Joe Harris, oldest WWII paratrooper who paved way for Black soldiers, dies at 108

Sgt. Joe Harris lived a beauteous life.

He sailed to world connected galore missions arsenic a subordinate of the U.S. Army’s archetypal all-Black paratrooper battalion during World War II, the 555th, aptly nicknamed the “Triple Nickles.”

At his ceremonial work connected Saturday, friends, families and uniformed members of the subject danced and sang to grant Harris, believed to beryllium oldest paratrooper seasoned erstwhile helium died March 15.

Cynthia Barren, who is portion of an enactment that is progressive successful the past of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, claps on with euphony during a memorial work for World War II seasoned Joe Harris, astatine Lewis Metropolitan CNE Church, connected Saturday.

He was 108.

“He was a kind, caring, compassionate man,” his girl La Tanya Pittman told The Times. “He didn’t fto the information that helium was warring for state during segregated times halt him from surviving his life.”

Harris, who was calved successful Westdale, La., connected June 19, 1916, died successful a Los Angeles infirmary surrounded by family. He laic successful repose Saturday astatine Lewis Metropolitan CME Church.

Many cried, but they besides laughed, arsenic the work felt similar a homecoming — 1 past leap for Harris into the unknown.

His grandson, Ashton Pittman, thanked his gramps for each that helium sacrificed.

“He was our rock, the instauration among which generations person been built,” helium said.

Ashton Pittman, the grandson of Joe Harris, holds a overgarment and boots fixed to him by organizers of a radical of erstwhile and progressive paratroopers during Harris’ memorial work Saturday.

Harris received afloat subject honors and was interred astatine Inglewood Park Cemetery.

His ceremonial procession included a World War II Willys Jeep escort and a subject craft flew implicit the Harris location successful Compton, wherever helium lived for much than 60 years.

Compton Mayor Emma Sharif announced the metropolis was exploring plans to rename a thoroughfare aft Harris.

Members of the U.S. National Forest Service and veterans from antithetic branches of the subject dressed successful World War II-era uniforms.

They included retired U.S. Army Sgt. Donald Garrison, who archetypal met Harris respective years agone and has participated successful commemorative events and parachute jumps honoring the Triple Nickles.

“Holy smokes, man, helium paved the mode for radical similar myself,” Garrison said, arsenic his dependable broke. “I get a small affectional due to the fact that I consciousness it successful my heart. He sacrificed truthful much, due to the fact that helium wasn’t expected to beryllium thing different than a steward, a navigator oregon valet. He was a paratrooper — a hero.”

La Tanya Pittman said her begetter was skilled arsenic a paratrooper, but wanted to go a aviator portion helium was successful the military.

“They wouldn’t fto him adjacent try,” she said. “But helium inactive went connected to service his country.”

As a subordinate of the “Triple Nickles” Harris was portion of a combat-ready unit, but the paratroopers were not sent overseas. Instead, they trained arsenic immoderate of America’s archetypal “smokejumpers.”

They were tasked with parachuting into Pacific Northwest forests to combat wildfires ignited by Japanese balloon bombs launched into North America from crossed the Pacific Ocean.

Operation Firefly, a highly secretive mission, saw the smokejumpers enactment retired wildfires and disarm immoderate downed explosives.

Cpl. Elijah H. Wesby of Philadelphia and Sgt. Roger S. Walden of Detroit during leap grooming with the U.S. Army All African American 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion during a grooming workout astatine Ft. Benning, Ga., successful 1944.

They were stationed successful Pendleton, Ore., and Chico, Calif., wherever they responded to 36 fires and made 1,200 jumps, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

A cardinal crushed the cognition was kept concealed was to bounds quality from reaching Japan astir the the balloon bombs that arrived successful North America, said main historiographer Matt Seelinger with the Army Historical Foundation.

Although six radical were killed adjacent Bly, Ore., erstwhile they discovered a downed balloon successful May 1945, the wide harm caused by the weapons was limited.

“The balloons did not enactment arsenic the Japanese intended,” Seelinger said.

Harris made 72 palmy jumps portion helium was with the Army, according to the enactment Beyond the Call, which documents veterans’ stories.

The smokejumpers were equipped with wildland firefighting gear, including a football-style leather helmet with a grill successful beforehand and different tools.

After his honorable discharge, Harris purchased a location successful Compton and had 3 children with his precocious schoolhouse sweetheart, Louise Singleton Harris. He went connected to enactment for the U.S. Border Patrol for astir 40 years.

Former Compton Mayor Omar Bradley, who grew up adjacent doorway to the Harris family, danced successful Harris’ surviving country adjacent to a ample vigor console erstwhile helium was 3 oregon 4.

“His favourite happening was to invitation maine implicit and person maine creation successful beforehand of his buddies,” said Bradley, who aboriginal learned the different men were seasoned paratroopers with the 555th. “But if helium truly wanted maine to crook it on, he’d propulsion $1 down, and I would person the full location — his wife, his kids, everybody — laughing, due to the fact that I’d commencement doing the splits.”

Harris was a begetter fig and a changeless fixture successful the Compton community.

“He was stalwart, committed and unwavering,” Bradley said. “A existent American.”

U.S. Marine Corps seasoned and erstwhile wildland firefighter Neil Gallagher felt honored to sojourn Harris astatine his location successful January.

He and 2 different veterans presented Harris with a Pulaski, a wildfire instrumentality utilized for gathering firebreaks, and a paratrooper patch.

Active work and retired U.S. Army paratroopers wage respects to World War II seasoned Joe Harris during his burial astatine Inglewood Park Cemetery connected Saturday.

“They fought fascism and past fought racism,” said Gallagher, who is the laminitis of the oral past nonprofit Preserving Their Stories.

“Our state has a work to guarantee heroes similar Mr. Harris are ne'er forgotten, and that starts with providing units specified arsenic the 555th the designation they deserve,” helium said.

Harris was preceded successful decease by his woman successful 1981 and 1 grandson.

Harris is survived by 2 daughters, 1 son, 4 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren.