HARRIS-ALLEN

Excerpts from obituary published in San Diego Union Tribune on 6/18/2020:

DECORATED MARINE - SUCCESSFUL COACH

One career wasn’t enough for Scotty Harris.  Neither were two, or three.  “After I retire, I’ll have time to work on some projects that interest me,” Harris said in 1991 after completing his third career as a coach and athletic director at San Diego High School.

Before that, Allen “Scotty” Harris was a decorated Marine officer and the head coach of the powerful San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot team during a time when service teams rivaled college teams.  Harris died on June 14, 2020 of natural causes at his home in San Diego.  After posting a 38-6 record in five seasons at MCRD, including a 2-1 record against San Diego State teams with back-to-back wins in 1962 - 1963, Harris led San Diego High School to a share of the large-school CIF football championship in 1969.  They were 17-12-1 in three seasons under Harris.  Harris also served the San Diego Padres as a field events coordinator for more than two decades.

Born during 1926 in Cleveland, Harris began his military career when he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 at the age of 17.  He earned the first of his four Purple Hearts when he was wounded in the Philippines in 1944.  Harris, who retired as a Major, also served in the Korean War and in Vietnam.  As a member of the 1^st Recon Battalion of the 1^st Marine Division, Harris was among the “Chosin Few” who survived the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir of 1950.  Between World War II and Korea, Harris left the Marines and attended Ohio State where he played football.  He also was married to a woman he had known since the first grade and were married 66 years when she died in 2013.

Another key number for Harris was 23.  His Marine career spanned 23 years.  His career in education spanned 23 years.  He also worked 23 seasons for the Padres coordinating pregame activities in Mission Valley.  Harris began his football coaching career in 1951 while stationed at Camp Pendleton.  He later coached a service team in Hawaii before joining the staff at MCRD San Diego where he became head coach in 1969.  There, Harris led the MCRD Devil Dogs to three straight Leatherneck Bowl appearances in addition to playing such college teams as Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and San Diego State.  While coaching at MCRD, Harris was also completing his master’s degree at San Diego State.  After Harris stepped down as head football coach at San Diego High he coached a number of boys’ and girls’ sports over the next two decades, including his personal love of golf.

Harris is survived by his daughter and three sons, fourteen grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)

                            

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