William Kelly Harrison Jr.
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

William Kelly Harrison Jr. (September 7, 1895 – May 25, 1987) was a highly decorated officer in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
with the rank of
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
. A graduate of the
United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
, he rose through the ranks to brigadier general during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and distinguished himself in combat several times, while serving as the assistant division commander of the 30th Infantry Division during the
Normandy Campaign Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norma ...
and the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
. Harrison was decorated with the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
, the second highest decoration of the United States military for bravery in combat, for his actions during
Operation Cobra Operation Cobra was the codename for an Offensive (military), offensive launched by the United States First United States Army, First Army under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Invasion of Norman ...
. Following the War, Harrison remained in the Army and after several stateside assignments, he was ordered to the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The ter ...
, where he served as head of the
United Nations Command United Nations Command (UNC or UN Command) is the multinational military force established to support the South Korea, Republic of Korea (South Korea) during and after the Korean War. It was the first international unified command in history, an ...
armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...
delegation in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. He participated in the truce talks, which concluded with the signing of the
Korean Armistice Agreement The Korean Armistice Agreement ( ko, 한국정전협정 / 조선정전협정; zh, t=韓國停戰協定 / 朝鮮停戰協定) is an armistice that brought about a complete cessation of hostilities of the Korean War. It was signed by United Sta ...
on July 27, 1953. Harrison completed his career as the commanding general of
U.S. Caribbean Command The United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), located in Doral, Florida, Doral, Florida in Greater Miami, is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingen ...
in early 1957.


Early career

William K. Harrison Jr. was born on September 7, 1895, in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
as the son of
Naval A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
officer and future
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient,
William Kelly Harrison William Kelly Harrison (July 30, 1870 – August 15, 1928) was born in Waco, Texas and died in San Diego, California. Harrison graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1889. He received the Medal of Honor for actions at the United Sta ...
and his wife Kate Harris. He was a direct descendant of President
William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...
. Following high school, William Jr. received a senatorial appointment from
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to the
United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at
West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...
in May 1913. He was a member of the class which produced more than 55 future general officers, including two
Army Chiefs of Staff An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
Joseph L. Collins and Matthew B. Ridgway. Other classmates include: Clare H. Armstrong, Aaron Bradshaw Jr.,
Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...
,
John T. Cole John Tupper Cole (July 23, 1895 – April 24, 1975) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of Brigadier General (United States), Brigadier General. A graduate of the United States Military Academy and veteran of bo ...
, Norman D. Cota,
John M. Devine John Matthew Devine (June 18, 1895 – March 8, 1971) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of major general. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he is most noted as Commanding general, 8th Armored D ...
,
William W. Eagles Major General William Willis Eagles (January 12, 1895 − February 19, 1988) was a decorated officer in the United States Army. A graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA), he is most noted for his service during World War II as Comman ...
, Theodore L. Futch,
Charles H. Gerhardt Major general (United States), Major General Charles Hunter Gerhardt (June 6, 1895 – October 9, 1976) was a senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. During the latter, he commande ...
,
Augustus M. Gurney Augustus Milton Gurney (February 18, 1895 – April 10, 1967) was an officer in the United States Army with the rank of brigadier general during World War II. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he served mostly in the staff positio ...
, Ernest N. Harmon,
Robert W. Hasbrouck Robert W. Hasbrouck (February 2, 1896 - August 19, 1985) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, ...
, Frederick A. Irving,
Laurence B. Keiser Major General Laurence B. "Dutch" Keiser (June 1, 1895 – October 20, 1969) was an American officer who served in both World War I and World War II. During the early stages of the Korean War, he commanded the 2nd Infantry Division. Early life ...
, Charles S. Kilburn, Bryant E. Moore,
Daniel Noce Daniel Noce (1894−1976) was a U.S. Army Lieutenant General who served in both world wars. Over his decorated military career he rose to the position of Inspector General of the Army. Following his retirement from the armed forces, he served a ...
,
Onslow S. Rolfe Onslow S. Rolfe (January 16, 1895 – January 29, 1985) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of brigadier general during World War II as commander of the Mountain Training Center at Camp Hale, Colorado, and the 7 ...
, Herbert N. Schwarzkopf, Albert C. Smith, George D. Wahl,
Raymond E. S. Williamson Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Raymond Eccleston Serveira Williamson (September 1, 1894 – September 27, 1957) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army who served in both World War I and World War II. A gradu ...
, and George H. Weems. Harrison graduated with a
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree on April 20, 1917, shortly following the United States entry into World War I, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the cavalry branch. He was subsequently ordered to Camp Lawrence J. Hearn,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, where he joined the 1st Cavalry Regiment. He was subsequently ordered with the regiment to
Douglas, Arizona Douglas is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States that lies in the north-west to south-east running Sulpher Springs Valley. Douglas has a border crossing with Mexico at Agua Prieta and a history of mining. The population was 16,531 in ...
, from which his unit participated in the guard duties on the Mexican Border. Harrison reached consecutively the ranks of first lieutenant and captain and returned to West Point Military Academy as an instructor of French and Spanish languages. While in this capacity, he also completed advanced languages courses in French and Spanish. Harrison was later transferred to the
7th Cavalry Regiment The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen", after the Ireland, Irish air "Garryowen (air), Garryowen" that was adopted as its march tune. The regiment participated i ...
at
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Named in honor of William Wallace Smith Bliss, LTC William Bliss (1815–1853), a mathematics professor who was the son-in-law of President ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
and served with that unit until early 1923, when he was ordered to
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
for duty on the staff of the Army War College. He was promoted to major during his service there and left for the Philippines in 1925, where he was attached to the 26th Cavalry Regiment (
Philippine Scouts The Philippine Scouts (Filipino: ''Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'' or ''Hukbong Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'') was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until after the end of World War II. These troops were generally Filipinos an ...
) at Camp Stotsenburg on
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. Following his return stateside in 1932, Harrison was attached to the
7th Cavalry Regiment The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army cavalry regiment formed in 1866. Its official nickname is "Garryowen", after the Ireland, Irish air "Garryowen (air), Garryowen" that was adopted as its march tune. The regiment participated i ...
at
Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Gear ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
. While stationed at Fort Riley, he completed the advanced course at the Army Cavalry School there and served on the Cavalry Board and as a troop commander with the
9th Cavalry Regiment The 9th Cavalry Regiment is a parent cavalry regiment of the United States Army. It is not related to the 9th Kansas Cavalry Regiment of the Union Army. Historically, it was one of the Army's four segregated African-American regiments and was pa ...
. Harrison was ordered to the
Army Command and General Staff School The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
at
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
in June 1936 and graduated one year later. He then joined the faculty of the school and served as an instructor of tactics until September 1937, when he was ordered to the Army War College for instruction. He graduated in July 1938 and joined the
6th Cavalry Regiment The 6th Cavalry ("Fighting Sixth'") is a regiment of the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry in the American Civil War. It currently is organized into aviation squadrons that are assigned to several different combat aviation ...
at Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
. Harrison remained in that assignment until August 1939, when he was attached to the War Plans Division,
War Department General Staff The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...
in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
While in this capacity, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel on July 1, 1940.


