Bill Harris (June 15, 1916 – May 23, 2012) was a

United States Army Air Force The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

fighter ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

who was credited with shooting down 16 aircraft during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Life

William "Bill" Harris was born on June 15, 1916 in Strathmore, California to Albert Asbury Harris and Harriet Barclay Harris. He enlisted in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

in 1936 and served aboard the

USS Houston (CA-30) USS ''Houston'' (CL/CA-30), was a of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship to bear the name "Houston". She was launched by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia, on 7 September 1929, sponsored b ...

. Due to his height, Harris was selected to fly in the back seat of a

Curtiss SOC Seagull The Curtiss SOC Seagull was an American single-engined scout observation seaplane, designed by Alexander Solla of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation for the United States Navy. The aircraft served on battleships and cruisers in a seaplane configurati ...

as a rear gunner and radio operator. In 1940, he was honorably discharged from the Navy. Harris went on to run Harris Bros. Lumber Co. with his brother Mal and former shipmate Bron Barrett in

Springville, California Springville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 934 at the 2010 census, down from 1,109 at the 2000 census. Geography Springville is located at (36.128378, -118.819001). Accordin ...

. Upon the United States entering World War II, Harris and Barrett enlisted as pilots in the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...

. Harris graduated from pilot training in California in October 1942 and went on to participate in the

Battle of Guadalcanal The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the ...

where he piloted a

Lockheed P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twi ...

in the

339th Fighter Squadron 339th may refer to: *339th Aviation Detachment, United States Army Aviation Branch *339th Bombardment Group, unit of the New York Air National Guard *339th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit *339th Fighter Group, unit of th ...

. He soon racked up 16 confirmed kills. At the war's end, Harris was the rank of

Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

and commander of the 18th Fighter Group. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

and the

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

with 23 Oak Leaf Clusters. Harris left the military after the war and in 1976 he moved to Oregon where he lived out the rest of his life. In 1995, a book was written about Harris's life titled ''Bill A Pilot's Story'' by Brooklyn Harris.

Death and legacy

Harris died on May 23, 2012 in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He was 95. In 2015, Harris was inducted into the Hall of Honor at the

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is an aviation museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Its exhibits include the Hughes H-4 Hercules (''Spruce Goose'') and more than fifty military and civilian aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and spac ...

. The Klamath Falls Chapter of the

Air Force Association The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, professional military association for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, its declared mission is " ...

was named the Bill Harris Chapter in his honor.

References

1916 births 2012 deaths American World War II flying aces Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) {{Mil-bio-stub

Life

Death and legacy

See also

References