Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
The William S. Harris Papers document the service of William Stedman Harris who graduated from North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University) in 1943 and enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight in World War II, 1943-1944. Harris was part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, and was killed in action on June 18, 1944. Papers include materials from his student years at North Carolina State College, personal and military correspondence, and records of his enlisted service. Materials range from 1938 to 1947.
William S. Harris was born on September 22, 1921 in Fayetteville, North Carolina as the eldest of 12 siblings. Since his family owned the Sycamore Dairy Farm in Cumberland County, Harris was expected to take over business operations and earned a bachelors in Dairy Manufacturing from North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (now the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) in 1943. As a student, Harris was part of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and enlisted in the U.S. Army following graduation. He completed infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia and was stationed at New York before being deployed to Europe.
Harris served as a second lieutenant during World War II. He was assigned to Company B, 115th Infantry Regiment, and 29th Infantry Division, and was part of the European Theater of Operations. Harris arrived at Omaha Beach (France) with the second wave on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and was killed in action at the Normandy invasion on June 18, 1944. Harris was honored with a Purple Heart posthumously in July 1945. In honor of Harris' memory, his family established the Sycamore Stipend Fund for Veterans in NCSU's Agricultural Institute.
Papers include materials from William S. Harris' student years at Edwards Military Institute, North Carolina State College, and infantry training; official correspondence about military affairs, records of enlisted service, and a Purple Heart certificate awarded posthumously in 1945. The bulk of the papers are personal correspondences with his mother. Harris started signing off his personal letters as "Billy" instead of "William" after 1942. Materials range from 1938 to 1947.
The collection is organized chronologically.
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], William S. Harris Papers, MC 00771, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of the Harris family, March 2025 (Accession 2025-0034).
Processed by Pricilla P. Rozario, 2025 May; Collection guide written by Pricilla P. Rozario, 2025 May.
Handwritten letters and postcards Harris sent to his mother from NC State College.
Includes immunization records, commencement day materials, and registration card for Fall 1942.
Housed in its original scroll casing.
Housed in its original scroll casing.
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
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[Identification of item], William S. Harris Papers, MC 00771, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.