POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C. -- Rooms and places of gatherings within the Air Force are historically named after Airmen who make an impact on the mission or accomplish heroic or valorous feats. A plaque on a wall, an inscription and commemoration of efforts can sometimes only be overshadowed by the memory of the individuals who served.
The 43rd Operations Support Squadron named the Aircrew Briefing Room after such a hero. The room was dedicated as the Harris S. Luther III Aircrew Briefing Room, Sept. 19, 2024.
“I'm very happy to be here to dedicate this room to the memory and the legacy of a man I first met in 2006,” said Col. Allen C. Morris Jr., 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group commander. “I want to thank the 43rd OSS for hosting this ceremony today. Col. Kerr and his team were the guiding and driving force behind this endeavor in getting Mr. Luther's name on that wall. They did it on behalf of every airlifter who has passed through these doors.”
Morris and many others in the room knew Luther personally and professionally as he dedicated more than 22 years of service to the 43rd OSS as a Prime Knight manager. Within his duties he ensured rapid global mobility for decades as he served in a civilian capacity after retiring from Air Force Active Duty. Coined as a “monolith of the aviation community,” by those who knew him, he was honored by those in attendance at the event.
“I had to laugh because, as the OSS was working on this dedication project, Col. Kerr solicited stories and anecdotes from the C-17 community,” Morris explained with a chuckle. “Among the first responses was, ‘I never knew his first name wasn't Mister.’ Mr. Harris S. Luther III was and is a legend in the airlift world.”
As Morris continued to speak, a look of melancholy could be seen on his face as he spoke of Luther and the lasting mark he left. Occasionally his voice broke slightly as if remembering a family member passed on.
“He was more than just a Prime Knight guy,” Morris said. “He was a guide in an unfamiliar place. He showed you the way, he told you where to sleep, and when to be back. He took care of all of us, every one of us, 20 plus crews at a time sometimes.”
“It is only fitting that we take care of him, his legacy and his memory,” he continued. “I said it recently, there are people at every base that are known to all for their work, attitude and enthusiasm. There are fewer still who are known outside of that local base population for their positional work, their professionalism, or their reputation.”
Active duty Airmen generally go through Permanent Change of Stations approximately every three to five years. To safeguard the continuity of processes and programs civilians serve as civil servants, and from the showing of the audience the footprint he left at Pope did not only span years, but generations.
“For years, when you came to Pope You met Mr. Luther,” Morris said. “As soon as you walked off the flight line from Green Ramp to this auditorium, maybe with a stop in the MPC upstairs, or a knock on the command post door, but if you didn't check in with him first, you were going to hear about it – almost immediately. More than likely, he was looking for you before you found him. Mr. Luther was the Prime Knight manager – rooms, meals, cars and alerts. He got you bedded down so you could turn… and turn… and turn again maximizing your time at Pope and getting the most out of the crews.
“He suffered no fools, and he ran things his way – efficiently,” he continued. “If you were a lieutenant, you might have been terrified of him. But he did this so you could get to bed and get back to the briefing room the next day so you could go fly. Mr. Luther kept us in the air.”
After Morris finished his remarks, members of the Luther family were invited to represent their late father and see the hanging of the room placard outside of the room in Building 900.
“On behalf of her Father, Harris S. Luther III and our family, we would like to thank everyone for coming out today to help celebrate his memory with this room dedication,” said Jitnapa Tim Dominowski, Luther’s daughter. “We know our father is here in spirit. If he could, he would thank each one of you personally for recognizing and honoring his work contributions here at Fort Liberty.
She recalled her time while her father served at Pope. She stated that the building they were in was almost like a second home for her and her family. As she spoke her demeanor fluctuated from stifling back tears to laughter as she remembered her father.
“Our father lived and breathed Prime Knight. We sometimes joked that he loved this place more than our family because he was always here,” she jested. “But we understood that the time he spent here gave him joy and purpose. We knew he was doing something to help serve his country in a different way. To work with the Airmen and the people here kept him connected to his purpose. That [purpose] was always to serve his country and others. We would like to think that through his work, he set a standard for all Prime Knight managers. Hearing some of the things that [Col. Morris] shared, I think that's true.”
As the dedication ceremony ended, members from the Luther family and Team Pope departed from the room now in memorially named the Harris S. Luther III Aircrew Briefing Room.
“I can't help but believe the spirit of the man lives – not just in that office, but in this place – an imprint of the past, a mark left behind and a guide in an unfamiliar place, Morris said. “From now on, we will honor that guide. For years to come a hundred old guys like me will remember being young, being TDY and being taken care of. Even though he perhaps didn't know you by name necessarily, but he took care of you. That was his job -- and he was damn good at it. It is a befitting honorific that this place so used by our crew and transited by thousands over a span of decades is named for a man that made sure we were all taken care of.”
"Having his name on that wall outside will bring smiles to faces and memories to mind for years to come. And perhaps that's the best legacy that anyone can leave,” he concluded.