Indomitable Spirit, Unforgettable Grace: The Story of Sheila Reed
- Christina DeSantis
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
Behind every Air Force officer stands a partner with a story of equal courage and adaptability, but few begin quite like Sheila Reed’s. From surviving WWII escapes as an infant to navigating high-level diplomatic protocols with refreshing candor, Sheila’s journey as the wife of Colonel James Reed (USAFA '59) is as hilarious as it is deeply inspiring. This is a story of resilience, unexpected beginnings, and a dynamic partnership that opened doors around the world.
Indomitable Spirit, Unforgettable Grace:
The Story of Sheila Reed
An Extraordinary Beginning
To understand Sheila Reed’s life as an Air Force spouse, one must first look at her extraordinary origins. Sheila never knew her father, who was killed in World War II before she was born.
In 1944, her mother, Yam Wai Lan, a Hong Kong resident, married Wong Kam Cheung, a soldier in the Chinese army, and moved to his family home in a small village in central China. Tragic circumstances struck again when Wong Kam Cheung died in combat against Japanese forces. Pregnant with Sheila and determined to protect her unborn child, Sheila’s mother walked hundreds of miles from central China all the way back to Hong Kong so her baby could be born in safety. That indomitable spirit and grit were passed straight down to Sheila.
Meeting Jim in Hong Kong
By the time Jim Reed met Sheila in Hong Kong, she was already living an adventurous, fast-paced life.
She was working as a flight attendant for a Danish airline—flying charter missions out of the Philippines—and working for Far East Airways at Kai Tak Airport.
In her role handling arrangements for incoming passengers, Sheila frequently interacted with senior military leaders of various ranks from around the world, as British-governed Hong Kong was a major hub for military travel.
Jim, an Air Force officer serving as the Air Liaison Officer at the American Consulate General, met Sheila at a weekly "Aviator’s Dinner" held every Sunday for the local aviation community. As Jim’s tour in Hong Kong neared its end, the couple decided to marry. However, there was a problem! Jim was in Hong Kong as a diplomat, with a diplomatic passport and it was protocol to have to wait until his tour was officially over before getting married. Thus, it was on July 28, 1983, two days before their scheduled departure, that Jim and Sheila were married in a civil service in the Hong Kong Government building.
Two days later, they were en route to Honolulu, where Jim was assigned to a high-profile position on the CINCPAC staff overseeing foreign military sales throughout the Asia-Pacific region. They had just 48 hours to pack their lives, ship their belongings, and embark on married life together.
Trial by Fire (and Water)
Their journey to Hawaii included debriefings in Washington, D.C., and a stop in Colorado to visit Jim’s son, Scott, who was then a cadet at the Air Force Academy. While visiting the Academy, Jim received an urgent phone call: the Honolulu warehouse storing all of their shipped belongings had caught fire. Everything was destroyed.
Just days into her new marriage and move across the globe, Sheila had lost virtually every personal possession she owned, save for a few items left at her mother’s home in Hong Kong, which were promptly mailed to their new address.
Arriving at Hickam Air Force Base, Jim introduced Sheila to fellow ’59er Brad Hosmer and his wife, Zita. General Hosmer was serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans for Pacific Air Forces, and Zita—seasoned in military life—warmly welcomed Sheila and began helping her navigate the Air Force community.
Ghosts, Flashlights, and K-9 Patrols
The Reeds settled into base housing at Hickam just one day before Jim had to depart for an extended official trip to Australia and New Zealand. They had a home, new furniture, and Sheila had secured a job at a local business. Since she didn't have a driver's license yet, Sheila commuted by riding her bicycle to a local bus stop and taking the city bus into Honolulu.
On the very first night Jim was away, Sheila was eating dinner alone in the large, quiet house when the phone rang—their first call in the home. It was an anonymous, threatening, and obscene call. Frightened and completely alone in a new country, she hung up.