World War II


Stateside service

Following the American entry into World War II, Harrison was promoted to the temporary rank of colonel on December 11, 1941, just four days after the
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
. He was appointed the deputy chief of the Strategy and Policy Group, War Plans Division,
War Department General Staff The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...
and also was given additional duty at Army Chief of Staff General
George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (December 31, 1880 – October 16, 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Chief of Staff of the US Army under Pre ...
's Committee on Allocation of Responsibilities which was given the job of figuring out a reorganization of the Army high command. For his service in this capacity, Harrison was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general on June 26, 1942. He was subsequently ordered to
Camp Butner Camp Butner was a United States Army installation in Butner, North Carolina during World War II. It was named after Army general and North Carolina native Henry W. Butner. Part of it was used as a POW camp for German prisoners of war in the Unite ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, where he was attached to the 78th Infantry Division under Major General Edwin P. Parker Jr. as Assistant Division Commander (ADC). Harrison then participated in the training of replacements for units serving overseas but suffered a minor injury on an obstacle course in December 1942. While recuperating, he received a telephone call from Major General
Leland Hobbs Major general (United States), Major General Leland Stanford Hobbs (February 4, 1892 – March 6, 1966) was a decorated senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer who commanded the 30th Infantry Division (United States), 30th Infant ...
, then in command of the 30th Infantry Division, informing him about his new assignment with Hobbs' 30th Division. Harrison was replaced by Brigadier General John K. Rice and appointed ADC under Hobbs, who tasked him with organization of the 30th Infantry Division's training at
Camp Blanding Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard, both the Florida Army National Guard and certain nonflying activities of the Florida Air National Guard. The installation is ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. Harrison and Hobbs had known each other from
West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
, where Hobbs was a member of the Class of 1915. They also were in the same class at the
Army Command and General Staff School The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
in 1937. Billy Harrison had almost no respect for Hobbs as a leader of the troops. From Harrison's point of view, Hobbs violated every principle of leadership except one: He demanded obedience and gave it to his superiors. But in almost every other aspect, from training and disciplining men to planning battle operations in the field, Harrison described Hobbs as being " a Barracks soldier", who accustomed himself to applause. Despite this, Harrison remained loyal to Hobbs, who never received anything than support from his ADC. On the other hand, Harrison benefited from Hobbs's apparent weakness, when he had the opportunity to be with his men during the training and later in combat. Harrison participated in the training of his troops for the upcoming Tennessee Maneuvers in September–November 1943, where the 30th Division showed considerable alertness and skills. Following the maneuvers, the division moved to
Camp Atterbury Camp Atterbury-Muscatatuck is a federally-owned military post, licensed to and operated by the Indiana National Guard, located in south-central Indiana, west of Edinburgh, Indiana and U.S. Route 31. The camp's mission is to provide full logis ...
,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, where it concentrated on preparation for movement overseas.


