The VLB Recognizes the Heroism of Medal of Honor Recipient William Kelly Harrison

The Texas Veterans Land Board celebrates the life and service of Medal of Honor recipient William Kelly Harrison, Sr, on August 15. Navy Commander Harrison was born in Waco and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1889. He served honorably in several postings but was notable in the 1914 Battle of Veracruz.

While European tensions led toward the outbreak of WWI, conflict was brewing on the southern border of the United States as well. During the Mexican Revolution, shortly after General Victoriano Huerta had ousted the former Mexican president Francisco Madero, tensions between the United States and Mexico heightened when Mexican federal officers arrested crewmen from the U.S.S. Dolphin.

The small issue ballooned until the United States sent Marines into the city. CDR Harrison was assigned to cover those Marines and managed to maneuver his ship into the harbor without aid of a pilot or navigational lights in the middle of the night. His ship was in position the next morning, with perfect timing, and the mission succeeded. His commanding officer put him in for an award, and it was forwarded through multiple levels until the United States Congress voted to grant him the Medal of Honor, believing his actions rose to the requirement of “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity”.

Harrison’s only surviving son, William Kelly Harrison, Jr., would go on to graduate from West Point in 1917 and become a Lieutenant General in the U.S. Army before his retirement in 1957.

We salute the courage, intrepid spirit and responsibility of Commander Harrison, and commend all Veterans who share these characteristics. Like Harrison, who is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, all Veterans deserve to be buried with honors near those peers who lived the same life of service. In Texas, we offer a burial option for our precious Veterans. Texas State Veterans Cemeteries are hallowed grounds that are an expression of our respect for the Texas men and women who have served our nation with distinction. Complementing the four national cemeteries located in Texas (in San Antonio, DFW, Houston, and El Paso), the State Veterans Cemeteries can be found in Abilene, Corpus Christi, Killeen, and Mission.

The Veterans Land Board operates these four State Veterans Cemeteries, and along with our staff, we would be proud to help any Texas Veterans family in their time of need. You’ll find more information here. To speak with someone, please contact us through our website, or call 800–252–8387.