[1] He joined the Flying Tigers (with the unofficial permission of the American government, which guaranteed he would retain his rank on his return), serving under Claire Chennault.

He and other Flying Tigers recruits sailed for Burma from San Francisco aboard the Dutch merchant ship Bloemfontein on July 21, 1941.

[3] After the Tigers were disbanded on July 4, 1942, Reed returned home to Marion, where he embarked on war bond drives.

[1][4] He returned to China, joining the Fourteenth Air Force, which was led by Claire Chennault, his old Flying Tigers commander.

[8] A full-scale replica of a Curtiss P-40B fighter, painted with the same markings as the one flown by Reed, was installed at the Iowa Gold Star Museum in October 2012.