Charles Francis Reilly was born on May 7, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York. He was first married to Mary Kathleen Anna Dunn Reilly. He was married again to Eileen D. Duffy Reilly. He enlisted in the service on February 1, 1941.

Charles served in Company E, 1st Ranger Battalion, as a Private First Class during World War II. He was one of 50 US Army Rangers who participated with British Commando on the Dieppe raid in 1942. He never landed but was hit with a bullet in his right ankle while on Gunboat 5. He transferred to Company B, 4th Ranger Battalion. He was hit in the hip with shrapnel when fighting in Gela. In November 1943, while fighting in Venafro he was seriously wounded in the foot and did not return to service. He was discharged from the hospital in May 1944. PFC Reilly died on February 27, 1999, and is now buried in Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, Napa County, California, USA.

Source of information: wwiirangers.org