Overseas duty

Harrison led a divisional advanced party overseas by the end of January 1944 and spent the next several months in intensive training in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The 30th Infantry Division departed for
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in June that year and landed at
Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was one of five beach landing sectors designated for the amphibious assault component of operation Overlord during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded German-occupied France with the Normandy landings. "Omaha" r ...
,
Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
on June 11, 1944. Harrison participated in the combat at Vire-et-Taute Canal and on
Vire River The Vire () is a river in Normandy, France whose course crosses the ''départements'' of Calvados and Manche, flowing through the towns of Vire, Saint-Lô and Isigny-sur-Mer, finally flowing out into the English Channel. Its main tributaries a ...
and quickly won the admiration of his troops by accompanying them on the front lines with
M3 submachine gun The M3 is an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted by the U.S. Army on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3.Iannamico, Frank, ''The U.S. M3-3A1 Submachine Gun'', Moose Lake Publishing, , (1999), pp. 14, 22 ...
in hand. He also spent his first night in France in a trench with combat troops. On July 25, 1944, the 30th Infantry Division participated in combat near
Saint-Lô Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy.
, which it secured a few days earlier. The division was subsequently scheduled to participate in
Operation Cobra Operation Cobra was the codename for an Offensive (military), offensive launched by the United States First United States Army, First Army under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Invasion of Norman ...
, an offensive with the intention to advance into
Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
. The offensive was to begin with a major saturation bombing of the enemy with the troops then moving in afterward, but due to inaccurate plane navigation, the planes erroneously bombed their own men. More than 600 men were hit, many killed, including Lieutenant General
Lesley J. McNair Lesley James McNair (May 25, 1883 – July 25, 1944) was a senior United States Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He attained the rank of lieutenant general during his life; he was killed in action during World War I ...
, Commander of
Army Ground Forces The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the large ...
. Even though Harrison's command group was located in the rear, he returned deliberately to the forward area shortly before the bombing began. He was thrown down by the blast of German artillery fire, but was unharmed. Realizing that the success of the entire operation depended on the 30th Infantry Division carrying out its mission, Harrison began analyzing the situation and found out that the divisional
Sherman tank } The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It w ...
s were totally disorganized and demoralized infantry was spread in the area. Moreover, the commanding officer of 120th Infantry Regiment, Colonel Hammond D. Birks was located somewhere in the forward area and his jeep was knocked out. Harrison ordered the commander to get his tanks in battle formation and get ready for action and evacuated Colonel Birks to safety. He took a soldier with a
bazooka Bazooka () is the common name for a Man-portable anti-tank systems, man-portable recoilless Anti-tank warfare, anti-tank rocket launcher weapon, widely deployed by the United States Army, especially during World War II. Also referred to as the ...
through a hedgerow and ordered him to attack a German tank nearby. The soldier hit the German tank several times, but panicked and ran into the open, where he was killed. Harrison crawled back and came upon four American tanks in a neighboring field, who were waiting out the enemy shelling with their hatches shut tight. He climbed on the commander's tank and forced the crew to open the hatch by beating on the tank's turret, subsequently ordering the general attack, which was successful. For his heroism in action, he was decorated with the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
, the second highest decoration of the United States military for valor in combat. Harrison then participated in the Battle of Mortain, the German drive to Avranches in mid-August 1944. The 30th Division clashed with the elite
1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or SS Division Leibstandarte, abbreviated as LSSAH, (german: 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler") began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit, responsible for guardin ...
. The 30th Division then advanced through
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and Harrison distinguished himself again on September 2, 1944, while leading the Task Force of his division. He was riding with the forward elements of his Task Force heading to Rumilly, when his column was ambushed by enemy tanks. Harrison's jeep was hit in the radiator and he was struck by an enemy 75mm tank shell, hitting his right shoulder, arm and leg. Harrison escaped from the damaged vehicle and hit the ditch, where he immediately dispatched his aide and driver to contact the next ranking officer in order that he might continue the advance. He did not mention his wounds, which were not visible due to his raincoat and crawled approximately 600 yards to the rear of the column in order to give further instructions for continuing the mission. Harrison fainted momentarily due to his wounds, but refused to be evacuated until he had contacted his subordinates and instructed them in the continuation of the attack. By that time, General Hobbs had arrived and following the discovery of Harrison's wounds, he ordered Harrison's evacuation. For bravery in action, he was decorated with the
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
and also received the
Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
for his wounds, of which he was most proud. He spent a week in the First Army Hospital in
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...
and rejoined his division in the Belgian town of
