is thankful to get some official closure while honoring their fallen loved one.
A memorial service in Harris' honor will take place Saturday to present his father, Clyde Harris, of Chillicothe, medals commemorating his son's service.
Organizers hope the medal ceremony will include a Congressional Medal of Honor for those killed in action whose bodies were not recovered, said organizer Dick Schwartz.
"Since it's been 39 1/2 years, we wanted to do it right," Schwartz said. "We're hoping we can get the medal in time for the ceremony."
Schwartz, who graduated with Harris from Chillicothe High School in 1965, was documenting deaths of those in his graduating class when he came across the death of Harris.
"I found out nothing had been done to commemorate his death," Schwartz said. "There had never been a marker. I just felt like everyone who is deceased should have a marker - especially a veteran."
Harris' family has been especially grateful for the work Schwartz and six other members of the CHS Class of 1965 have put into organizing a memorial. The memorial has been a source of closure for Harris' sister Elsie Shabazz, who currently lives in Portsmouth.
"I've been wanting to do something about it," Shabazz said. "Dick had thought it was such a shame with all the memorials they do now for (fallen) soldiers and they didn't do anything for those in Vietnam."
According to the incident report filed by Task Force Omega Inc., Harris was killed in combat in South Vietnam on March 13, 1967, when the helicopter he was in encountered enemy fire. For some time, Harris' body was not recovered and Harris was listed as Missing in Action.
Lance Cpl. Virgil B. Terwilliger died in the attack, and Maj. Peter N. Samaras died of injuries in the days that followed. The aircraft's pilot, 2nd Lt. Robert E. Swete, was the only survivor of the crash, and he will be attending the memorial service Saturday.
"(Schwartz) went so far as to find the man who survived the crash," Shabazz said. "I have not met him. I look forward to it."
The Harris family had 11 children - Shabazz and her brother were very close.
"I was the oldest girl, and he was my oldest brother," Shabazz said. "He was my bestest buddy and my bestest friend. There are two (siblings) who never met him."
Saturday's memorial service will be hosted by Lima Company, which has lost 23 soldiers in Iraq, including one from Ross County. Jim Lusher will preside as minister, said Schwartz.
"There have been many contributions from local veterans organizations and the community," Schwartz said. "Many people have stepped up to help out."
Shabazz said although this will help bring closure to the incident, the amount of information the family received regarding Harris' death was frustrating - especially concerning the manner in which they found out about it.
"Five years ago, we found out he had been killed in action and was not missing in action," Shabazz said. "I found out on a Web site, not from the military."
Shabazz said she tries to look towards the future, but sympathizes with families who also have no closure.
"There is some anger, but you have to let it go," Shabazz said. "There are still some families who have no closure, like (the family of) Matt Maupin."
Sgt. Matt Maupin, of Batavia, Ohio, is the only U.S. soldier currently listed as Missing in Action by the military. He has been missing since April 9, 2004.
"That's no closure for the family at all," Shabazz said. "My mother went to her grave thinking my brother would come home."
Shabazz said her brother's legacy was an important one.
"He liked doing things for and with people," Shabazz said. "Most of all, he always had a big grin. He was the first and possibly only black from Ross County who was lost."
Understanding the loss behind wars is still difficult to comprehend, Shabazz said.
"I don't blame anyone," she said. "But it just seemed and still seems so unfair that our young men died and are still dying on foreign soil fighting other countries' wars."
The memorial service for Harris will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Greenlawn Cemetery in Chillicothe. A reception will follow at the AMVETS club on Main Street.
Information was sent to me in an email from Lima Company Marine. This article was posted in the Chillicothe Gazette. View images on Chillicothe web site