The next morning, Sheila bumped into Zita Hosmer and casually mentioned the unsettling call before heading off to work. Zita immediately took action, contacting the Air Force Security Police. The police responded by dispatching an armed K-9 patrol to monitor the street around the Reeds' home.
Later that evening, Sheila took the bus back from work, picked up her bicycle, and began riding home after dark. Rain mist fogged up her glasses. Unable to wipe them clean while steering with one hand and holding her flashlight in the other, Sheila clamped the flashlight between her teeth to free up a hand.
As she wobbled down the street in the dark, the Security Police K-9 officer saw a strange, mist-obscured light floating six feet in the air.
"STOP! Who is that??" the officer shouted into the dark.
Sheila, seeing only the glowing eyes of the police dog in her beam and holding the flashlight firmly between her teeth, couldn't answer.
It took several tense minutes for the officer and Sheila to sort out the situation. Afterward, the policeman admitted with a chuckle that local base legends claimed the area was haunted by ghosts from the Pearl Harbor attack—and for a split second, he thought he was facing proof!
"Hi, Bill. I'm Sheila."
Sheila’s natural warmth and charm made protocol breaches delightfully memorable. Shortly after arriving in Hawaii, Jim and Sheila attended a formal reception at the home of Admiral William Crowe, Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC).
While getting dressed in formal attire, Jim was browsing through one of Sheila’s photo albums and stopped at a picture of Sheila standing next to a familiar-looking older gentleman.
Jim: "Who is that in the picture with you?"
Sheila: "Oh, that’s Jimmy. He’s in the Air Force."
It took Jim a moment to realize that "Jimmy" was none other than legendary WWII hero General James Doolittle.
Upon arriving at the reception line, Jim formally presented his wife to Admiral Crowe. Sheila looked at the Admiral and asked, "Excuse me, what was your name?"
Startled, Jim interjected, "Sheila, this is Admiral Crowe. He is the commander of all military forces in the Pacific Region, and I work for him!"
Sheila smiled, "I know that!" Turning back to the Admiral, she asked, "What’s your FIRST name?"
Crowe laughed and replied, "It’s Bill."
Sheila extended her hand for a warm handshake: "Hi, Bill. I’m Sheila."
Later that evening, Jim shared the "Jimmy in the Air Force" story with Admiral Crowe, much to the Admiral's amusement. A year later, when Admiral Crowe was named Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and handed command over to Admiral Ron Hays, another formal reception was held. As Sheila moved through the receiving line, Admiral Crowe introduced her to his successor with a grin: "Sheila, this is Ron. He’s in the Navy!"
"I'll Have to Ask Him When He Gets Home"
Adaptable as ever, Sheila attended her first Hickam Officers’ Wives Club welcoming luncheon, presided over by Zita Hosmer. During introductions, new members stood up one by one, defining themselves by their husbands' ranks and duties:
"Hello, I’m Mrs. Brown. My husband is Captain Brown, the safety officer in the fighter squadron..."
"Hello, I’m Mrs. Jones. My husband is Major Jones at Pacific Air Force headquarters..."
"Hello, I’m Mrs. Thompson. My husband is Lt. Col. Thompson, the commissary officer..."
When it was Sheila’s turn, she stood up and offered a refreshingly honest perspective:
"Hello, I’m Sheila Reed, and I feel like I’ve just joined a big new family. I don’t know what my husband does—I’ll have to ask him when he gets home tonight!"
A Lifelong Partnership
While romance novels often rely on the cliché "you complete me," Jim and Sheila’s dynamic was one of true mutual expansion. She opened doors to cultural worlds Jim had never known, and he introduced her to unique global experiences.
Together, they founded the China Forum within the Hawaii military community, bringing in prominent speakers on U.S.–China foreign relations. Their efforts built bridges of understanding across the Pacific, facilitating official travel and diplomatic contacts that would not have occurred through standard channels alone.
Recently celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary, Sheila and Jim continue to inspire those around them. Sheila’s indomitable spirit, vivacity, and infectious energy remain a bright, enduring light in the USAFA Class of 1959 family.
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