Soldiers at CJTF-101 Headquarters,in Bagram look at the video teleconferencing screen as Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Gary Harris is presented with the Bronze and Silver Stars, back at Fort Campbell, Ky.
Brig. Gen. Steve Townsend pins a Bronze Star on the lapel of retired Staff Sgt. Gary Harris, 60, Friday at Fort Campbell. Harris was awarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star for his bravery in Vietnam.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Harris receives a handshake from Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, after being presented the Silver Star during an award ceremony at Combined Joint Task Force-101 Headquarters on Nov. 28.
Father and Son Receive Silver Star Awards During Special Long-distance Ceremony
By Spc. George Welcome
101st Combat Aviation Brigade
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan
Nearly 30 years separate the conclusion of the Vietnam War and the start of the war on terrorism. While time, tactics and technology make today’s military very different from the one which fought in the jungles of Vietnam, a common denominator in the two conflicts has been the bravery and sacrifice of the American service member.
The Silver Star is the nation’s third-highest award for such displays of bravery and sacrifice. Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Harris became one of the few Soldiers to receive the prestigious award on the evening of Nov. 28, but the fact that his father, former Staff Sgt. Gary Harris, was also presented at the same moment with a Silver Star made the event all the more meaningful.
Through a video teleconference during a ceremony at Combined Joint Task Force-101 headquarters, the Harris family watched from a conference room at Fort Campbell, Ky., as the younger Harris was presented the Silver Star by Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, CJTF-101 commanding general.
Meanwhile, Soldiers from CJTF-101 watched a video screen at Bagram as the elder Harris was pinned with not only the Silver Star, but also a Bronze Star he earned serving in Vietnam. Neither had been formally presented to him.
“It’s very rare that we present the Silver Star,” Schloesser explained to those in attendance at both Fort Campbell and Afghanistan. “We have a very high standard and we make sure that the few who do earn it have done so through selfless sacrifice. It’s clear that Mr. Harris did that, and it is also clear that the nation owes a debt to [former] Staff Sgt. Gary Harris. It was almost 40 years ago that he earned it, and I hope in some small way that we can pay back that debt by presenting him his award with his son’s today.”
Personal courage and selfless service could be said to run in the Harris family bloodline, as both father and son reacted similarly in their encounters with enemy forces. Both risked their lives to ensure the safety of their comrades.
The elder Harris displayed this courage on Aug. 15, 1969, as a squad leader in Vietnam.
He and his company were patrolling the outer perimeter near Gol Ree and were attacked with mortars and rocket fire. He quickly directed the members of his squad to return fire on the enemy.
As the attack died down, he moved his squad closer to the perimeter, which had been weakened during the barrage. As the enemy resumed its assault, he directed his squad to return fire once again, breaking the enemy attack. During the engagement, he risked his life by helping medics aid wounded Marines and helped bring them to safety.
The younger Harris also displayed bravery in the face of danger.
On July 2, 2008, Harris, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot assigned to Charlie Company, 5th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, landed his helicopter at a landing zone near Gardez, Afghanistan, to pick up Soldiers for transport when his aircraft came under attack by enemies using rocket propelled grenades, a heavy machine gun and various assault rifles.
With the aircraft on fire, Harris and crew managed to fly it a short distance before putting it down again. After safely exiting the burning helicopter, the entire crew took up a defensive position. They managed to contact a CH-47 Chinook that was in the area to help extract them from the battlefield. As the Chinook landed, the enemy resumed fire.
It was then that Harris, who was helping one of his wounded crew chiefs to the helicopter, exposed himself to fire by engaging and killing an approaching enemy combatant. He entered the helicopter only after ensuring that the members of his crew, the ground forces and the quick reaction force were safely aboard.
“Mr. Harris has been great since the incident,” said Sgt. DeeJay Norby, a crew chief who was also involved in the action at Gardez. “He didn’t get down or anything afterward; he went right back to business doing his job. It’s really awesome getting to fly with a great group of pilots and crew chiefs.”
This was not the first award that Harris has received during this deployment. He was also presented with the Air Medal with Valor device.
In his short address, Harris thanked his flight crew and the crew of the Chinook that performed the rescue operation.
“I’m so lucky to serve with so many great heroes,” said Harris. “Without them, the outcome might not have been so good.”
