This is Corporal Larry D. Harris Jr. Born on the 8th of August 1985, killed in action on of the 1st of July 2010, Garmsir District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Corporal Harris and I both enlisted in 2006. We served together in Iraq 2007, as well as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in the South Pacific in 2008. Both of our enlistments were set to end in Spring of 2010. But when we found out that our unit was going to be headed to Afghanistan, neither of us hesitated to re-enlist for another term, just so we could go with our fellow Marines and friends on our toughest deployment yet.
Cpl. Harris was part of 3rd platoon, originally assigned to a different operating area than ours in 1st platoon. But when they heard about all the fighting our platoon had been doing, Cpl. Harris personally walked up to our Company 1st Sergeant and asked to be sent to the front with us. "Send us in 1st Sgt. Send us in! We need to get into this fight!"
And so they did. 3rd platoon was sent in to leap frog my platoon's patrol base, and set up their own patrol base 2 kilometers south of us.
During the first week of fighting for the new area, Cpl Harris' fire team came under heavy machine gun fire, wounding one of the junior Marines in his fire team. Upon seeing a Marine under his charge fall, without any hesitation, Cpl. Harris ran out into the heavy volume of enemy fire, picked up his wounded Marine, threw him over his shoulder, and ran for cover.
The cover that Cpl Harris ran to was a perfectly covered position from the enemy fire. So perfect, that the enemy emplaced an IED in that same spot, knowing any good combatant would use it as a covered position. The pressure plate IED that Cpl. Harris tripped was nothing more than a water bottle. Literally improvised to detonate when someone stepped over it. That someone was Cpl. Harris, carrying his wounded Marine.
The Marine that Cpl Harris carried out of the kill zone was saved, and made it out alive. Cpl, Harris, however was instantly killed.
On March 4th, 2011, during a ceremony aboard Camp Pedleton CA, Corporal Harris' wife and parents were presented with Harris' Silver Star, awarded posthumously for his leadership and selfless bravery during combat actions.
I pray, to whatever Gods may be, for the strength and guidance to lead my Marines and act as heroically as my friend, so that I not shame him nor the sacrifice he and others like him have made.
Rest in peace, brother.
Semper Fidelis.
Corporal Harris and I both enlisted in 2006. We served together in Iraq 2007, as well as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in the South Pacific in 2008. Both of our enlistments were set to end in Spring of 2010. But when we found out that our unit was going to be headed to Afghanistan, neither of us hesitated to re-enlist for another term, just so we could go with our fellow Marines and friends on our toughest deployment yet.
Cpl. Harris was part of 3rd platoon, originally assigned to a different operating area than ours in 1st platoon. But when they heard about all the fighting our platoon had been doing, Cpl. Harris personally walked up to our Company 1st Sergeant and asked to be sent to the front with us. "Send us in 1st Sgt. Send us in! We need to get into this fight!"
And so they did. 3rd platoon was sent in to leap frog my platoon's patrol base, and set up their own patrol base 2 kilometers south of us.
During the first week of fighting for the new area, Cpl Harris' fire team came under heavy machine gun fire, wounding one of the junior Marines in his fire team. Upon seeing a Marine under his charge fall, without any hesitation, Cpl. Harris ran out into the heavy volume of enemy fire, picked up his wounded Marine, threw him over his shoulder, and ran for cover.
The cover that Cpl Harris ran to was a perfectly covered position from the enemy fire. So perfect, that the enemy emplaced an IED in that same spot, knowing any good combatant would use it as a covered position. The pressure plate IED that Cpl. Harris tripped was nothing more than a water bottle. Literally improvised to detonate when someone stepped over it. That someone was Cpl. Harris, carrying his wounded Marine.
The Marine that Cpl Harris carried out of the kill zone was saved, and made it out alive. Cpl, Harris, however was instantly killed.
On March 4th, 2011, during a ceremony aboard Camp Pedleton CA, Corporal Harris' wife and parents were presented with Harris' Silver Star, awarded posthumously for his leadership and selfless bravery during combat actions.
I pray, to whatever Gods may be, for the strength and guidance to lead my Marines and act as heroically as my friend, so that I not shame him nor the sacrifice he and others like him have made.
Rest in peace, brother.
Semper Fidelis.
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issue_:
i meant to mention some bit about sadness in that last comment too.... my bad. i was being serious. i'm only sarcastic on the silliness boards and in chat
alienheep:
Hoorah