Harry Leon Fraser, West Point Class of 1962, often said, “I did not join the Army, I just changed outfits,” describing his multi-generational military family. He was born in 1936 in Vancouver, WA. Harry’s parents, Lieutenant Colonel Sherman Clyde Fraser and beloved stepmother Lucile Clute Fraser, raised him in Oneonta, AL and San Luis Obispo, CA.
Harry left high school his junior year and enlisted as an infantryman in the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division in 1954. Instead of carousing with his pals, he burned the midnight oil to earn his high school diploma via correspondence. Following his 1956 return from Operation Gyroscope in Germany, Corporal Fraser was assigned to the U.S. Army detachment at West Point until selected for the USMA Preparatory School (1957-58).
Harry joined the Class of 1962 wearing Jump Wings and a Good Conduct Medal on his plebe uniform. From the start, he received high marks in military bearing, and his L-2 classmates fondly recall Harry’s encouragement and assistance with procedures. Harry lived all four years with roommates (and lifelong friends) Bob Szymczak and Jim Dodd, who report that Harry kept their room ready for inspection despite surreptitiously keeping a succession of pet hamsters who were always named FRODAK (an acronym of the roommates’ surnames.) Harry received only a handful of demerits during his four years at West Point, but the roommates barely avoided the wrath of Commandant of Cadets Brigadier General Throckmorton after they sent FRODAK airborne from the window of their barracks via a flare chute.
After graduation, Harry returned to his airborne roots with the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY. During that tour, he met Marilyn Hill of Nashville, TN at church. They wed in December 1963. Their first assignment together was fixed- wing aviation training at Fort Rucker, AL. The entire flight class received orders for combat service in Vietnam. Harry served both of his Vietnam tours flying 12 hours daily of aerial reconnaissance and diplomatic transport in an L-19 Bird Dog, first (1965-66) with the 219th Reconnaissance Aviation Company in II Corps, with assignments at Pleiku and Cheo Reo, and second (1968-69, after the Tet Offensive) with the 74th Reconnaissance Aviation Company (Aloft) at Phu Loi and Xuan Loc.
After the Infantry Officer Advanced Course at Fort Benning, GA, Harry and Marilyn both attended graduate school at the University of Arizona, earning their masters’ degrees—aerospace engineering for Harry and guidance counseling for Marilyn. Next, Harry attended helicopter flight school at Fort Rucker.
More than any other part of his military career, Harry loved to fly. Harry and Marilyn often rented the local post or base aeroclub planes for weekend ski trips or family visits. Harry taught Marilyn to navigate, and they were the height of 70s style in matching custom flight suits. What a blessing it is to do what you love for work and for play!
Harry’s next tour, the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, KS, provided the opportunity to develop war gaming methodology and see many West Point friends. Harry almost missed the birth of his first daughter, Alexandra, because he was working overnight on a briefing for Henry Kissinger’s staff. In 1974, Harry accepted command of the 2nd Aviation Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Korea. Marilyn and Alexandra joined Harry on this unaccompanied tour, living on the economy in nearby Tong du Chon.
After Korea, Harry served as the PMS of the Altoona Campus of Penn State University Army ROTC. Always one to go above and beyond, Harry reinvigorated the declining enrollment. His program welcomed men and women and highlighted community service, leadership and outdoor activities like campouts, survival skills and rappelling. Altoona’s mayor recognized his community service and outreach, granting Harry Altoona’s Golden Spike.
A year (1977-78) with his Air Force brethren at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, AL was followed by duty with the U.S. Army Aviation Systems and Troop Support Commands, St. Louis. Harry focused on research and development and readiness assignments. He almost missed the birth of his second daughter, Adrienne, because he was hosting a 1,000-person aviation conference the next day. During this time, he also continued flight duty and earned an MBA from Southern Illinois University. After a last assignment as TRADOC liaison between AVRADCOM and Fort Monroe, VA, Harry retired in 1985.
Harry worked another 10 years at Boeing in Wichita and Philadelphia. He saw protecting troops as the cause of his career. As a Boeing program manager, he supported the Air National Guard of five states with updated aircraft. In appreciation, the Oklahoma National Guard conferred him with an honorary promotion to colonel. Harry said his proudest titles were soldier and father.
Harry was a warm and involved father who taught his daughters that they could do or become anything. Weekends and vacations were full of activities like flying, bicycling, sailing, fishing, gardening, camping, and building projects. He conducted room inspections, taught them to repeat the West Point Honor Code, and advised them to apply the seven P’s (prior, proper, planning prevents…poor performance) in their own lives. He wouldn’t let them leave for college until they could demonstrate routine maintenance of their own cars.
In 1996, Harry retired for good to Guntersville, AL, where he was known throughout town as “the Colonel.” He was a frequent high school substitute teacher, and he served as the USMA recruiter for Northern Alabama. He died on January 29, 2009 and is interred at West Point. Harry is survived by wife Marilyn of Walnut Creek, CA; daughters Alexandra Fraser (Ted Rzad) and Adrienne Fraser Houser (Derrick Houser), all of San Francisco, CA; and grandchildren Stanley Fraser Rzad and Helen Fraser Houser.
— Beloved family and classmates