He also gave a heartfelt thank-you to his father, whose life and service set the example for him.
“Your son, Mr. Harris, exposed himself to direct fire and did incredible things, selfishly sacrificing potentially his life for his comrades,” Schloesser said.
“I’m kinda jealous, Dad; you’ve got two medals and I’ve only got one,” the younger Harris joked after receiving his medals at Bagram.
Gary Harris said he never talked about his medal with his son, but Jonathan had planned early on to follow his father into the military.
Jonathan enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1995, joined the Army in 1999 and is currently assigned to 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell.
“Every time people thank us for our service, I tell them to thank a Vietnam vet, so Dad I want to thank you today.”
Wild Thing’s comment………
This is fantastic! I love that they are Father and son.
That is so wonderful! What a memory to be able to share with future generations! Stories like this make us proud to be Americans.
God bless these patriots. Question WT? Gunny Dad Vader and many of us fought the Russkies and Chicoms and NVA during the Cold War in our national CONTAINMENT strategy of stopping the spread of COMMUNISM overseas. I just figured out that WE FAILED, for Washington DCCCP will CHANGE in 40 something more days! This hurts comrades….
Congratulations to father and son Harris. We are proud of you and your accomplishments.
I have noticed that so many of today’s military members are sons/daughters of Vietnam vets. Perhaps as the military gets smaller we are developing a warrior class. Conversely, there are many families now who haven’t had a military member since WWII. They enjoy the freedoms but make no effort to protect those freedoms.
Definitely, Tom. My father was a Marine DI, my brother a Marine MP and now I have two nephews in the Army, a niece in the Navy, a step nephew in the Navy and another nephew is working towards Annapolis to be a 3rd generation Marine, like his father and grandfather, to be a politician.
Great points Darth and Tom.
It does seem to be in vain, but to put it in perspective far less than one half of one percent of eligible Americans are serving to protect the nation.
The rest can’t seem to grasp the concept of protecting from abroad. Even when we are attacked on our own soil they treat that form of aggression as a criminal act instead of what it really is, an act of war.
These same ‘Americans’ will get their collective panties in a wad when another 9-11 occurs or some turd world country has a coup d’état. Then they and the world will howl like banshees for the United States to intervene. As soon as when have to use deadly force to protect ourselves on foreign soil after being sent there, it’s the setting president and the boots on the ground that are vilified by the very same people railing for them to do something.
It’s remarkable that we even bother, it goes back to the examples set by our fathers, the example of God, Duty , Honor and Country.
The ideals that sent men to war pale when in combat, it’s all about protecting your fellow soldiers regardless of branch, surviving to win and return safely with honor, those who haven’t been there have no idea of service. It sure as hell isn’t an Oliver Stoned movie. Vietnam vets are only the latest in the long tradition of passing along warrior creed to their offspring, which is one of the primary reasons the volunteer system works.
In the next 20 years most of us will be gone and those like Jonathan Harris will carry the torch of freedom, the United States doesn’t enjoy the neutrality of Switzerland nor would I want it that way. Not choosing sides at a time of world chaos is no excuse to avoid what others have forfeited for your security.
We have the same ideologies lined up to destroy us and our economy, both threats are embodied in the newly elected administration, Communism and Islamism. It’s through the efforts of people like Jonathan Harris and his father Gary Harris who risked their all protecting their fellow man in the course of fighting for freedom against both ideologies that we are free.
Thanks WT. Congratulations to both Gary Harris and his magnificent son Jonathan and a humble thank you to all veterans.
They didn’t cower and they didn’t crawl!!!
Vietnam Blues
Lynn, I agree, I read about this and I smile so big and it makes my heart so proud.
Darth, yes and I am so sorry, I feel so horrible about all of this. Politicans with one signature with their pen they slap every Veteran that has fought communisim in the face and a punch in the stomach too. I am very angry about it.
Tom, I have noticed that too, like it is passed down, that strong feeling of honor and wanting to serve.
Jack, that is shocking, that percentage.
When I was growing up everyone had someone in their family serving in the militay. And many of them more then one person, cousins, brothers, Uncles, Dads.
I am watching the video right now thank you so much. Excellent! I have never seen this before. Thank you so much.