Part 7: The Decision

After reading all 47 letters, I had a choice to make.

My grandmother had kept this secret for 80 years. She'd protected my mother from the truth. Let her believe her father died a hero. Spared her the pain of knowing he was murdered.

But on her deathbed, she'd changed her mind. She'd given me the letters. The sapphire. The truth. And she'd made me promise to tell it.

My family didn't want me to. My mother begged me not to. My aunts said it would destroy our family's reputation. My cousins said I was being selfish. That I was hurting people for no reason.

But I kept thinking about Thomas. My grandfather. A 24-year-old man who stood up against a war crime. Who refused to execute prisoners. Who tried to do the right thing. And who was murdered for it.

And I kept thinking about William. The Aboriginal guide who witnessed the murder. Who tried to get justice. Who was ignored because of the color of his skin. Who kept the sapphire safe for 80 years, waiting for someone to listen.

And I kept thinking about Captain James Harrison. Who murdered my grandfather. Who covered it up. Who became a decorated general. Who died in 1987 at age 89, honored as a war hero. Who never faced consequences. Who never told the truth.

The truth matters more than comfort. That's what my grandmother said. And she was right.

So I decided to tell the story. All of it. No matter who it hurt. No matter what it cost.

Part 8: Finding the Harrisons

General James Harrison died in 1987. But his family is still alive. Still prominent. Still powerful.

His son, James Harrison Jr., is a retired federal judge. His grandson, James Harrison III, is a US Senator. His great-grandson, James Harrison IV, is a decorated Marine Corps colonel.

Four generations of Harrisons. All building on the legacy of a man who murdered my grandfather and got away with it.

I started with James Harrison III. The senator. He has a public email. A public office. A public reputation to protect.

I sent him a letter. Polite. Professional. Explained who I was. What I'd discovered. Asked if he'd be willing to discuss his grandfather's service record.

His office responded two weeks later. Form letter. Thank you for your interest. The senator does not comment on family matters. Have a nice day.

So I tried a different approach. I contacted a journalist. Gave her the letters. The whole story. Asked if she'd investigate.

She was interested. Very interested. Started researching. Contacted military historians. Requested Harrison's service records. Found inconsistencies. Found gaps. Found evidence of a cover-up.

And then, suddenly, she stopped responding. Her editor killed the story. No explanation. Just: We're not moving forward with this.

Later, I found out why. The Harrison family has connections. Money. Influence. They made calls. Applied pressure. Killed the story before it could be published.

That's when I realized: The only way to get the truth out was to do it myself. Publicly. Undeniably. Virally.

Part 9: Going Viral

I created a TikTok account. Posted a video. Just me. Sitting in my living room. Holding the sapphire. Telling the story.

My grandmother died holding this sapphire. Her last words were: The sapphire knows the truth. I found 47 letters she'd hidden for 80 years. They revealed that my grandfather was murdered by his commanding officer in 1943. The officer's name was James Harrison. He became a general. His grandson is now a US Senator. And I have proof.

I posted it at 11 PM on a Tuesday. Went to bed. Woke up to 2 million views.

By noon: 10 million views. By evening: 25 million views. By the next morning: 50 million views.

The comments were overwhelming. People sharing their own family war stories. Veterans demanding investigation. Historians offering to help. Journalists asking for interviews.

And then the Harrison family responded.

I didn't comply. Instead, I posted their cease and desist letter. With my response.

Part 10: My Response

I made another video. This time, I showed the letters. All 47 of them. Read excerpts. Showed William's testimony. Showed the sapphire. Explained the timeline. Presented the evidence.

And I said this:

The Harrison family says these allegations are unsubstantiated. But I have 47 letters. Written by my grandfather, my grandmother, and an eyewitness. I have a sapphire that was taken from my grandfather's body after he was murdered. I have dates, locations, and details that can be verified. The Harrison family has lawyers and threats. I have the truth. Let's see which one matters more.

That video got 75 million views in 24 hours.

Part 11: The Confrontation

Three days after my second video went viral, I got a call. Private number.

It was James Harrison III. The senator. He wanted to meet. In person. Off the record.

I agreed. But I recorded everything. (California is a two-party consent state, so I told him I was recording. He agreed.)

We met at a coffee shop in San Francisco. He came alone. No lawyers. No staff. Just him.

