Gilbert Harris Jr. Served For 20 Years – This Week He’s Our Hometown Hero

It’s time once again for our Hometown Hero, brought to you by Batavia Downs Gaming with help from our friends at WNY Heroes who help us with our nominations every week.  This week, our Hometown Hero is a Niagara County native.  It’s United States Air Force MSGT Gilbert J Harris Jr.!

MSGT (RET) Gilbert J Harris Jr. a served in the Air Force after graduating from Lewiston Porter High school. He served from August 1973 to October 1993. During his time in the Air Force he served all over the world. Starting out in Grand Forks ND he went on to serve in Incirlik Air Force Base Turkey, Loring, Maine,  Hahn, Germany Howard, Panama, Montana, and finally retired in Rome, NY. He then went on to work at and retired from the TSA as a lead instructor.   He lives in Newfane, NY now with his wife Cheryl, his 3 Children and 3 step children.  His kids are familiar with the service as well with his son Gilbert J Harris III being an Army vet and his step son Robert Clendening is a Navy and Army Vet.  He also has 2 son in laws who served in the Army (David Horton­) and the Marine Corp (Bobby Bazen).

He has a fighting spirit that many know well and he has never been one to give up on a challenge. He has fought throat cancer twice and has beat it all while battling MS.

This week, we are proud to acknowledge and celebrate that fighting spirit and are honored to name MSGT Gilbert Harrs Jr. our Hometown Hero of the week!

If you would like to nominate your own Hometown Hero, click the button below. We like to honor both active duty and veteran heroes from right here in Western New York.

Thanks once again to United States Air Force MSGT Gilbert Harris Jr., our Hometown Hero of the week!