Samuelis J. Harris and the Americans Who Died for Lithuania

Honoring a century of sacrifice – from the first U.S. soldier lost in Lithuania to the latest heroes of the NATO alliance.

In 1920, Lieutenant Samuelis J. Harris gave his life on Lithuanian soil – the first American to do so in defense of Lithuania’s independence. Today, more than a century later, we again mourn with heavy hearts, as four more U.S. soldiers died in Lithuania in 2025 during active NATO service. Their sacrifice reminds us that the bond between our nations, rooted in shared values and mutual defense, remains firm and unshaken.

This article is a tribute not only to Harris but also to the fallen of today. Their stories belong to the same chapter written in duty, courage, and lasting brotherhood.

Read more about the recent tragedy: Honoring U.S. Soldiers Lost in Lithuania.

The four American soldiers who died in 2025 were stationed in Lithuania as part of a NATO mission focused on collective security and regional stability. Their names, missions, and sacrifices join Harris’s legacy as enduring symbols of American commitment to defending freedom abroad.

Key Highlights

• Samuelis J. Harris was a U.S. Army officer who volunteered to fight for Lithuania’s independence in 1919–1920.
• He died in Kaunas during the military mutiny of February 1920, becoming the only known U.S. casualty in the Lithuanian-American Brigade.
• Posthumously awarded the Cross of Vytis, Lithuania’s highest military honor.
• Commemorated with a special medal, a named street in Kaunas, and a memorial grave at Arlington National Cemetery.
• His legacy symbolizes strong U.S.–Lithuanian ties and international solidarity in the fight for freedom.
• Rediscovered and honored by diaspora and civic organizations after decades of Soviet suppression.
• A lasting example of what genuine service and sacrifice represent – across nations and generations.

A Life of Duty: Who Was Samuelis J. Harris?

Lieutenant Samuel J. Harris, an American officer, made the ultimate sacrifice in Lithuania’s fight for independence, representing the spirit of international friendship and deep commitment to liberty.

Born on December 24, 1896, in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, Harris was the son of a Union Army veteran. He studied at Dickinson College before choosing military service, which took him far from home and eventually to Lithuania.

Early Military Career

Harris joined the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1916 during rising tensions along the U.S.–Mexico border. He served under General John J. Pershing in response to Pancho Villa’s cross-border attacks. That assignment – his first combat experience – shaped his sense of duty.

Harris enlisted in the 112th Infantry Regiment of the 28th Division when the United States entered World War I. Rising from private to sergeant, he earned a commission as second lieutenant. Deployed to France, he fought in the Second Battle of the Marne. These early battles sharpened his leadership and revealed his determination.

Choosing Lithuania: A Volunteer Driven by Principle

After the war, Harris could have returned to civilian life. Instead, he chose a new mission.

Lithuania declared independence in 1918 but faced threats from the Bolsheviks, Bermontians, and Polish forces. Lithuanian-American organizations began recruiting veterans to help. Though not Lithuanian descent, Harris joined the cause, driven by conviction.

By late 1919, he led operations against retreating Bermontian units, bringing valuable leadership and experience to the Lithuanian army.

Mutiny in Kaunas: February 1920 and the Death of Harris By early 1920, Lithuania’s armed forces faced internal strain. Supply shortages, low morale, and political discontent sparked unrest. On February 22, soldiers in Panemunė mutinied. The following day, the rebellion reached the aviation unit in Aleksotas, where Harris was stationed.

As loyal units worked to restore order, Harris was killed in action on February 23, 1920. His death stunned both Lithuanian and American circles. A man with no personal ties to Lithuania gave his life for its survival.

He did not have to be there. He chose to be.

Legacy and Recognition: A Lasting Impact Across Continents

Harris was posthumously awarded the Cross of Vytis, Lithuania’s highest military honor. His widow received a survivor’s pension. In 1923, a street in Kaunas was named after him. Though renamed during Soviet rule, the name was restored in 1993.

His remains were later returned to the United States and buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His headstone bears Lithuanian and English inscriptions alongside the national coats of arms – a lasting symbol of unity.

Remembering a Hero in 2020 and Beyond

In 2020, Harris’s sacrifice was honored with ceremonies in Kaunas and Arlington. Lithuanian Riflemen, U.S. veterans, and diplomats gathered to remember him. A commemorative plaque was unveiled, and a special medal was minted in his name.

These events speak to the ongoing friendship between Lithuania and the United States – a bond further reinforced by the tragic deaths of four U.S. soldiers on Lithuanian soil in 2025.

Their names, like Harris’s, deserve remembrance. Their mission – defending peace and national integrity – continues.

The Lithuanian American Brigade: Legacy of Soldiers Without Borders

Samuelis J. Harris was part of a group of 200–300 volunteers – a mix of Lithuanian-American veterans and a few non-Lithuanian Americans who supported the fight for independence. They formed the Lithuanian American Brigade, also known as Tėvynės Gynėjai – Defenders of the Homeland.

Many were World War I veterans. Some had Lithuanian ancestry. Others, like Harris, came out of principle. This Brigade represented a rare early moment of cross-Atlantic solidarity. Their presence gave structure and morale to Lithuania’s new military.

In Kaunas, they served in the infantry, aviation, and logistics. Letters from the era show that Lithuanian officers respected their discipline and tactical skill. Their contribution went beyond combat – it was also spiritual.

