Richard Carl Harrison

Richard Carl Harrison, 78, of Indianapolis Indiana passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 10, 2025. He was born in Danville, Illinois on September 4, 1946, to George Harrison and Donna (McGill) Harrison. Richard grew up in Zionsville and graduated from Zionsville High School in 1964. His childhood was filled with friends, baseball, boy scouts and working several jobs including delivering the Indianapolis Star, bailing hay, splitting firewood and cutting grass.

Richard enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1966 and served as an 0331 Machine Gunner from 1966-1968. He arrived in Vietnam by ship with Special Landing Force Alpha, Company H. 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division in August 1966. He was transferred in September as a replacement to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Quang Tri Province. Richard participated in hundreds of small-and large-scale unit operations during his time in country including: search and destroy, attack, area reconnaissance, ambush, night defensive positions (NDP), movement to contact and Operation Prairie 1966-1967. He volunteered and was selected to serve in the Combined Action Program in December and was assigned to CAP, Hotel 7, 3rd Marine Division.

Richard was promoted to Lance Corporal in Jan 1967 and served as an Infantry Fire Team Leader embedded in the village of Tua Luu with a 12-man rifle squad of enlisted Marines, 1 Navy Corpsman and 25-30 Vietnamese Popular Forces (PF). Together they executed aggressive day and night operations ensuring the security and stability in the village of Tua Luu and the surrounding area of Thua Thien Province.

Richard returned home in September 1967 after spending 13 months in Vietnam. When he seldom spoke of it 58 years later, he referred to it as a lifetime ago, yet it was a "lifetime" that he spent over there. It followed him home and created a new frame of reference that would ultimately influence and profoundly affect him for the rest of his life. He was honorably discharged in 1968 and joined the Army Reserve in 1972 where he served as an 11B, Infantryman and Drill Sergeant for 2nd Battalion, 329th Infantry Regiment, 70th Division.

Richard attended and graduated the Drill Sergeant Academy at Fort Knox KY and was promoted to Staff Sergeant in 1974. He was personally responsible for the individual and collective training, mentoring and development of hundreds of new recruits during Basic Combat Training. He simultaneously forged new recruits into lethal Soldiers for the United States Army across multiple locations from 1974-1976. Richard Harrison was honorably discharged in 1976 with more than 10 years of combined patriotic service to his country.

Richard met the love of his life Nancy A. (Logan) Harrison in the fall of 1975. They were happily married for over 45 years. Richard was a loving Husband and Father who deeply cared for his three children and eight grandchildren. Richard worked at General Motors/Rolls Royce where he machined and inspected turbine engines for the C-130, V-22 Osprey, and the MQ-25. He retired in 2011 with over 33-years of service to General Motors/Rolls Royce and UAW Local 933.

Richard loved the outdoors, listening to music and art. He was fond of hiking, camping, fishing, creating artistic items from nature and spending quality time with his family and dogs. He had a great sense of humor and loved a good conversation while sitting outside enjoying the day. Richard was deeply tied to his Christian faith and to his relationship with God. He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the National Rifle Association. Richard was a member of the Free Mason Society and was promoted to Master Mason in the 1980s.

He was a long-time member of the American Legion and served in the invitation only, Forty & Eight Honor Society of American Veterans. Richard always wanted to help people. He participated heavily in the POW MIA Council of Indianapolis in the late 1970s-1980s helping to support the families of over 2,200 Hoosier veterans reported as Prisoner of War (POW) and/or Missing in Action (MIA) in Vietnam.

Richard led and served with multiple Indiana Vietnam Veteran Associations and support groups (Vets for Vets) in the 1980s. He selflessly volunteered his time at the Indianapolis VA Hospital, helping the next generation of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans during the worst years of the Global War on Terror. He continued for the rest of his life to make donations across multiple charity groups in support of disabled veterans around the country. Richard spoke very little of his own service but greatly supported, spoke of, and took comfort in helping those who were in need.

Left behind to cherish his memory are: his son, Nathan (wife, Stephanie) Harrison; his daughter, Mollie (husband, Aaron) Shick; his daughter Heather Hamblin; his sister, Linda Laws; grandchildren, Evan Harrison, Emily Harrison, Johnny Kitley, Henry Kitley, Hazel Shick, Cora Shick, Holden Hamblin, Christian Olsen; and several nieces and nephews.

Richard was preceded in death by: his parents, George and Donna Harrison; his wife, Nancy Harrison; and his daughter, Julie Kitley.

A memorial service will be held at Calvary Cemetery Chapel in Indianapolis where he will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. Military Honors will be conducted by the U.S. Marine Corp., the U.S. Army, the VFW Honor Guard, and IMMHG.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Neptune Society has been entrusted with cremation arrangements.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at: https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/indianapolis-in/richard-harrison-12338552