He was 67 years old. Distinguished. Well-dressed. Polite. He ordered coffee. Made small talk. Then got to the point.

Ms. Morrison, I understand you believe my grandfather committed a crime. I want you to know that I've looked into this. I've reviewed his service records. I've spoken with military historians. And I can assure you, there's no evidence to support your claims.

I have 47 letters that say otherwise.

Letters can be forged.

I have an eyewitness account from William Ngugi, the Aboriginal guide who was there.

He's been dead for 40 years. There's no way to verify his claims.

I have the sapphire. The one my grandfather was wearing when he was murdered. The one William took from his body. The one that's been in my family for 82 years.

He paused. Looked at me. Really looked at me.

What do you want? Money? Is this about money?

I want the truth. I want your grandfather's legacy corrected. I want my grandfather's name cleared. I want justice.

My grandfather was a war hero. He served his country with honor. He doesn't deserve to have his reputation destroyed by unsubstantiated allegations 82 years after his death.

My grandfather was murdered. By your grandfather. For trying to stop a war crime. He deserves to have his story told.

Senator Harrison stood up. Looked down at me. And said something I'll never forget:

Even if what you're saying is true—and I'm not saying it is—what good does it do to drag this up now? Everyone involved is dead. The war is over. Let the past stay in the past.

I stood up. Looked him in the eye. And said:

The past doesn't stay in the past when it's built on lies. Your family's legacy is built on my grandfather's murder. Your grandfather's medals were earned with blood he shouldn't have spilled. And my family has lived with a lie for 82 years. The truth matters. Even if it's inconvenient. Even if it's painful. Even if it destroys legacies. The truth matters.

He left. I posted the recording. 100 million views in 48 hours.

Part 12: The Investigation

The viral videos did what 82 years of silence couldn't: They forced action.

The Department of Defense announced an investigation. The Army Criminal Investigation Division reopened the case. Military historians began reviewing Harrison's service record.

And they found things. Lots of things.

• ✓ Inconsistencies in Harrison's reports from September 1942
• ✓ A complaint filed by Thomas Morrison (my grandfather) about prisoner executions
• ✓ Testimony from other soldiers about Harrison's conduct
• ✓ Evidence that Harrison's patrol on September 24, 1942 was unauthorized
• ✓ Witness statements from Aboriginal guides (including William) that were never investigated
• ✓ Forensic analysis of my grandfather's remains showing he was shot in the back at close range

The evidence was overwhelming. Harrison had murdered my grandfather. And the military had covered it up.

Part 13: The Medal of Honor Ceremony

Six months after I posted the first video, I stood in Arlington National Cemetery.

My mother was there. My family. Military officials. Press. And the President of the United States.

They posthumously awarded my grandfather the Medal of Honor. For extraordinary heroism. For standing against war crimes. For giving his life in defense of human dignity.

The citation read:

Private Thomas Morrison distinguished himself by acts of extraordinary heroism on September 3, 1942, when he refused an unlawful order to execute prisoners of war. Despite threats of court-martial and death, Private Morrison maintained his moral courage and reported war crimes to military authorities. On September 24, 1942, he was murdered by his commanding officer in retaliation for his actions. Private Morrison's unwavering commitment to justice and human dignity, even in the face of death, exemplifies the highest ideals of military service.

I held the sapphire during the ceremony. The same sapphire my grandfather wore. The same one William protected. The same one my grandmother held as she died.

And I swear, in that moment, it felt warm. Like it was alive. Like it was witnessing. Like it knew.

The sapphire knows the truth. My grandmother was right. It always did.

Part 14: The Harrison Family's Response

The Harrison family issued a statement. Brief. Defensive. Predictable.

The Harrison family acknowledges the Department of Defense's findings regarding General James Harrison's actions in 1942. We are deeply saddened by these revelations and extend our condolences to the Morrison family. We ask for privacy during this difficult time.

Senator James Harrison III resigned from the Senate two weeks later. Citing personal reasons. His political career was over.

Colonel James Harrison IV requested early retirement from the Marines. His application was approved.

The Harrison legacy—four generations built on honor and service—collapsed in six months. Because of 47 letters. A sapphire. And the truth.

— Sarah Morrison
San Francisco, California
September 2024

For Thomas. For William. For Eleanor.
The truth won.