Prisoner of War/Missing in Action North Carolina

HARRIS, HAROLD LEE
Durham, NC

Name: Harold Lee Harris
Rank/Branch: E3/US Army
Unit: Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Birth: 29 November 1946
Home City of Record: Durham NC
Date of Loss: 22 October 1966
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 141354N 1080044E (BR778750)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 4
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Refno: 0501
Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998.

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: PFC Harris was a rifleman on a combat mission with his unit in Binh Dinh region of South Vietnam on October 22, 1966. While attempting to cross a stream, Harris and another member of the unit were swept away by swift current, and last seen being tossed over and over by the current of the stream.

A thorough search of the area was made, and the body of the other member of the team was recovered four days later, but not that of PFC Harris. The search continued another day, and was then terminated. PFC Harold Harris was a month shy of his 20th birthday.

Harris is listed with honor among the missing because his remains were not recovered. His case seems quite clear. For others who are listed missing, resolution is not as simple. Many were known to have survived their loss incident. Quite a few were in radio contact with search teams and describing an advancing enemy. Some were photographed or recorded in captivity. Others simply vanished without a trace.

Reports continue to mount that we abandoned hundreds of Americans to the enemy when we left Southeast Asia. While Harris may not be among them, he serves as a reminder of those who still await our action to bring them home.

Source: POW Network

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