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<em>John Milton Harrington</em> was born in tobacco country in Greenville, NC, the only child of Milton E. and Bonnie W. Harrington. His fathers job led him to Farmville and, ultimately, to Durham, where Milt developed a number of lifelong friendships. Milt began high school in Durham but after one year transferred to Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. After graduation from prep school, he spent one year at Duke University, and it was there, in ROTC, that Milt developed his devout love of the military. Milt was invigorated by the discipline, the challenge, and the duty associated with the military. When the opportunity to take the West Point entrance exam arose, he excelled and received an appointment. Once he gained entry, there was never a doubt about Milt’s chosen mission in life.</p>
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As a cadet, Milt brought his intense and competitive nature to everything from academics to sports. Beast Barracks was just a two-month period to prove that he belonged at USMA. Milt was a typical new cadet—he complained and lost weight—but always was ready for the challenge of the next day. When he began the academic year in Company G-1, though life was far from a breeze, Milt began to take control. With his strong educational background, academics did not present a major challenge. From intramural lacrosse and boxing to C Squad cross-country running, Milt’s determined attitude kept him on top.</p>
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Milt was blessed with a powerful set of lungs and a hearty baritone that made him the delight for upperclass mischief. When Mr. Harrington popped off, everyone from South Area to the Plain knew who was in trouble. By the same token, as a yearling, Milt let the new plebes know what command voice meant!</p>
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After Plebe year, the R & R spot of Camp Buckner did more to whet Milt’s love of the military. He relished the physical challenges and leadership situations. From that time forward, there was no question that Milt would choose the Infantry for his Army career.</p>
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Milt was a generous friend, sharing many packages from home with his roommates. He inherited that trait from his father, an executive with a major tobacco company. During those days, most of us smoked cigarettes, and Milt’s dad kept a whole floor in the 15 th Division of old Central Area in various brands of his company’s products. Really a great deal for a bunch of smokers—even the experimental brands.</p>
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Milt took his Army Orientation Training in Germany between Yearling and Cow years. After a quick tour of Paris, Copenhagen, and a couple of hot spots in Germany, he reported to his unit just in time to watch the Cold War reach the boiling point. Construction of the Berlin Wall began and entrance to Berlin via the <em>Autobahn</em> was cut off. Milt’s unit was ordered to reopen the <em>Autobahn</em> by driving to Berlin. That was great excitement for a Cadet!</p>
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Milt’s last two years at West Point were notable only in that he never reached the point where he "owed it to himself" to take a nap at mid-period. When Milt had a job to do, he never quit until he had prepared to the fullest extent possible. Once again, the early attributes he garnered from sports influenced the way he lived his life.</p>
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Milt brought the same intensity to play that he brought to work. During his Yearling year, he and his roommates raised a gerbil in the cadet "shoe shine box." Obviously, the excitement waned after a short period of time, so the next step was airborne training for the small warrior. With an illumination round parachute and a foam rubber capsule, the gerbil made the requisite number of jumps to earn his wings. His last jump (from the 4th floor of Central Area into the alley behind) had Milt in the alley securing the drop zone. Just at gerbil launch, the Supe and the Army Chief of Staff drove into the alley in a staff car. Milt grabbed the parachute with his left hand, saluted with his right, and beat a hasty retreat. The gerbil was then assigned to another unit!</p>
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Upon commissioning in the Infantry, Milt went to Ft. Benning for OBC, Airborne, and Ranger training before heading to his first assignment at Ft. Campbell, KY, with the 101st Airborne Division.</p>
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He suffered through the days of high military expectations on dime-store budgets; received the typical junior officer assignments; and participated in training exercises to evaluate combat readiness of strategic Army units, as well as to determine the best methods for aerial re-supply.</p>
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This was a very happy part of Milt’s life. He had met Jean Taylor as a young teen in Durham. The Taylor and Harrington families were close, and Milt and Jean became fast friends. A mutual acquaintance remarked, "They were good friends for years, but no one predicted they would fall in love." Milt and Jean were engaged over Thanksgiving in 1963 and married in Clarksville, TN, in March 1964. Barbara Jean Harrington was born to Milt and Jean in June 1965. She was just over one year old when Milt had to say good-bye and leave for Viet Nam.</p>
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Milt was assigned to the newly forming 196th Light Infantry Brigade at Ft. Devens and deployed to Viet Nam. He said good-bye to his family, told a friend he would bring him back a souvenir, and faced his duty.</p>
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Milt was killed while on a mission near Tay Ninh, 40 miles northwest of Saigon. For those of us who knew Milt, his legacy is his loyalty to friends and to a cause, and the determination to let nothing get in the way of achieving the highest results. He was husband, father, warrior, comrade and more, but he was also our friend.</p>
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<em>Family, friends and classmates</em></p>