Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/James W. Harrison Jr.

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was Delete. Notability is not inherited, and the relevant facts about the incident are covered at Pul-e-Charkhi prison. However, I would like to extend my condolences to Colonel Harrison's son and other family members on behalf of the Wikipedia community. GlassCobra 00:43, 16 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] James W. Harrison Jr.

James W. Harrison Jr. (edit|talk|history|links|watch|logs) – (View log)

Wikipedia is not a memorial and while very sad neither of these soldier are especially noteworthy. I am also nominating the following related page for the same reason

Wilberto Sabalu (edit|talk|history|links|watch|logs) Jon513 (talk) 20:01, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

• Delete: completely agree per nom. Very sad for both, but no assertion of notability in either article. Mh29255 (talk) 20:06, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
• keep -- I didn't start these articles to serve as "memorials". These two men are at the nexus of a controversy -- how the captives America apprehends in its global war on terror should be detained.
  • I started the article about Wilberto Sabalu first, and Harrison second. Even if Harrison hadn't been killed under these highly notable circumstances, even if their deaths hadn't lead to a delay in opening the American wing of the Pul-e-Charki prison, he would merit coverage. Harrison was the the director of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) Detention Capability Directorate. That is a significant post. Think Abu Ghraib. Think how much trouble there has been in training soldiers who can be relied on to take up the burden of defending Iraq. Well, Afghanistan faces the same problem, and Harrison, and to a lesser extent Sabalu, played noteworthy roles in the training effort.
  • Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and the Detention Capability Directorate are currently red-links. But they shouldn't be. They too are important organizations that, IMO, merit their own articles. And, IMO, those articles should link to these two articles. Geo Swan (talk) 23:44, 7 January 2008 (UTC)
• Note: This debate has been included in the list of Guantanamo Bay detainment camp-related deletion discussions. —Geo Swan (talk) 23:46, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Geo Swan, do you think it would make sense to have an article about the event, not the people? Jon513 (talk) 00:09, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

• Delete per WP:BIO1E and troubling WP:COATRACK assertions above by Geo Swan. Harrison was awarded the Bronze Star, which while a respected award, is not a top military medal. There is no assertion of notability in their actions other than as victims. Cover the incident in Pul-e-Charki prison in more detail if need be. --Dhartung | Talk 03:59, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

• keep I like the gesture made with the page. Col. Harrison is my father. Only thing I am noticing is that people are saying somethings that I'd like to clear up. The prison in Afghanistan was Afghani run and the American forces there are responsible for helping modernize the prison and train the Afghani guard so that prisoners being held can be transfered there. My father and the MSGT. were killed leaving the prison by an Afghani soldier who was later found to be an insurgent. Other than that, its a nice gesture and I appreciate it.
• Delete Not everyone involved in a notable event is notable. --brewcrewer (yada, yada) 04:46, 9 January 2008 (UTC)
  • I am glad you found it respectful. As you can read from some of the other comments here, articles aren't supposed to serve simply as memorials here. I think your dad merits coverage here for the totality of career. Perhaps you could help us locate online references to notable events from earlier in his career? Web searches turn up so many references to memorials that they drown out the earlier references.
  • Some of the memorials, from officers he worked under, said your dad was an innovator, without being specific about particular innovations. If you know of particular innovations, that were written about, that would be helpful. (I realize your dad could have made important innovations, that weren't publicized.)
  • Do you recall what role your dad played during the first Gulf War? Grenada? Panama? If your family has a scrapbook of press-clippings it doesn't matter if the clippings are of articles that are not online. Wikipedia references are considered reliable sources so long as a determined reader could find a paper copy, through the name of the publication, and the date of publication. If a wikipedia administrator concludes this article doesn't meet the criteria for conclusion, and you come across earlier references to your dad's career, don't hesitate to contact me.
  • Cheers! Geo Swan (talk) 16:20, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

• keepThere are a lot of non notable things that are posted on wikipedia. I think that as long as someone is willing to maintain it then it should be allowed up.
  • I do remember somethings and have gone in and edited some of the information that was incorrect, namely my dad's birthdate. I would like to help add information about his career to add to the page.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.99.185.50 (talk) 14:44, 9 January 2008 (UTC)
• delete but incorporate the key information in an article on the incident. We accept the Medal of Honor as a sufficient distinction for WP notability, but not lesser awards. NOT MEMORIAL. DGG (talk) 01:34, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.