Jim Harris U. s. Air force 1967-1971

Biography by Colton Harris (grandson), Brody Litton, and Wade Gronewoller

“A free country is the only way to live,” stated Jim Harris, U. S. Air Force veteran. Our country’s freedom is owed to servicemen and women like Jim. We had the privilege to interview Jim, and we are honored to tell his story. Jim Harris is Colton Harris's grandfather.

Jim Harris was born on February 8, 1948, in Superior, Nebraska. His dad was a farmer, and his mom was a stay-at-home wife and mother. Jim and his two brothers grew up in Burr Oak, Kansas, where they enjoyed hunting, fishing, and sports.

Jim did well in school. After he graduated high school in Burr Oak, he attended Fort Hays State University. When he was twenty years old, Jim enlisted in the United States Air Force. He enlisted in the Air Force because he was about to be drafted into the United States Army to fight in the Vietnam War.

Jim first went to basic training in San Antonio, Texas. He was there for six weeks, training for ground navigation. The weather was cold and wet most of the time, but the food was surprisingly good according to Jim. Every day the airmen had to wake up at 5:00 A.M., train for long days, and go to sleep when they were done with their jobs for the day. They slept in open barracks. Jim said that they did not get much free time.

After completing basic training, Jim went to Biloxi, Mississippi, for advanced training. There he spent one year in electronics school. After that, he went to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, where he learned how to run the equipment for ground navigation. After advanced training, Jim went to Panama. He began working with the ground navigation equipment used to land planes. He enjoyed working with the navigation equipment very much.

Jim was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. He was not on the front lines but was close enough to hear and feel the bombs exploding. The closest he ever was to a battle was about sixty miles away, so he was not scared or worried about his safety. Jim knew he was there to do a job and that is what he had to focus on. His experience in the war was similar to basic and advanced training. They stayed in barracks and worked to prepare and fix the ground navigation systems. The food was very different, but it was good. He knew if he did his job and put in his time, he would hopefully get to return home.

After completing his service in the war, Jim returned home and went to work at a plumbing shop in Burr Oak. He then took over his father’s farm. He met his wife, Michell, in Burr Oak, and they got married in 1972. Together, they have three sons and nine grandchildren. Jim still enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his grandchildren. He is a member of the American Legion Post 263.

Jim received a Distinguished Service Medal for his time spent serving in the United States Air Force. Freedom means a lot to him. He would like generations to come, “to do whatever it takes to keep our country free because it is truly the only way to live.”