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Jeffrey Lyndol Harris
Captain
13TH TAC FTR SQDN, 432ND TAC RECON WING, 7TH AF United States Air Force Clinton, Maryland May 28, 1943 to May 10, 1972 JEFFREY L HARRIS is on the Wall at Panel W1, Line 18 |
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29 Dec 2001
"To live in the hearts we leave behind,
From a comrade-in-arms, |
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23 May 2005
I was a friend of Jeff's in high school. I lived across the street from him in Clinton, Maryland. He was a very committed young man, who wanted to fly and to serve his country. Some years ago, while in graduate school, I heard that he was missing in action in Vietnam. Later, I visited the memorial in Washington, D.C., and saw his name. Just today, having watched a documentary on American pilots in Vietnam, I searched for his name on the internet. I am glad to know that his remains were found and returned home. For many years I looked at a photograph I had of Jeff, sitting next to me on the couch in my home on Cheltenham Avenue, and I wondered where he was. Thanks to those who did not give up looking for him. |
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28 Dec 2006
My father, Reg Mason, was best friends with Jeff. The two grew up together and even shared a dorm at the University of New Mexico. My parents were devastated when Jeff went MIA. I never knew him, but having his name is very special to me. He will always be remembered by my family. |
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27 May 2007
Jeff was my front-seater during RTU at Davis-Monthan in 1970-1971. I flew many, many times with Jeff. Jeff should have been a poster-model for U.S. Air Force pilots. He was a perfect gentleman, sweet, sweet personality, a great cook, and a cultured gentleman. Jeff was killed the day I left for Vietnam. I never got over it. I think about him almost every day. My prayer is that God took him in His arms and Jeff is enjoying eternity. I look forward to seeing him in Heaven.
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In the spring of 1972, the U.S. formulated the LINEBACKER offensive. Its objective was to keep the weapons of war out of North Vietnam. At this time, the North Vietnamese had one of the best air defense systems in the world, with excellent radar integration of SA-2 SAMs, MiGs, and antiaircraft artillery. On the first day of the strikes, 10 May 1972, the entire force encountered heavy concentrations of anti-aircraft fire and 16 MiGs were seen. F-4E PHANTOM (tail number 67-0386) flown by Captain Jeffrey L. Harris and Weapons Systems Officer Captain Dennis E. Wilkinson was shot down by a MiG-19. The F-4E erupted in flames, exploded and crashed. No parachutes were sighted or emergency beepers heard but The Air Force believed there was reason to believe the two escaped the crippled plane, and declared them both Missing in Action.. When the 591 American POWs were released in February 1973, Harris and Wilkinson were not among them, nor did any of the released prisoners have any knowledge of them. Military officials were dismayed that hundreds of known or suspected prisoners were not released.
On 27 August 1978 the Vietnamese turned over human remains to Congressman "Sonny" Montgomery's delegation to Hanoi. On 11
September 1978 one of the remains was positively identified as those of Captain Wilkerson.
From the POW Network website.
10 May 1972
Another Version CAPT Jeffrey L. Harris and CAPT Dennis E. Wilkinson were crewmembers aboard an F-4E from the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udorn RTAFB in a flight of four on a daytime escort mission over Northern Vietnam. Their aircraft was shot down by a Vietnamese MiG 19 aircraft and crashed in a low-rolling hill area near Lang Quai hamlet, Tan Long village, Yen Son District, Tuyen Quang Province, NVN. Other members of the flight saw no parachutes and heard no electronic beacon signals. Due to intense enemy activity and the location of the crash, search and rescue efforts were not initiated. On August 26, 1978, the Vietnamese repatriated CAPT Wilkinson's remains. In 1993, 1995, and 1996 joint US-Vietnamese teams investigated the crash site. During the 39th Joint MIA Field Activity Conducted in Six Vietnamese Provinces in early 1996, a Joint Team excavated a crash site near Tan Long village, recovering wreckage consistent with an F-4 aircraft, aircrew life support equipment, personal equipment, and human remains. While a portion of the remains could be individually identified as those of Captain Harris, there remained commingled skeletal remains which could not be positively associated with either of the two men. On 23 May 1997, the Armed Forces Identification Review Board identified the remains recovered from the Tan Long village crash site as those of CAPT Harris. Captain Harris' remains were returned to his family for burial, and the unidentifiable remains were granted burial in American soil. 22 May 2017 Tribute
Jeff and I were in F4 Phantom Training together from late 1970 until mid-1971. Jeff went back to Vietnam and I went to Holloman AFB. Jeff was killed the day my squadron deployed from Holloman to Vietnam. Here is a picture of Jeff taken by a friend before Jeff left . He was a good man; a true gentleman, a excellent officer, and a very good pilot. I miss him always. 
Scott O'Neal VVMF
It is unclear as to where the identified remains were laid to rest but co-mingled remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery. 
Jeff also has an "In Memory Of" marker on his father's marker, Virgil Grant Harris (1917-1953) Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia. 
At the time of his death, CAPT Jeffrey Lyndol Harris, he was survived by his mother Velma Lorrieta "Lori" Hamilton Floyd (1922-1992), Monte Vista Cemetery, Alamogordo, Otero County, New Mexico and two brothers, Larry Ray Harris(1946-2021) at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota and Stanley W. Harris (1949- .) - - The Virtual Wall, 7 June 2022
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