11/07/2025
🎖 In Loving Memory of Harry Morgan (Apr 10, 1915 – Dec 7, 2011)
“The Heart of the 4077th”
He was born Harry Bratsberg in Detroit — the son of a salesman and a homemaker, with Norwegian and Swedish roots — but to millions around the world, he would forever be known simply as Colonel Sherman T. Potter.
Harry Morgan’s career stretched over six decades, from the bright lights of Broadway to more than 100 films and legendary TV shows.
He was Pete Porter on December Bride, Officer Bill Gannon on Dragnet, Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey — but it was MASH* that made him timeless.
When he joined the series in 1975, he didn’t just replace a commander — he became the soul of the 4077th.
Warm, wise, sometimes gruff, but always human, Colonel Potter was the kind of leader everyone wished they had.
Behind that twinkle in his eye was Harry himself — a man who led with humor, decency, and compassion.
Alan Alda once said:
“Harry was smart, funny, and filled with kindness.
He wasn’t just a wonderful actor — he was a beautiful man.”
Morgan’s real life reflected his character.
A loyal husband to Eileen Detchon for 45 years, a loving father to four sons, and a proud grandfather whose drawing even appeared on Potter’s wall in MASH.*
He kept a photo of his real wife on the Colonel’s desk — a quiet tribute to the love of his life.
When he passed away peacefully in his sleep in 2011, at age 96, the world lost more than an actor — it lost a storyteller who made decency look heroic.
Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, Mike Farrell, and Jamie Farr all spoke of him as if speaking of family.
“He was the kind of man,” Swit said, “who made you want to be better — on screen and off.”
Today, we remember Harry Morgan not only for the characters he played but for the warmth he left behind.
From the debates of Muskegon High to the dusty tents of the 4077th, he lived with integrity, grace, and humor until the very end.
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Colonel Potter.
The war is over, sir. You can rest now. ❤️