HARRIS, GREGORY JOHN

Name: Gregory John Harris
Rank/Branch:  E4/US Marine Corps
Unit: H/3/11 1st Marine Division
Date of Birth: 01 October 1945
Home City of Record: Syracuse NY
Date of Loss: 12 June 1966
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 145800N 1084900E (BS670578)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground

Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)

CASE SUMMARY

1. On 12 June 1966, CPL Gregory J. Harris, radio operator, was with the 5th
Battalion of the Vietnamese Marine Corps on a search and destroy mission in
the vicinity of BS 670 578 in South Vietnam. The unit was attacked by the
Viet Cong and suffered heavy losses. CPL Harris was then missing. As
friendly forces gained fire superiority they were able to recover some
bodies, but not CPL Harris, during a two hour search. The Viet Cong
remained in the area throughout the night. (Ref 1)

2. On 13 Jun 66, a three hour search of the area recovered more bodies of
the dead and wounded however no trace of CPL Harris was found. An
interrogation of two wounded Vietnamese revealed that one saw CPL Harris
moving out of the area into some heavy foliage and the other one saw him
being captured by the Viet Cong. These two men later died so they could not
be questioned further. ARVN agents in the area at the time reported on 14
Jun 66 that two Vietnamese Marines were captured by the Viet Cong. There
was no mention of an American prisoner. All the personnel that were with
the 5th Vietnamese Marine Battalion on 12 Jun 1966 were accounted for
except the two Vietnamese Marines who were reported captured and CPL
Harris. (Ref 1)

3. During the existence of JCRC the hostile threat in the area precluded
any visits to or ground inspections of the sites involved in this case.

4. CPL Harris is currently carried in the status of Missing.