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After World War II a group of veterans in the Woodbridge, Occoquan and Lorton areas of Virginia gathered to form what is now known as Hawkins-Reeve VFW Post 7916 in 1946. The Post was named after Claggett Hartwood Hawkins and Charles Douglas Reeve, two young men who lost their lives while serving their country.
Claggett Hartwood Hawkins was born in Maryland on March 21, 1922. He move to Woodbridge, VA at the age of six. When he graduated from Occoquan School he gained employment with The Peoples' National Bank located in Manassas, VA and remained there until accepted by the FBI for training as an agent.
Being employed by the FBI made him exempt from military service when WWII broke out, yet he chose to join in the defense of his country through the National Reserves. He was assigned to preflight training as a pilot. Upon completion of this training he received his wings and commission as a Lt. (JG) in the Naval Reserves.
Mr. Hawkins was transferred to California where he joined Composite Squadron 91. At Pearl Harbor the squadron changed carriers and went aboard the USS Kitkum Bay. He was killed in the Pacific on December 6, 1944 when his plane crashed into the sea while on a routine patrol flight. Mr. Hawkins was 22 years old.
Charles Douglas Reeve was born on September 19, 1918 and raised in the Lorton area. He attended Lorton Elementary School. After graduating from high school he sought his education through Strayer Business College.
Mr. Reeve was employed by the Washington Gas Light Company when WWII began. He joined the US Army Air Corp. and began flight training. After receiving his commission he trained in, and flew, medium bombers.
While stationed in the South Pacific, Mr. Reeve and his co-pilot, as passengers, were enroute to an airfield in New Guinea to recover a downed North American B-25 Mitchell bomber. The plane there were in crashed. Although he and the co-pilot survived, Mr. Reeve died due to his injuries before they were rescued. The date was October 12, 1944. He was 26 years old.
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