Ron Harris Memorial Month

[papabear]

The March 2019 MV of the Month thread will be devoted to our fallen Brother Ron Harris.

Please post pics with Ron in them helping you on your vehicle or project and maybe tell a little story about his involvement and your relationship.

I know Ron helped many folks at the Georgia Military Vehicle Rallys (GMVR) as well other places and times. Please share what you can with us here.

 

[swiss]

Bart

BART, (BAD A.. Recovery Truck) in memory of 73M819 the man who built it. Here is the link to some additional details on the build.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?147476-Code-name-BART-(Bad-A**-Recovery-Truck)


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[papabear]

OK y'all, it's the weekend....let's get busy.

 

[cucvmule]

Outstanding an Honor Guard of Iron.

 

[sandcobra164]

Ron loading an engine stand in my M923. It's the same truck, it just has singles and a cargo cover now.

 

[papabear]

Just bringing back to the top with changes made.

 

[FASTNOVA]

Here is a short video of Ron and Wes helping me with the recovery of my M1074 .
https://youtu.be/pqJp-huoCMQ
Thank you to both of you.

 

[Robo McDuff]

Ron at the GA Rally 2014

Some pics with Ron, all from the 2014 GA Rally


The TeePee. The first days I slept in Swiss' large tent, after Swiss and his family arrived, I slept in the pup tent he brought me. Had my stuff stored at the back of the TeePee. Enjoyed a quiet coffee with Ron most morning in the little veranda addition to the TeePee




Ron's first action from that rally, Ron taking a shelter unit off a deuce for somebody to pick it up later.





Working on the bed swap of recovery4x4's CUCV.

In pic 2, as recovery4x4 mentioned it in 2014 "Shows (left to right) Speddmon sitting in his truck, Recovery4x4 stumbling off, 73m819 operating the wrecker, load out Sgt Gimpy and Spec Ops Sgt Robert (rmtaunton) watching and waiting.

If you see anybody in the picture not identified, please help identify them.

 

[Robo McDuff]

next batch: GA Rally 2014: engine swap Any's deuce.
Have a look at that link, it has some good other pics of the people doing the swap.



1) Ron giving instructions how it should be prepared.
2) Spec Ops Sgt Robert (rmtaunton) coordinating whith Ron what's going to happen now, with Coffey1 freeing the last bolts, Andy doing something in the cab and Swiss watching.
3) Ron, rmtaunton and coffey1

 

[Robo McDuff]

First things first, Ron picked up his "new" transfer case from Docfarmall who brought it to the rally for him.



Some more pics from the GA Rally 2014. These I definitely never posted before.


That's it. Braking camp on the last day, time to leave.



Rest in peace, my friend, Godspeed on your final journey home.

 

[BenRoberts]

Ron's not in the picture but I got permission from the owner to post the pic. Ron helped jw4x4 put this cut down bed on his tractor at the Georgia rally

 

[papabear]

Anyone else have something to share??

 

[Robo McDuff]

How about copy pics from the gathering on Saturday together in a few posts?

 

[sandcobra164]

Here you go Robo McDuff. Swiss and Simp were taking pictures and may have some to share as well.

 

[zout]

The display at the memorial yesterday was made by Mike Crowe and it was very appropriate for remembrance.
Where Lucille and Swiss chose to place his ashes was very fitting and peacefully.
The memories of Ron are mine and I'm not sharing. He could literally be a pain in the ass along with his tape worm but Ron was always willing to help and give no matter who you were.
SALUTE.

 

[sandcobra164]

My favorite story about Ron was told to me yesterday. Maybe someone will fill in the gaps. At a Ga Rally a few years ago somebody did something to make him mad and he went off for an extended period. 15 minutes later he was sitting with a toddler asleep on his chest and happy as could be. I also learned that he used to call into a local radio station talk show to try and tell them how "they had it all wrong" and "this is the way I see it". He was a local celebrity of sorts. Ron had some Vietnam Veteran friends show up yesterday and their testimony of growing old together and dealing with those demons they experienced years ago. They spoke of healing rather than what they experienced which is appropriate because War is **** and kids were present. I was on an Abrams Tank when we invaded Iraq in 2003 and it's not table talk. My turn to speak focused on the last conversation I had with him in person at Durhamtown. We had a deal beforehand, he was going to bring the lug nuts from the rear a M931A2 and I was going to trade him the thimbles and outer nuts from my truck. I got there and he handed me a plastic coffee can with 40 lug nuts and told me to bring back what I took off of my truck in the same coffee can. It took some time sorting out what he gave me but I found a second coffee can to keep the left and right side thimbles and nuts seperated. I dropped them off in the same spot. Come Raffle time I got back to the field and Ron pulled me off to the side. He proceeded to ask what my problem was and I was taken aback. He told me that he had gotten word that I was complaining about the lug nuts not being sorted out and wanted to know if "I wanted him to put the D@$% things on my truck himself". I let him know somebody had to be messing with him, calmed him down and we ended the evening as friends like we always have been. He called me 2 weeks later and in normal fashion introduced himself as "Ron, 73M819 from Steel Soldiers" to talk to me. I'd normally get 2 or 3 calls a month from him and the conversations always varied. I used to get aggravated seeing his name coming across the phone as I was normally working hard on something around the house. I'm going to miss those. Yesterday was a proper Memorial Service and I appreciate everyone who was there in Spirit and Person. Until we Meet Again.