Harry T. Douglas

Harry T. Douglas, of River Road in Sharon, died at his home on March 6 after a long illness. He was the husband of Claudette (Chaber) Douglas.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Denise, of Newtown; and a son, Brian W. Douglas of Brookfield.

Mr Douglas was born September 7, 1918, the son of the late Harry and Alice (Cain) Douglas. He was a 1936 graduate of Mineola High School in Mineola, N.Y.

From 1941 to 1946 he was a Major in the US Army with the 802nd Tank Destroyer BN, in the Pacific Theater. He was one of the commanders in the major assault on Okinawa and other numerous amphibious assaults throughout the Pacific. Mr Douglas was one of the few officers chosen to go to Japan as a US representative after the bombing of Japan to inspect the towns destroyed.

From 1950 to 1960 he was executive vice president of Lunn Laminates in Huntington, L.I., N.Y.  He won the contract from G.M. to manufacture the first 3,000 Chevy Corvette bodies from reinforced fiberglass. He went on to manufacture the first reinforced fiberglass Conning Tower for the nuclear submarine US Nautilus and participated in its first test dive off New London.

From 1961 until 1993 he owned and operated New Milford Tractor Co., selling John Deere construction equipment, covering Westchester, N.Y., as well as Fairfield and Litchfield counties in Connecticut.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 9 at St Bridget’s Church in Cornwall Bridge. Burial will be in the spring at St Bridget’s Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St Jude’s Place, Memphis TN 38105; St Bridget’s Church, PO Box 218, Sharon CT 06069; or the All Saints of America Eastern Orthodox Church, PO Box 45, Salisbury CT 06068.

The Kenny Funeral Home of Sharon made arrangements.

The Newtown Bee        March 12, 2004