Scope and Contents

One CD-ROM of scanned documents and photographs detail Everette Dixie Reese's service as a reporter in Vietnam, 1952-1955, and Dorothy Reese Bloomfield's subsequent return visit to Vietnam in 2000. The original photographs and documents, which were retained by Mrs. Bloomfield, date from the 1950s to 2000.

Biographical / Historical

Dorothy Bloomfield served as a public health nurse with the Public Health Service in Vietnam from 1951 to 1955. During this time her husband, Everette Dixie Reese, served as the official MAG, United States Embassy, and Mutual Security Agency photographer in Vietnam until he was killed in Saigon, RVN on 29 April 1955. Everette Dixie Reese was born October 25, 1923 in Houston, Texas. He was the son of Everette Elmer Reese (January 17, 1887 - April 8, 1925) and Margie Rice Reese ( ? - 1973). Reese attended the University of Houston and later attended the Sorbonne while living in Paris. On May 3, 1943 he enlisted in the United States Army. From 1943-44 he served in England. Reese was actively serving on D-Day when the Battle of Normandy began on June 6, 1944. He personally entered France on D-Day+2 and traveled from the region of Normandy to the capitol city of Paris. On January 24, 1946 he was honorably discharged from the Army, as a PFC Photographer. During his service, he earned numerous He supervised the development of the first air conditioned photographic laboratory in Indochina. Trained personnel of the Ministries of Information in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam in photography and photo lab techniques at the laboratory in Saigon. He traveled with and photographed visiting American and other dignitaries who came to Indochina. Mr. Reese was killed photographing the Binh Xuyen Rebellion from the air in Cholon. He is survived by his wife, the former Dorothy Erickson, a son, Alan Eric Reese, a sister Gertrude de Rouen and a stepbrother, Dr. Alvin van Ostrom. He is included on the USAID Memorial, the Journalist Memorial, and the U.S. State Department Memorial because of his death during service for the United States government. In November 1956, the Vietnamese Government issued a stamp to commermorate Operation Brotherhood. The stamp depicts a photograph of refugee children fleeing from North Vietnam that was taken by Dixie Reese. He was known as a, 'Faithful citizen who died pursuing his desire for TRUE REPORTING through photography.' - From the program of his memorial service, May 8, 1955, Reformed Church of Saigon. His work is featured in the book REQUIEM about the 135 photographers who were killed in Indochina and the VIDEO CAMERA MARTYRS based on REQUIEM. After Mr. Reese's death, Dorothy Reese Bloomfield retired from the Public Health Service in 1977 and began working for the Veterans Administration until her retirement in 1985.