Someone You Should Know: Marine Capt. Jennifer Harris
Someone You Should Know is a weekly collaboration between the number one milblog Blackfive and Pundit Review Radio. Matt Burden from Blackfive started Someone You Should Know in the early days of the Iraq war in order to tell the inspirational true stories of the men and women fighting for us around the world.
This week, unfortunately, we had a local hero to talk about. Swampscott native, Marine Captain Jennifer J. Harris. She was the third Swampscott native killed in the Iraq war. The first was the great journalist Michael Kelly. Last fall, Jared Raymond was killed by an IED in Iraq. And now this amazing young woman, only 28 years old.
Jennifer graduated fifth in her class from high school and attended the Naval Academy. She was living her dream, flying helicopters for the Marines when she was shot down in Iraq. She and six others were killed. As they often do, the terrorists were filming for propaganda. On Saturday, the Boston Herald’s Peter Gelzinis wrote a column titled Video Captures Valor;
Though there was no official comment out of Washington yesterday on the video�??s authenticity, one anonymous government official did say that �??the video appears to be legitimate.�?�
If indeed the chopper we see flying toward a tree line in its last moments was piloted valiantly by Harris, there can be no more dramatic validation of her fearlessness as a Marine or her skill as a vaunted member of the elite squadron known as the Purple Foxes.
There is something gut-wrenching and undeniably cruel about witnessing the death of a soldier we�??ve come to know, however briefly. Yet, these are the times in which we live. Video is the wallpaper of our age.
In too many cases, we watch the random footage of IEDs destroying Humvees with a kind of sympathetic detachment. Yesterday�??s video was different.
To see that stricken helicopter flying, against all odds, toward the hope of a safe landing is to understand the mettle of a local hero. It is also to cringe at the loss of such an exceptional life and a brilliant future.
Gelzinis is back today with a moving article and podcast with Jennifer’s family. I am grateful that they decided to open their home to Gelzinis and talk about Jennifer. As a strong supporter of the war in Iraq, I need to know more about heroes like Jennifer J. Harris in order to have a true understanding of what the cost of this war is.
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Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Hailed as �??Groundbreaking�?� by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston�??s Talk Leader
February 20th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
I knew Capt. Harris and attended her funeral in Swampscott yesterday. Your comments here mirror how I and many have been feeling regarding (as you put it) the absolute vacuum of coverage nationally of her heroism. I saw CNN cameras at her funeral. However, as I waited for 3 hours watching CNN Headline News in the airport terminal following the funeral yesterday, there were no reports about Jennifer. Instead, there were hours of discussion about why Britney Spears shaved her head, and endless coverage about Anna Nicole Smith!!!! It was sickening. Thank you for ackowledging Jennifer on your program–I just wish more Americans could hear of her and be inspired by her greatness.
May 27th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I knew Jen Harris from flight school. She and I spent many days and nights studying very hard. She was such a dedicated Marine. I was very impressed by here from the moment I met her. I have waited to make comment because I was so deepened by this news. It is impossible to put into words, but I will say this. She was a great Marine, she will never be forgotten. I wish the best to her family and friends as we get through these arduous times. She will be sorely missed.
Semper Fidelis,
Josh
May 28th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Josh,
We’ve heard from a number of people, as we are located near her hometown of Swampscott. Everyone says the same thing about Jennifer. Thanks for leaving a note here and thanks for your service.
Kevin