James Mack Harris
1935
General Science
Cadet Corporal, First Sergeant, Captain, York County Club; Sigma Epsilon; Jail Bird Club; Junior and Senior Platoon; Freshman Football Manager
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Wife - Francis Moore Harris. One son - James Mack, Jr.
Army, First Lieutenant
Company E, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart; European- African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/one Bronze Star; WWII Victory Medal; Combat Infantry Badge
Aug 3, 1913
Jun 14, 1944
Killed in Action during the liberation of France
Normandy American Cemetery, Plot F, Row 3, Grave 66. Memorial marker at Unity Cemetery, Fort Mill, SC.
SE
Personal Remembrances
Silver Star citation - (HQ, 4th Infantry Division, G.O. No. 62 1944);
First Lieutenant James M. Harris, 0327076, Inf, for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States in France,from 6 June to 19 June 1944. The initiative and courage displayed by this officer reflects great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States. Entered the military service from South Carolina.
Additional Information
Activities of the 4th Infantry Division around the time of Lt Harris’ death: Chosen as the spearhead amphibious division of the D-Day landing on the Normandy coast of France, the men of the 4th Infantry Division stormed ashore at H-Hour (0630 hours) on a stretch of the French coast named – for this operation and forever after – Utah Beach. After their successful D-day landing, the men of the Ivy division fought through the hedgerows of the Cotentin Peninsula en route to taking the critically important port of Cherbourg on June 25, 1944. The division was in continuous action during the period of June 6 to June 28 when the last resistance around Cherbourg was eliminated. During this period, the 4th Infantry Division sustained over 5,450 casualties and had over 800 men killed. Source- https://www.wartimepress.com/archives.asp?TID=004%204th%20Infantry%20Division&MID=Infantry%20Divisions&q=123&FID=89
Other: ID: 0-327076
Related Images Click to Enlarge
The State 7/20/1944 The newspaper article refers to the 4th Motorized Division. However, Bob Babcock, the 4th Infantry Division Historian says it was neither motorized or mechanized. Early in WWII, the 4th ID was an experimental motorized unit, being tested to counter the German motorized units. There wasn't enough shipping capability to get all their motorized equipment to North Africa in 1943, so the experiment was dropped and the 4th ID reverted to a straight Infantry unit in the summer of 1943, started amphibious training in fall of 1943, then went to England and spearheaded the D-Day landing on Utah Beach on 6 June 1944. Submitted by Bob Babcock, 4th Infantry Division Historian
Grave Marker at Normandy American Cemetery