Harry Kendall Harris, Jr.
Name: Harry Kendall Harris, Jr.
Rank/Grade: FSGT - E8 - Army - Regular
Age: 39
Marital Status: Married
Race: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: Jul 11, 1932
From: Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
Length of Service: {Service}
Tour Began: Aug 12, 1970
Casualty Date: July 26, 1971
Location: QUANG TIN, SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile/Non-Hostile: Non-Hostile, died of illn
Classification: GROUND CASUALTY HEART ATTACK
Body Recovered: Yes
Religion: Baptist
Vietnam Memorial: Panel 03W - - Line 115
This man gave me an “Ass chew’n” at least four times (that I can remember) during my tour of duty in RVN and I had this to say about him when he passed…”Top was a good man…He shall be missed”.
Thank you, First Sgt., for watching out for me…”clear up left” TOP.
ND Pruett, Crew Chief, 1st plt. “WidowMakers”,71st AHC
RVN 70-71.
I am very proud to be the daughter of First Sgt Harry K. Harris. My father was a very strong but always fair man. His is very respected, and loved, and missed by his family. I would love contact with anyone who knew my father.
I deeply regret the loss you have had to endure. You are right he was well respected and a strong man. It was a honor to serve under him.
Top got me good.As CQ one night myself and the runner didn’t quite clean up to good.To refresh my cleaning he let me come in very early every morning for a week I took some good ribbing on this him also. I was proud to serve with him.
Would like to e with daughter,Geraldine.I believe we may connect thru the HARRIS line.Would love to know if we do.
geraldine I served with your father in the 71st ahc in 1971.I was a door gunner in our co.I was only 18 when i got to viet nam they had sent me early by mistake.First time i met first sargent harris he saw me in line up looked at me and said son you can”t be old enough to be here come with me.he took me to the co.and we all went to head quarters to check it out.They sat me on a bench and went in to talk to some one in side.I sat on the bench thinking man i am going home.In a little while they came out and said i was staying it was because it was only one month till my 19 birthday.my hart just sank.dam i thought i was out of there.the co made his jeep driver just to keep an eye on me.harry became my frend.Harry was all army he could be really hard on you if you messed up.He once made me burn shit for three days because i got drunk and missed a flight one morning.But he was still my frend.I and many others would go to harrys houch
at night and talk to him about our problums.The thing i rememder about harry most is he was a good listener.Some time when your a teenager and in war zone you just needed some one to listen harry did that.I beleave he really cared about boys in his command.I,ve tryed to listen to my kids and grand kids the way harry listen to me.As you can tell harry made a big impact on my life and i beleave im a better man for knowing 1st sg Harrison.I hope harrys grand kids know what a good man he was.they should be very proud of him.I have wanted to tell this to you and your mother for over 35 years.But i have allways tryed not to think about viet nam to much.I”m glad i wrote you this note feels like a house has been lifted off my sholders.
May god bless you and yours
” I know he has Harry ”
s/p4 steve hopkins 71st ahc
Thank you for writing such wonderful things about my Uncle Bud. Unfortunately, he was taken from us all way too soon. If anyone has any pictures of him, I would love to have a copy.
DONNA IF YOU GO UNDER OUR PHOTO SITE TO AMERICAL DIVISION PICTURES. CLICK ON IT GO TO 2ND PAGE 2ND PICTURE FROM THE LEFT THATS HARRY SITTING AT HIS DESK.YOU MITE HAVE ALLREADY FOUND THIS. STEVE
I was the clerk for first sergeant. He was very good to me very thoughtful. All we ever talk about was are daughters. I think of him lol. I was chosen to identify his body before he departed vietnam. We have the miniature wall this weekend in omaha. I will get to see top once more.
Correct. Email.thanks
I just found this site and it brought tears to my eyes knowing how many people loved my Uncle Buddy, (That is what we called him). Today his daughter Geradine passes away, and I know he was waiting for her with opened arms.
Dear Geraldine, here’s another story about Top, your dad….
I served under Sgt Harris in the 71st AHC, in 1970-71 …. I had, for reasons we’ll not go into, joined the Army in 1969 at 17, during the height of the Vietnam war… The Army, in its infinite wisdom, sent me to “Nam” as soon as I turned 18, so contrary to what the other message posted here says, I think 18 was the age limit for combat duty…anyhow, staying on target, being just a young n’ dumb kid, after I got there I never wrote home, or to anyone! not for the first four months.. my old man tracked me down thru the VA or VFW I think… they got a hold of first Sgt Harris and he got hold of me.. in a very direct manner! … Top hauled me into his office and chewed me out (once again) royally.. man I was scared! he sat me down and made me write a letter to everyone in my family, mom. dad, brothers, aunts uncles… on and on… then when the list was done, he made me start over! until I had written 100 letters… that man stayed there with me all night! I never ever made that mistake again… Top not only cared about his “kids”, he cared too about the families back home, the ones missing their loved ones… your dad was a very loving, caring man… but hard as nails when he needed to be! He was missed by us all.
By the way i was there at the beach when he passed, you should know he passed happy, doing what he loved, with all his men around him… we would never had said it at the time, but we loved that man, our Top! … clear up left Top.
Norm, ND Pruett, Crew Chief, 1st plt. 71st AHC. RVN 70-71
“Clear up left Cpt Arno”