Tongres Tongeren (; french: Tongres ; german: Tongern ; li, Tóngere ) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg, in the southeastern corner of the Flemish region of Belgium. Tongeren is the oldest town in Belgium, as the onl ...
, where the division's progress was halted due to fuel shortages and quagmire roads. The 30th Division then proceeded to the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, where they liberated the town of
Kerkrade Kerkrade ( Ripuarian: ; li, Kirkraoj; german: Kerkrade or ''Kirchrath'') is a town and a municipality in the southeast of Limburg; the southernmost province of the Netherlands. It forms part of the Parkstad Limburg agglomeration. Kerkrade is the ...
on September 25, 1944, and advanced to
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, where they took part in the combat on the Siegfried Line and subsequently in the battle of the heavily defended city of Aachen on October 2. The 30th Infantry Division was ordered for rest and refit to the rear by the end of November 1944 and transferred to the
Ninth United States Army The Ninth Army is a field army of the United States Army, garrisoned at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States Army Service Component Command of United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM or AFRICOM). Activated just eight weeks bef ...
under Lieutenant General William H. Simpson. Harrison was tasked by Simpson himself to conduct a refresher course for all infantry and artillery commanders in the Ninth United States Army, down to the battalion level. Harrison lectured the tactics employed by his command in the taking of several towns and then took the entire class to the field to Sankt Jöris near Aachen, where artillery and tanks were set up to demonstrate how they had been used in the attack there. Harrison and 30th Division returned to the front lines following the launch of the massive German offensive in the Ardennes on December 17, 1944, and participated in combat in the Malmedy-Stavelot area. Hobbs tasked Harrison with the command of the task force, consisting of the 119th Infantry Regiment, which later repelled a German assault at
La Gleize La Gleize ( wa, Li Gléjhe-dilé-Stoumont) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Stoumont, located in the province of Liège, Belgium. It was a municipality before the fusion of 1977. La Gleize is located on a rocky outc ...
. Harrison and his task force destroyed or captured 178 enemy armored vehicles, including 39 tanks. He was out of action during January 1945, when he suffered an infection requiring surgery. Following his return at the beginning of February 1945, Harrison was visited by General William H. Simpson, the commanding general of the
Ninth United States Army The Ninth Army is a field army of the United States Army, garrisoned at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States Army Service Component Command of United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM or AFRICOM). Activated just eight weeks bef ...
, who presented him with the
Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...
for his previous service with the War Plans Division,
War Department General Staff The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...
, where he proposed a new concept of organization. During March 1945, the 30th Division was located in the rear for rest and refit and conducted training for its next deployment. Harrison took part in the crossing of Rhine River on March 23, and advanced further into Germany. After taking
Hamelin Hamelin ( ; german: Hameln ) is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of roughly 57,000. Hamelin is best known for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. H ...
and
Braunschweig Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( , from Low German ''Brunswiek'' , Braunschweig dialect: ''Bronswiek'') is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the Nor ...
at the beginning of April 1945, the 30th Division Task Force under Harrison's command discovered two large groups of Hungarian Jewish women at
Teutoburg Forest The Teutoburg Forest ( ; german: Teutoburger Wald ) is a range of low, forested hills in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Until the 17th century, the official name of the hill ridge was Osning. It was first renamed th ...
. On April 13, 1945, Harrison participated in the efforts to save 2,400 prisoners from the
Neuengamme concentration camp Neuengamme was a network of Nazi concentration camps in Northern Germany that consisted of the main camp, Neuengamme, and more than 85 satellite camps. Established in 1938 near the village of Neuengamme in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, th ...
subcamp at
Farsleben Farsleben is a village and a former municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2009, it is part of the town Wolmirstedt Wolmirstedt () is a town in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is locate ...
, whom they found locked in train boxcars. The 30th Division then proceeded eastward and halted its advance on the
Elbe River The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Repu ...
at
Grunewald Grunewald is the name of both a locality and a forest in Germany: * Grunewald (forest) * Grunewald (locality) Grünewald may refer to: * Grünewald (surname) * Grünewald, Germany, a municipality in Brandenburg, Germany * Grünewald (Luxembourg), ...
linking up with
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
forces. For his service with the 30th Infantry Division, Harrison received the
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
and two
Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...
s. The Allies bestowed him with several decorations including: the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
, the Croix de Guerre with Palm by
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the
Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...
by
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
, the
Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau ( nl, Orde van Oranje-Nassau, links=no) is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has ...
by the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and the
Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...
by the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
.


