Lieutenant Colonel Edward M. Harrell was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School, 18 June 1942, class number 22. His first duty assignment was as Executive Officer, OCS, 318th Infantry, Camp Forrest, Tennessee. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Platoon Leader, 506th PIR, Fort Benning, Georgia - Camp McCall North Carolina; Company Executive Officer, Company Commander, 506th PIR, European Theater of Operations; Regiment S4, Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia; Company Commander, Airborne Regiment; Fort Benning, Georgia; G4 Advisor, 1st Mtn Div, Greek Army; Company Commander, 325th Air, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Instructor, USAIS, Fort Benning, Georgia; G3 Advisor, KMAG, 29th ROK Div, Korea; S-3 30th Inf C.C., Fort Benning, Georgia; Ch Insp Div, 1G Sec, Fort Benning, Georgia; Ch Trf Tng Br, G3 Sec, USAIS, Fort Benning, Georgia; Test Ex Caribou, Abn Dept, Chm AMC, Abn Dept, Fort Benning, Georgia. | Lieutenant Colonel Harrell's awards and decorations include: the Purple Heart, Army Pir Ribbon w/Cluster and the Silver Star.