NAME: Harry Hall Pritchett Jr.
ASN: O-25705 / 81323773
PLACE OF BIRTH: Canal Zone, Panama
DATE OF BIRTH: 10 Mar 1922
DATES OF SERVICE: 01 Jul 1939 -
UNIT ASSIGNED: 509th PIB
CAMPAIGNS: Southern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland, Central Europe
AWARDS: Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead device and three campaign service stars, Distinguished (Presidential Unit Citation, WWII Victory Medal
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
10 Mar 1922 - Born in Canal Zone, Panama to Maj. Harry H. Pritchett and his mother, Ailie Fannon Heard
Attended Devitt Prep and Millard’s Prep in Washington, DC
01 Jul 1939 - Entered West Point Military Acadamy as Cadet
Harry and his roommate, Ray Ruyffelaere, overcame strong initial disapproval and formed the West Point Weight Lifting Club. He would later serve with Ray in the 509th PIB
19 Jan 1943 - Graduated West Point, accepted comission as 2nd Lt.
08 Feb 1943 - Completed Infantry Training and appointed as 2nd Lt. of Infantry
19 May 1943 - Promoted to 1st Lt.
00 Mar 1944 - Arrived overseas MTO
00 Jun 1944 - Joined 509th PIB in Italy
21 Nov 1944 - 1st Lt. Harry W. Pritchett Jr. 81323773 509th PIB GO 42 HQ 1st ABTF Award of Silver Star Medal listed on page 384 in the book Stand in the Door by Charles H. Doyle and Terrell Stewart
15 Feb 1945 - Left 509th PIB
Assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. He fought with the 82nd during its advance into Central Europe, culminating in an assault crossing of the Elbe River at Bleckede (Ludwigslust), where they met the Russians. Next, with the 82nd, he entered Berlin as part of the initial occupying force in the summer of 1945.
At the war’s end, Harry stayed on in Germany as a member of the Constabulary.
While on temporary duty with the British Parachute School in England, he met and soon married Patricia Bushby. She and Harry had three children: Raymond, Henry (“Rusty”), and Penelope.
Harry continued his distinguished career commanding Airborne and Special Forces units, spending three and a half years in Southeast Asia.
He next attended Command and General Staff College with a follow-on assignment to the faculty.
Harry had a knack for languages. His skill at picking up foreign languages enabled him to establish immediate rapport with citizens and soldiers in other countries. Harry had learned French at West Point, and he used his proficiency in the language after the assault landing in southern France. In his last year of his two-and-a-half year tour with the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Thailand, Harry did not require a translator. He also picked up Japanese while studying judo in Japan.
Judo was of keen interest to Harry, and he earned the black belt at a kodokan in Japan. He competed and earned several regional U.S. titles during 15 years of competition.
Harry took up sky diving, and formed a sky diving club while at Ft. Hood, TX. He accumulated more than 200 jumps in his lifetime and seriously considered jumping on the 50th anniversary of the invasion of southern France with other like-minded veterans.
After graduating from the Army War College, Harry was sent to Paris, where he served as a coordinator of psychological warfare in Europe.
In 1966, Pat passed away.
?? ??? 1967 - Retired with 24 years as a Colonel commanding the third Brigade, 82nd airborne division at Ft. Bragg, NC
Married Nancy Reardon, a business partner, Nancy and Harry were divorced in 1974
He spent the next 25 years involved in the startup and management of computer related and management training companies, while living in the Washington, DC area before retiring to Savannah, GA in 1990
Harry married Janet Thompson in 1977, Harry and Jan worked together to create a management training company that took them to many locations across the country and the Pacific Ocean.
23 Aug 2003 - Passed away buried at Arlington National Cemetery
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