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frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 05:56 PM Nov 2019

Another WWII mystery - Eleanor Bradley Harris

A while back, I happened to see a picture of Eleanor Roosevelt on the Internet and recalled that when I was 10, I asked my dad if I was named after her. I said I hoped I was. He told me that no, I was named after another Eleanor, a wonderful Army nurse in India named Eleanor Bradley who'd helped my mother bring me into the world. Later, when I found out I had two moms, I learned that my second mother, Mary, who was also in India then (ARC), was friends with Eleanor Bradley. She called her "Brad."

The *Nurses of CBI (China Burma India) Theater WWII* webpage says Eleanor Bradley later married and became Eleanor Bradley Harris.



ELEANOR MAY BRADLEY HARRIS
159th Station Hospital Karachi, India (Sindh Desert)

My first mother, Kate ("Kitty" ), who died when I was two weeks old, was Anglo-Indian. My dad said I was given my nurse Eleanor's name - and my mother Kitty's eyes.



From time to time, I search the Internet for pre- and post-war information on Eleanor Bradley Harris, but I've had no luck so far.

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Another WWII mystery - Eleanor Bradley Harris (Original Post) frogmarch Nov 2019 OP
Is she the one mentioned in this book? braddy Nov 2019 #1
Yes, she is. frogmarch Nov 2019 #2
Is that you that saw her at 39 seconds in a video? braddy Nov 2019 #3
I saw her in a You Tube video and frogmarch Nov 2019 #4
I couldn't find the video, I only saw a comment about being named for her. braddy Nov 2019 #5
Here it is. frogmarch Nov 2019 #6
Wow, a dead on into the camera, that has to be a moving experience for you, I sometimes look braddy Nov 2019 #7
It was, and I hope frogmarch Nov 2019 #11
I did a search in ancestry.com, and here's what I found CanonRay Nov 2019 #8
It does! frogmarch Nov 2019 #9
Let me know if I can help, I have a full subscription. CanonRay Nov 2019 #10
Thanks! Would it be frogmarch Nov 2019 #12
I'm not very good at posting photos here,a but I'll give it a shot tomorrow CanonRay Nov 2019 #13
Maybe you could send it to me in a private message and frogmarch Nov 2019 #14
I just tried to, and the system won't let me. GeoWilliam750 Nov 2019 #16
Oh, well. Thank you for frogmarch Nov 2019 #17
Just like that, magic. Here's the Obit CanonRay Nov 2019 #20
Is Nellie sometimes short for frogmarch Nov 2019 #21
It most likely does stand for Bradly mercuryblues Jul 2020 #24
Here's the link to the photo, but it won't display CanonRay Nov 2019 #19
Wow, what a lovely picture! frogmarch Nov 2019 #22
Here is a bit more GeoWilliam750 Nov 2019 #15
I'll sign up at Ancestry if I can. frogmarch Nov 2019 #18
Eleanor May Bradley Harris was my grandmother mmharris Jul 2020 #23
Wow! frogmarch Jul 2020 #25
Hi ❤ JohnSPruett Jul 2022 #26
I would recommend not putting personal info on the net. It can be seen by too many people. FSogol Jul 2022 #27
Thanks JohnSPruett Jul 2022 #28
Hi back, frogmarch Jul 2022 #29

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
6. Here it is.
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 07:03 PM
Nov 2019
&t=64s

It was the 159th Station Hospital when I was born there and was redesignated the 181st General Hospital. (I wanted to keep my YT post short.)
 

braddy

(3,585 posts)
7. Wow, a dead on into the camera, that has to be a moving experience for you, I sometimes look
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 07:57 PM
Nov 2019

for video or photos of my dad in WWII stuff related to his ship, it would be moving to find something like you did.

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
11. It was, and I hope
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 08:08 PM
Nov 2019

you find pictures and videos of your dad.

I don't recall how I happened onto the video, but when I lost the link to it I had trouble finding the video again until I remembered "home movie" or something like that was in the title. Searches can be tricky, I've found, so I just keep on keepin' on and sometimes I hit the jackpot. I hope you do too!

