World War II Honoree

Joseph Parker Harris

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Raleigh, North Carolina

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS APRIL 8, 1943 AND PARTICIPATED IN BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH CHARLIE COMPANY, 11TH AMPHIBIOUS TRACTOR BATTALION AND THE FIFTH MARINE ‘THE SPEARHEAD/FIGHTING FIFTH DIVISION'. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1944 DURING THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IN THE BATTLE OF SAIPAN (INVASIONS DATES: JUNE 15-JULY 9, 1944) MARIANA ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING LOCATED AT HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THIS AMERICAN PATRIOT WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, WHO SO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.