Born in Multnomah, Oregon he commissioned as an officer out of the Oregon State University ROTC program earning a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture in 1967. During his first tour in Vietnam he earned the Distinguished Service Cross while serving with the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division on 7 Apr 1968 as a platoon leader during a reconnaissance-in-force operation. Upon entering a hostile base came his team came under heavy fire, exposing himself to a “hail of bullets to fire an antitank weapon at a key bunker. Unable to destroy the strongly built fortification, he charged through a hail of fire and hurled a hand grenade into the bunker, and then crawled inside to insure its occupants were dead. Receiving fire from a previously undetected position, he assaulted it also, slaying one Viet Cong with rifle fire and one with a grenade. He then entered the emplacement, again making certain no resistance remained.”
While serving with the 46th Infantry 23rd Infantry Division 1st Battalion A Company, he was wounded and sent stateside twice volunteering to go back to his command in Vietnam both times. He was shot and killed in Quang Nam, Vietnam. A statue was created in his honor and those who served with him by his wife Pamela Harr. It was titled “Taps- All gave some, some gave all” and was dedicated 4 Jul 2016 in the NE Montana Veterans Memorial in Ft. Peck. A memorial scholarship program for Oregon State ROTC students was set up in his memory. He was survived by his wife, mother, and five siblings.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16761732
https://oregondigital.org/catalog/oregondigital:fx71cc808#page/4/mode/1u... (pg 2)
https://oregondigital.org/catalog/oregondigital:fx71bb52q#page/13/mode/1... (pgs 12, 53)
https://oregondigital.org/catalog/oregondigital:fx71bs425#page/24/mode/1up (pg 23)
https://oregondigital.org/catalog/oregondigital:fx71bb00z#page/48/mode/1... (pg 47) http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/21476/GERRY-A-HARR