TV - Movies
The Bizarre
Reason Pawn
Stars' Old Man
Enlisted In
The Navy
By HEATHER E. SCHWARTZ
“Pawn Stars” family patriarch, the late Richard Benjamin Harrison Jr., was also known as the “Old Man” to friends, family, and fans. Before owning the famous pawn shop, he had a colorful life and a variety of careers, including a lengthy stint in the U.S. Navy.
While Harrison’s hustler mentality served him well later in life, at 17 years old it led him in the wrong direction. After dropping out of school in his junior year, he was caught stealing a car and a judge gave him the choice of jail or the military, so he enlisted in the Navy.
Harrison served from 1958 to 1979, earning several medals (the Good Conduct Medal; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Vietnam Service Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal) and worked his way up through the ranks to first-class petty officer. His reason for finally retiring: He didn't like being away from home so much, especially as his family grew.