Postwar service

Harrison then participated in the occupation duty in Germany in
Magdeburg Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river. Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebur ...
until June 1945, when he was appointed the acting commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division located between
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
and Pilsen,
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
. He returned to the United States by the end of July and commanded the Second Division during the preparations for combat deployment to the Pacific area. He was relieved by Major General
Edward M. Almond Lieutenant General Edward Mallory Almond (December 12, 1892 – June 11, 1979) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II, where he commanded the 92nd Infantry Division, and the Korean War, where he commanded ...
in September 1945 and assumed duty as his assistant division commander. Due to the
surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...
, the deployment to the Pacific was canceled and Harrison served with the 2nd Division at
Camp Swift, Texas Camp Swift is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bastrop County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2020 census. Camp Swift began as a United States Army training base built in 1942. It is named after Major General Eben Swift. ...
until April 1946. Harrison was then appointed commanding general at
Camp Carson Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso, Pueblo, Fremont, and Huerfano counties, Colorado, United States. The developed portion of Fort Carson is located near the City of Colorado Springs i ...
,
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, where he was responsible for the demobilization of troops returning from war zones in Europe and Pacific. In November 1946, Harrison was reverted to his permanent rank of
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
and ordered to
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, where he was attached to the General Headquarters of the
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the United States-led Allied occupation of Japan following World War II. It issued SCAP Directives (alias SCAPIN, SCAP Index Number) to the Japanese government, aiming to suppress its "milit ...
under General
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
as Executive for Administrative Affairs and Reparations. While in this capacity, he collaborated closely with General MacArthur and was responsible for the restoration of the Japanese economy as rapidly as possible. He remained in this capacity until January 1947, when he was appointed commanding officer of the General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and also held additional duty as the executive officer of the Far East Command. Harrison was promoted again to brigadier general on January 24, 1948, and appointed Chief of the Reparations Section at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and held this assignment until December 1948, when he was ordered back to the United States. He was subsequently appointed Chief of the Armed Forces Information and Education Division of the Department of the Army in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
and was promoted to major general on March 11, 1949. While in this capacity, Harrison was responsible for the propaganda and university extension courses. He didn't like that job and following the outbreak of the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, he applied to be assigned to a field command, hoping that the Army Chief of Personnel, Matthew B. Ridgway, who was his friend and West Point classmate, would help him. Unfortunately, Ridgway couldn't help him at the time and offered him a post as the commanding general of
Fort Dix Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force A ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
with additional duty as the commanding general of the 9th Infantry Division. Harrison accepted the offer in September 1950 and was responsible for the training of replacements for troops both in Europe and
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. During sixteen-week training cycles, he had to transform young men into effective soldiers, but his methods were not met with understanding by some of the recruits' parents and also with some unfavorable press. The night marches and forced sixteen-mile marches with packs caused complaints to
Congressmen A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivalen ...
. When the father of one recruit was invited to spend a week at the barracks with his son, he changed his mind and upon returning home, he wrote a second letter to the editor of the newspaper, withdrawing all his criticism. Harrison also ordered total racial integration of living accommodations at Fort Dix. It should be mentioned that he was no racist, but neither was he a civil rights activist. He did that because he needed his barracks to run in a more efficient manner. The barracks for white recruits were overcrowded and the ones for African Americans were half empty. The training was also racially integrated by Harrison.