According to archived letters from his fellow volunteers, he held his position under fire for nearly an hour without flinching, directing a counterattack that helped turn back a Bolshevik advance. His steadiness earned him the nickname ‘the iron nerve lieutenant’ among Lithuanian recruits. His leadership was crucial in 1919 and during the difficult early months of 1920.

Lithuania in Crisis (Winter 1919–1920)

The months before Harris’s death were among the most uncertain in Lithuania’s young independence. Bolshevik forces still posed a threat. Poland’s claim to Vilnius increased tensions. Internally, logistical breakdowns and political unrest strained the army.

The Kaunas garrison mutiny was more than a flare-up resulting from sustained hardship. On February 22, soldiers in Panemunė mutinied and detained officers. The following day, unrest reached Aleksotas, where Harris was stationed.

Harris remained with his unit as Lithuanian forces moved in to restore control. He was shot and killed while defending his post. His death left a mark not only on his fellow Americans but across Lithuania’s military leadership.

The Samuelis J. Harris Medal

2015 Lithuanian civic and veteran organizations introduced the Samuel Harris Commemorative Medal – Vyr. Ltn. Samuelio Harrio Atminimo Medalis.

It features his portrait and the Cross of Vytis, dated 1896–1920. On the reverse, the words “Atmintis – Drąsa – Pilietiškumas” – Memory, Courage, Citizenship – appear beneath a laurel wreath.

The medal ribbon is red and white, representing both nations. The medal is a living tribute awarded to teachers, students, military supporters, and civic leaders.

This was not a state-mandated decoration. It came from community groups – including the Riflemen’s Union and the Lithuanian diaspora – determined to preserve Samuelis J. Harris’s story.

Rediscovered by the Diaspora

Why was Harris forgotten for so long?

Soviet occupation erased much of Lithuania’s connection to the West. Harris’s name was removed from Kaunas street signs. His story was absent from schoolbooks. A foreigner who gave his life for Lithuania did not fit the regime’s narrative.

Only in the 1990s did historians and civic groups begin recovering the truth. Pioneers in this effort included members of the Lithuanian National Guard and researchers from the Lithuanian-American Council, who started assembling scattered archival material, personal letters, and government documents that reconnected Harris’s name to Lithuanian history. Diaspora-led initiatives in the United States and Europe unearthed letters, military records, and photographs. The plaque at Aleksotas Cemetery was restored. In 2020, the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington, D.C., held a centennial memorial at Arlington.

His gravestone at Arlington National Cemetery reads:

This inscription in one of America’s most sacred military resting places reinforces the deep, enduring connection between Harris’s sacrifice and the values of both nations.

A Message That Echoes Today: NATO Brotherhood and the Shared Price of Peace

Harris’s image now appears in classrooms, events, and documentaries. He has become a reference point – not of the past, but of our responsibility.

As Arnis Lucas, a leading advocate for Harris’s recognition, noted:

Those four American troops who died in 2025 now stand beside Harris in memory. Their lives remind us that this story is not over. Their duty was not separate – it was shared.

What We Must Remember: Harris’s Legacy Today

Harris reminds us:

• National freedom endures because others stand with us.
• Valor is not defined by ancestry, language, or borders.
• Memory must be actively preserved.

Harris is a mirror for every member of the Lithuanian National Guard, the Riflemen’s Union, and our communities. Whether teaching, serving, or organizing, we all carry forward his legacy.

As we mourn the four U.S. service members who recently died in Lithuania, we also stand in gratitude. Their mission continues in every act of defense, education, and remembrance.

U.S. Congressional Record Tribute to Lt. Samuel J. Harris

Date: February 28, 2020

Speaker: Hon. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska), U.S. House of Representatives

In this official floor speech recorded in the Congressional Record, Rep. Don Bacon commemorated the life and sacrifice of Lieutenant Samuel J. Harris – the first American to die fighting for Lithuanian independence. The tribute details Harris’s military service, his volunteerism in the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and the international significance of his legacy. The Congressman emphasized the symbolic importance of Harris’s actions in supporting national self-determination and urged continued remembrance of his sacrifice.

What We Owe to Harris and Our Allies Today

Lieutenant Samuel J. Harris’s life is more than a chapter in history. It is a legacy. He showed what one person can mean to a country they were not born into and how service knows no borders.

His death in 1920 was the first American loss in Lithuania. The loss of four Americans in 2025 reminds us: the alliance lives. The purpose endures. The values remain.

We must remember them all at ceremonies and in their daily lives as citizens worthy of their sacrifice.

Reference List:

1. “Honoring U.S. Soldiers Lost in Lithuania” Lithuanian National Guard
2. “Samuelis J. Harris” (portrait and biography) Wikimedia Commons
3. “Washington, D.C. – Places of Lithuanian Interest” Global True Lithuania
4. “100th Anniversary Commemoration for U.S. Lieutenant Samuel J. Harris Who Died for Lithuania’s Freedom” Embassy of Lithuania to the United States
5. “Aleksoto kapinės, Pieta” (cemetery memorial image) Wikimedia Commons
6. “Samuelis J. Harris Street in Kaunas” YouTube – Karys
7. “Samuelis J. Harris Memorial Medal Statute & Design” Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (Referenced via internal commemorative documents and archives)
8. “Samuelis J. Harris Biography and Death (diaspora research)” Lithuanian-American Council (Cited from archival outreach and diaspora exhibitions)