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Casualty Info
Home Town Chattanooga, Tennessee
Last Address Phu Cat AB, RVN
Casualty Date May 05, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Pleiku (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Fairmount Cemetery - San Angelo, Texas
LTC Leslie Earl Harris was a WW II veteran with service in Burma and India. He served as an enlisted man in the Army Air Corps. After the war, he attended the USMA at West Point, New York, and was graduated in 1949. He took a commission in the United States Air Force. He became a B-50 pilot and was involved in a crash of that aircraft in the United Kingdom on June 8, 1951. He walked away. He served in Korea and also served in various air force bases across the country. He attended Air Force schools including the Air Force Command and General Staff College. He served four years in the Pentagon before being assigned to Vietnam. He had family in San Angelo, Texas, and had served at Goodfellow Air Force Base. While he was in Vietnam, his family remained in San Angelo. He was flying "Spooky", a C-47D on a mission in Pleiku when his aircraft was shot down and he perished.
After his death his family remained in San Angelo. Harris Hall at Goodfellow AFB is named in his honor. He is remembered by the Tom Green Memorial and the Permian Basin Vietnam Veterans' Memorial.
LESLIE EARL HARRIS, JR. Chattanooga, Tennessee
Mature, soft-spoken gentleman from the South, L.E. was respected immediately upon arrival here for his striking military appearance. Although his ambition is to do some flying, we shall always remember him for his immaculate appearance, war experiences in India and Burma, diligence in the gym, and an enviable, consistently excellent efficiency record - all foretelling success.
Football 4 Track 4-2-1 Hop Committee 4-3-2-1 Model Airplane Club 4 Ring Committee 4 Ski Club 2-1 Corporal 2 Sergeant 1 From the U. S. Military Academy Yearbook, Class of 1949
LtCol Harris' decorations and awards included the Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross; Bronze Star Medal; Purple Heart; Air Medal; Air Force Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; American Campaign Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Southeast Pacific Service Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Korean Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal; and Vietnam Campaign Medal
