| Thomas James Reeves | |
| Birth Date: | 9 December 1895 |
| Birth Place: | Thomaston, Connecticut |
| Death Place: | Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii |
| Placeofburial: | National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Placeofburial Label: | Place of burial |
| Medal: | Moh right.gif |
| Medal Alt: | A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon. |
| Allegiance: | United States of America |
| Branch: | United States Navy Reserve United States Navy |
| Serviceyears: | 1917 - 1919 (Navy Reserve) 1920 - 1941 (Navy) |
| Rank: | Chief Radioman |
| Battles: | World War II |
| Awards: | Medal of Honor |
Thomas James Reeves, born in Thomaston, Connecticut, December 9, 1895, was a US Navy radioman who became the namesake of the destroyer escort . Reeves was killed during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and posthumously received the Medal of Honor.
Thomas Reeves enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve as Electrician third class on July 20, 1917. Released from duty July 21, 1919, he was recalled to active duty and was transferred to the regular Navy April 16, 1920 and served until discharged August 21, 1921. On October 12, 1921, he re-enlisted in the Navy making it his career.
Advanced through the rates to chief radioman, Reeves was serving aboard the battleship when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. During that attack the mechanized ammunition hoists in the battleship were put out of commission. Reeves "... on his own initiative, in a burning passageway, assisted in the maintenance of an ammunition supply by hand to the antiaircraft guns until he was overcome by smoke and fire which resulted in his death." For his distinguished conduct, RMC Reeves posthumously received the Medal of Honor.
In 1943, the destroyer escort was named in his honor.
Citation:
For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. After the mechanized ammunition hoists were put out of action in the U.S.S. California, Reeves, on his own initiative, in a burning passageway, assisted in the maintenance of an ammunition supply by hand to the antiaircraft guns until he was overcome by smoke and fire, which resulted in his death.