Korean War

Harrison was finally ordered to
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
in December 1951 and appointed deputy commander of the
Eighth United States Army The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army United States Forces Korea, forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys,
under General
James Van Fleet General James Alward Van Fleet (March 19, 1892 – September 23, 1992) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised in Florida and gradu ...
, whom he respected as a combat troop leader. After reporting to General Van Fleet, Harrison inspected every 8th Army combat division located on the
Jamestown Line The Jamestown Line was a series of defensive positions occupied by United Nations forces in the Korean War. Following the end of the 1951 Chinese Spring Offensive and the UN May-June 1951 counteroffensive, the war largely became one of attritio ...
(including American,
British Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
n or United Nations troops) from the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
to the
Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...
. He gained awareness of the situation on the front, terrain and enemy positions, but there were no major military operations, just a stalemate. The North Koreans and U.N. troops were located on the
Jamestown Line The Jamestown Line was a series of defensive positions occupied by United Nations forces in the Korean War. Following the end of the 1951 Chinese Spring Offensive and the UN May-June 1951 counteroffensive, the war largely became one of attritio ...
and truce talks between
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
and
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
were already in effect. However, General Matthew B. Ridgway was not satisfied with one member of the U.N. negotiation team, Major General Claude B. Ferenbaugh and replaced him with Harrison in January 1952. Harrison was attached to the U.S. team under Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy and participated in the regular negotiations with North Korean and Chinese representatives at
Panmunjon Panmunjom, also known as Panmunjeom, now located in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea or Kaesong, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, was a village just north of the ''de facto'' border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 Korea ...
. The negotiations were ineffective and the
Communists Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a so ...
used the truce talks just for propaganda purposes and to strengthen their positions on the Jamestown Line. Admiral Joy was planning his own departure in mid-1952 and recommended Harrison as his replacement. Ridgway agreed and announced the change of command to Washington, where it was confirmed in May 1952, when Harrison was appointed senior member of the Korean Armistice Delegation. He also nominated Harrison for the temporary rank of lieutenant general, but Armed Service Committee rejected the promotion. In May 1952, General
Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...
, another West Point classmate and friend of Harrison, succeeded Ridgway as Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command Korea and urged Harrison's promotion again. The Army Chief of Staff, General
J. Lawton Collins General (United States), General Joseph Lawton Collins (May 1, 1896 – September 12, 1987) was a senior United States Army officer. During World War II, he served in both the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, Pacific and European Theater of Operations, U ...
, who was also a West Point classmate of Harrison, convinced the committee and Harrison was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on September 8, 1952. General Clark later commented: Following the promotion, Harrison was appointed the deputy commanding general and chief of staff of the Far East Command under General
Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...
and retained his assignment as the senior member in the truce talks team. He participated in the regular meetings with North Korean delegation led by General
Nam Il Nam Il (5 June 1915 – 7 March 1976) was a Russian-born North Korean military officer and co-signer of the Korean Armistice Agreement. Biography Nam was born Yakov Petrovich Nam in the Russian Far East. Due to a Soviet policy, Nam's family, l ...
and had to handle more North Korean attempts to use the truce talks as a platform for propaganda. He despised the communists, who he regarded with contempt as ''common criminals'' and for example in June 1952, he left the truce meeting, when he saw that the negotiation was without result, leaving North Korean General Nam Il flabbergasted. In September 1953, Harrison assumed duties as the deputy commanding general and chief of staff of the Far East Command under General
Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...
and remained in that capacity under General
John E. Hull John Edwin Hull (May 26, 1895 – June 10, 1975) was a United States Army general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, commanded Far East Command from 1953 to 1955 and the U.S. Army, Pacific from 1948 to 1949. He served in bo ...
, who replaced Clark in October 1953. Harrison served in the Far East until May 1954, when he returned to the United States for a new assignment. For his service in
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
during the armistice negotiations and later with the Far East Forces, he was decorated with the
Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
. Queen Elizabeth awarded him the Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath.


