Lieutenant j.g. Reece Butler Savell USN

Reece Butler Savell was born Mississippi on April 5, 1918 to Mr and Mrs Thomas J Savell. The family moved to Berino NM, where his father farmed, by the time he was ten and he graduated from Anthony HS. In 1936 he enrolled in NMAMC to study Engineering. After 2 and ½ years, he withdrew from school to enlist in the US Navy in November 1941. He was sent to Jacksonville NAS for pilot training and in June 1942 was commissioned and awarded his wings. Records indicate that in 1942 he married Miss L.E Hill in Duval County FL. In late 1943 the US Navy stood up the Naval Air Ferry Command to pick up aircraft and fly them to their station. Lt j.g Savell was assigned to VRF-2 in Columbus Ohio. On December 1, 1943, while flying a Corsair fighter aircraft from Columbus to Seattle NAS, his plane crashed near Woodland Washington. He did not survive the crash. His body was recovered and was buried at Ft Bliss National cemetery. Lt. j.g. Reece B. Savell was 25 years of age at the time of his death in the service of his nation.