Career
Harris was drafted into Army from his birthplace of Hillsboro, Texas in March 1941, eventually receiving a battlefield commission in March 1944. By October 7, 1944 was serving as a second lieutenant in the 756th Tank Battalion. On that day, at Vagney, France, he commanded an M4 Sherman tank in a hunt for an enemy raiding party which had infiltrated Allied lines.
After moving ahead of his tank on foot to search for the enemy, he was seriously wounded by hostile fire.
He managed to crawl back to his tank and continued to lead his crew, but was again severely wounded in the ensuing firefight. He refused medical attention until another wounded man had been evacuated, and subsequently died of his injuries.
Harris, aged 28 at his death, was buried at Ridge Park Cemetery in his hometown of Hillsboro, Texas.