CanonRay

(14,858 posts)
8. I did a search in ancestry.com, and here's what I found
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 07:57 PM
Nov 2019

Eleanor May Bradley Harris
b. 11 Jun 1920 Wilmington, DE
Father John Simpson Bradley
Mother Mabel Rebecca Fleetwood
Spouse James Joseph Harris
Died 10 Jun 1996 Muskogee OK

I can't guarantee it's her, but there was a pic on the record that looks like her. Hope this helps!

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
9. It does!
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 08:02 PM
Nov 2019

Thank you! I guess I will go ahead now and join Ancestry so I can have a look-see.

Thanks again.

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
12. Thanks! Would it be
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 08:09 PM
Nov 2019

possible for you to get a photo of Eleanor Bradley Harris from Ancestry and post it here?

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
14. Maybe you could send it to me in a private message and
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 08:16 PM
Nov 2019

I could post it here. I use imgur.com (it's free, which I like) for hosting images to post on DU. I learned about imgur on DU.

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
17. Oh, well. Thank you for
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 10:21 PM
Nov 2019

trying. I'll check into joining Ancestry tomorrow. If I can figure out how and all that, I mean. I'm no techie by any stretch of the imagination, but I am a stick-to-it type of person. Thanks again!

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
21. Is Nellie sometimes short for
Sat Nov 2, 2019, 09:55 AM
Nov 2019

Eleanor? If she was known as Nellie to her family, maybe the B stands for Bradley, her surname before she married Harris.

Thank you.

mercuryblues

(15,099 posts)
24. It most likely does stand for Bradly
Sat Jul 11, 2020, 07:39 PM
Jul 2020

I remember my Mom telling me when I asked her why she used the initial D, when her middle name started with an A. She told me because when some women get married, they drop their middle name and replace it with their maiden name.

I secretly though it was because she hated her middle name. But over the years I have seen women do that. So my Mom wasn't ribbing me.

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
22. Wow, what a lovely picture!
Sat Nov 2, 2019, 10:02 AM
Nov 2019

Thank you!

To me, she doesn't look a lot like the other pictures I've seen of Eleanor Bradley Harris, but I've only seen a few.

Here's a screenshot from a You Tube video she's in:

GeoWilliam750

(2,540 posts)
15. Here is a bit more
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 08:17 PM
Nov 2019

This is her grave in Muskogee, Oklahoma

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84315403/eleanor-may-harris

There is a lot more on her on Ancestry, including a nice picture of her in what appears to be an Indian sari in 1943.

Her obituary in of June 1996:

Harris - Nellie B., on June 10 1996, of Newark, beloved mother of..... Then personal information.

A fairly detailed family history is up on Ancestry, which also provides a way to contact the people who put it up there.

frogmarch

(12,225 posts)
18. I'll sign up at Ancestry if I can.
Fri Nov 1, 2019, 10:45 PM
Nov 2019

I tried to some time ago and did something wrong and it didn't take. Maybe I'm smarter now. Or not.

Thanks for the information!

mmharris

(1 post)
23. Eleanor May Bradley Harris was my grandmother
Sat Jul 11, 2020, 06:35 PM
Jul 2020

Hi - I was just searching the internet randomly for info about my grandmother and came across your post! This is VERY EXCITING!! Please feel free to message me at m@mmharris.com with any questions. I will try to scan some pictures for you.

JohnSPruett

(2 posts)
26. Hi ❤
Wed Jul 13, 2022, 05:10 PM
Jul 2022

I just returned from the Harris Family re-union. Elor as she was called by some and Brad by others is my one of my favorite aunts and I'm sitting next to her sister Sandy right now who is my Mom ❤

You can email me on pruett.john.s@gmail.com

Or call me or my Mom on 540 594 1701 or 843 446 9361

Or find either of us on Facebook John S Pruett or Sandra B Springs



John

FSogol

(46,502 posts)
27. I would recommend not putting personal info on the net. It can be seen by too many people.
Wed Jul 13, 2022, 08:42 PM
Jul 2022

Try to instant message or send a email to the person you are trying to contact. Edit your message to remove the phone #s.

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