William L. Harris

William Leo Harris was born February 21, 1892, in Malden, Mass. He was the son of James and Annie (Reardon, died 1897) Harris, both born in Ireland, and brother of James, Anna and Catherine. The family lived at 276 Charles St., Malden, in 1900. By 1917, Harris was 25 years old and lived at 61 Wentworth St., Malden. He worked as a clerk for the Boston Post Office. He had served in the Massachusetts National Guard, Co. E, 5th Inf., for a year at the Mexican border.

Harris reported for duty July 25, 1917, and was assigned to Co. E, 5th Inf., Massachusetts National Guard, and was later transferred to Co. E, 101st Inf., 26th Div. He was promoted to Corporal August 20, 1917, and sent overseas September 7, 1917.

Corporal Harris was killed in action, September 13, 1918, near St. Remy, France. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross; the citation read: "The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William L. Harris, Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Remy, France, September 13, 1918. While acting as a runner, between company and battalion headquarters, under terrific shell fire, Corporal Harris carried messages without regard to personal danger, until struck and killed by a shell."

He was commemorated in his hometown of Malden with the Harris Memorial Delta, located at the intersection of Pleasant St. and Highland Ave. The inscription reads:

In Loving Memory Of

William Leo Harris

Killed In The Line Of Duty

Sept. 13, 1918

At St. Remy, France

He Fought For

God, Justice and Humanity

The Historical Marker Database, photo by By Michael Herrick, September 27, 2010; used with permission

Boston Daily Globe, June 18, 1920:
Unveil Malden War Hero's Tablet Sunday
 MALDEN, June 17 - The unveiling of the bronze tablet in memory of Corp. William L. Harris, Co L, 101st Infantry, who was killed in the World War will take place at 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon in Harris Park, Malden. The unveiling scheduled for today was postponed on account of the rain. The tablet has been erected by Santa Maria Council, Knights of Columbus.