The son of Debbie and Charlie (class of '71) Harris, Josh was killed during a training exercise while stationed in California on January 22, 2004. He also leaves behind a brother, Jake Harris and a sister Chasity Harris VanBlaricum.

Joshua was halfway through his five-year military commitment. The Gulf High School graduate spent nine months in Kuwait and Iraq as a helicopter crew chief and was preparing to ship out again for six months aboard an aircraft carrier. But Harris and three other Marines were killed when their UH-1 Huey helicopter crashed during a training flight at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego. He was the youngest of three siblings, joined the Marines on Sept. 6, 2001, to help pay for college. When he returned home in October after his nine-month tour of duty, his family greeted him at Tampa International Airport with a red sign with gold lettering Marine Corps colors that read: `Welcome Home Josh! USMC.' In California, Harris enjoyed snowboarding and riding his motorcycle through the mountains. He was dyslexic, and his family plans to start a college scholarship fund for dyslexic students. The young man who played golf and tennis at Gulf High, overcame his dyslexia by learning from watching others. As a child, Josh had wavy red hair. His mother grew tired of people asking whom he inherited it from, so she changed her hair color to match. He lived in Jenkins most of his life. His paternal grandfather, Ed Harris, still lives in the small coal town in Letcher County. Survivors include his parents, Charles and Debra Powers Harris of New Port Richey, along with a sister, Chasity and a brother, Jacob. He was 21. His funeral was in Jenkins, Ky.