Full Name:

Thomas "Tom" Quincy Harris

Date Of Birth:

10-21-1917

Member:

Member

Entered:

12-23-1940

Drafted:

No

Volunteer:

Yes

Where:

West Plains, Missouri;

Unit:

275th Regiment Anti-Tank

Medals

1 - Purple Heart, 2 - Bronze Stars, Infantry Marksman Medal, Campaign Ribbons for Europe and Pacific *(All other ribbons or medals are unknown to his family.)

Bio

There is not much that Tom ever told his family about the war. What we do know is that he was in another division before the 70th and that he fought not only in Europe but also in the Pacific. The only items he ever talked about was getting busted back to private for arguing with his CO; sleep walking; a man who would never dig his own fox hole; his leave he took in a small village in Switzerland; stealing a B-25 with some of his buddies and flying it into Germany; him and his regiment liberated a concentration camp but he was unable to remember which camp; and that him and some other men had to do a recon over the front line into occupied France, they all hid underneath a house that was being used for German headquarters, they were there for a whole week - due to this he became claustraphobic. For the Pacific he never talked about it, at all. All we knew was that he said he was there - nothing more on that topic. If any one knows any, ANY, information on Tom please contact me through e-mail. The family would greatly appericate your assistance!

God Bless You! You've done the country a service that is unmeasurable.

Tom worked as a butcher for several major grocery stores and sold insurance. Along with this he was also the Bookkeeper for our Miami VFW and he began a small, very small, interest in cattle - owned 3 farms before his death. In 1975 he married again to Ann Clowers Williams Hearne and they soon after that adopted their granddaughter, Shauntel Renee Coats. When Ann retired they began traveling, visiting family or just for fun. He was also very active in Southern Hills Baptist Church and the Grand Lake Baptist Camp and a member of the Giddons. His greatest joys in life were reading westerns (especially Lamor and Grey), his cattle, and his youngest daughter. At the time of his death he had 5 children (James, Larry, Kenneth - died 1990, Susan, and Shauntel); 3 step-children (Trish, Gary, and Larry); 7 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren and 1 on the way. But before he died we had a surprise birthday party for him - it was the only real birthday party he ever had and it was the last. Tom died on August 21, 1998, exactly two months from his 81st birthday.

He was dearly loved and always be missed.

If you know of any information please e-mail me at hunter@rectec.net.

Thank you!

Shauntel Harris Highley