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A True World War II Hero
By Charles R. Flowers A friend of mine, who was heavily involved with Disabled American Veterans, told me one day he wanted to introduce me to one of the nicest men he had ever known and also one of the greatest veterans of World War II. It was evident from my first meeting back in 2003 with Midlothian resident, Richard Reno, that this was very true.  Knowing that I could repair computers, Reno later called me up and asked me to come to his house to fix his computer. I was honored to do so. I spent the afternoon with this affable man talking about the events of World War II that took his legs and made him wheelchair bound.
Reno was a member of the famed 36th Infantry Division, Company K, 143rd Infantry - the "T Patchers." The 36th landed in North Africa after most of the conflict there was put to rest. The Division then moved on to Sicily before eventually ending up in Italy in 1943 with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This rough and tumble group of mostly Texans, alongside the 442 Japanese-American Infantry Division, fought their way across Italy in some of the most bloody battles of WWII.
At Altavilla, the 36th was engaged in bitter fighting. Reno was severely wounded by mortar and machine gun fire while on a patrol. Two soldiers from this patrol carried him all the way back to the forward battalion aid station where his wounds were tended. Before he could be sent back to the rear to the hospital, the Germans launched a major counter attack and his regiment was forced to pull back to new positions. The fighting was extremely intense, with 88 mm shells falling all around the aid station. Reno was sure one of those shells was going to land right on top of him. "When the shelling stopped, that was one of the happiest days of his life," he said.
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