wanda Bigelow, got a letter that she had written to him, returned to her.  On the front of the envelope was written “Missing in Action since 4/10/45."  

It was later discovered that Lewis was in a hospital with the mumps.  So, fortunately he was not on the ship when it went down.  He was transferred to another ship after being dismissed from the hospital.  

On 19 December 1945, “after three days of freedom,” Lewis and Wanda were married in El Dorado, KS.


Branch:

U.S. Navy

Rank

Seaman First Class

Years

World War II—1942 - 1945

Duty

Pacific Campaign