Army Specialist Blake Harris

Remember Our Heroes

Army Specialist Blake Harris, 22, of Pueblo, Colo.

Spc. Harris was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He died Mar. 5, 2007 in Baqubah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their unit. Also killed in the explosion were Spc. Ryan D. Russell, 22, of Elm City, NC., and Pvt. Barry W. Mayo, 21, of Ecru, Miss.

Soldier killed in Baghdad had followed dad's footsteps
By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News

Like father, like son.

Blake Harris' dad, John, spent 11 years in the Army, and Blake followed suit. He spent three years with the ROTC at South High School in Pueblo. When Blake Harris graduated from high school in 2002, he enlisted.

Deborah Harris, Blake's mother, said her son made his decision after a recruiter came to campus.

"He came home, and said, 'Mom, I'm going to join the Army. I'm going to serve my country,' " his mother recalled. "It was in his blood for sure."

Deborah Harris said she believed her son likely was considering the Army as his career.

Spc. Blake Harris was killed Monday when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was riding in a Humvee patrolling the streets of Baghdad. He was 22.

In addition to his parents, Harris left behind his wife, Joanna, and his 2-year-old son, Jonah.

"He was my only son," his mother said.

Deborah Harris and her son routinely exchanged e-mails, and she said Blake had described war-torn Iraq as very intense during the past couple of weeks.

"He was a corporal and he was in charge of a group of guys, and I think he had seen some close calls," his mom said.

When Harris returned to Iraq for his second tour of duty in October, he was devastated when insurgents killed nine members of his unit, his mother said. Then he lost another eight during more combat operations.

Army Specialist Blake Harris was killed in action on 03/05/07.