Later service

Upon his return stateside, Harrison was welcomed as a hero, who brought peace in Korea. He attended many parades and banquets, where he featured as speaker and was given honorary degrees from Wheaton College in
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
and
Houghton College Houghton University is a private Christian liberal arts college in Houghton, New York. Houghton was founded in 1883 by Willard J. Houghton and is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church.
in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
. Harrison was also featured as speaker at the
Easter sunrise service Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the ''Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
at the famous
Rose Bowl stadium The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium located in Pasadena, California. Opened in October 1922, the stadium is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering landmark. At a modern capacity of an all-s ...
in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...
. He then arrived at the
Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
on June 16, 1954, and assumed duties as the commander-in-chief of the
United States Caribbean Command United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
with headquarters in
Quarry Heights This is a list of United States military installations in Panama, all of which fall within the former Canal zone. The U.S. military installations in Panama were turned over to local authorities by 1999. Transition phases In 1903, the Hay–Bunau- ...
. His main task was the defense of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
and its coast, which was divided into Atlantic and Pacific Sectors. Harrison arrived in a country with an unstable political situation, because a few months after his arrival, the President of Panama,
José Antonio Remón Cantera Colonel José Antonio Remón Cantera (11 April 1908 – 2 January 1955) was the 29th President of Panama, holding office from 1 October 1952 until his death on January 2, 1955. He was Panama's first military strongman and ruled the country behi ...
was assassinated and his successor,
José Ramón Guizado José Ramón Guizado Valdés (13 August 1899 – 2 November 1965) was the 17th President of Panama. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition (CNP). Education Guizado is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University, having earned a Bachelor ...
, was arrested for conspiracy and murder. Harrison participated in many ceremonies including the
Inauguration In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugu ...
of President
Ernesto de la Guardia Ernesto de la Guardia Navarro (May 30, 1904 in Panama City, Panama – May 2, 1983 in Panama City) was president of Panama from October 1, 1956 to October 1, 1960. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition (CNP). Early life and educa ...
in October 1956 (as a member of the United States delegation). He also hosted President
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
and then-Vice President
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
in 1955. He instituted military training exercises, both amphibious and paratroop, in the Canal Zone and forces came from the United States. Harrison intended to demonstrate to Panama's neighbors the capabilities of the United States Army. Harrison was succeeded by Lieutenant General Robert M. Montague at the end of January 1957 and returned to the United States, awaiting retirement. For his service in that capacity, Harrison was decorated by
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...
.


Retirement

Harrison retired from the Army on February 28, 1957, after almost 40 years of service and settled in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, where he served as executive director of the Evangelical Child Welfare Agency until 1960. General Harrison served as president of the
Officers' Christian Fellowship Officers' Christian Fellowship (OCF) is a nonprofit Christian parachurch organization of 17,000 U.S. Military officers, family members, and friends found at installations throughout the military. Founded in 1943, the organization's purpose remains ...
from 1954 to 1972 and as president emeritus from 1972 until his death. He was also a member of the Lownes Free Church and the Alumni Association of the United States Military Academy and as a trustee of
The Stony Brook School The Stony Brook School is a 7–12 private, Christian, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding and day school in Stony Brook, New York, United States. It was established in 1922 by John Fleming Carson and fellow members of the Stony ...
in
Stony Brook, New York Stony Brook is a political subdivisions of New York#Hamlet, hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, Town of Brookhaven, New York, Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the No ...
. Harrison died on May 25, 1987, in Bryn Mawr Terrace, a nursing home in
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Bryn Mawr, pronounced , from Welsh for big hill, is a census-designated place (CDP) located across three townships: Radnor Township and Haverford Township in Delaware County, and Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It i ...
, aged 91. He was buried with full military honors at
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.


Decorations

Here is Lieutenant General Harrison's ribbon bar:


Notes


Further reading

''A Man Under Orders: Lieutenant General William K. Harrison, Jr.''. LOCKERBIE, D BRUCE. Harper & Row, 1979. .


External links


Arlington National Cemetery recordDallas Theological Seminary archive"Professional Excellence for the Christian Officer"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, William Kelly Jr. 1895 births 1987 deaths Military personnel from Washington, D.C. United States Military Academy alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army War College alumni United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army Command and General Staff College faculty United States Army personnel of the Korean War Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Companions of the Order of the Bath Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Officers of the Order of Orange-Nassau Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Panmunjom United States Army Cavalry Branch personnel United States Army generals of World War II United States Army generals