Harold R. Harris
Harold Ross Harris | |
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Pan American Airways |
Harold Ross Harris (December 20, 1895
Early years
Harold R. Harris was born on 20 December 1895 in Chicago, Illinois, as a son of Ross Allen Harris and his wife Mae Plumb Harris. He showed an interest in aircraft at an early age, and at the age of 15 skipped school to attend the
Because of
Test pilot
Following the conclusion of World War I, in September 1918 Harris was recalled to the United States and assigned as a test pilot at Wilbur Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.[3] He remained at Wilbur Wright Filed until 1920 when the Engineering Division was reassigned to McCook Field, near downtown Dayton.[3] McCook field was the Army Air Service's experimental test field. There Harris was appointed Chief, Flight Test Branch, Engineering Division, US Army Air Service. At McCook Field, Harris became one of the Army's most important experimental test pilots.[3][4]
On June 8, 1921, Harris became the first pilot to fly a pressurized aircraft when he successfully flew a Dayton-Wright USD-9A with an experimental pressurized cockpit.[2][3] Two McCook Field test pilots had previously tried to fly the aircraft without success, including test pilot John A. Macready, who held the world altitude record in an oxygen equipped unpressurized aircraft.[2][3] On August 11, 1921, Harold R. Harris flew the first airmail aircraft designed to pick up airmail sacks from the ground.[2]
On October 20, 1922, Harris made history as the first pilot to bail out of a stricken aircraft using a free-fall parachute.
in 1922, before he left McCook Field, Harris graduated from the Air Corps Engineering School (a predecessor to the Air Force Institute of Technology) in Dayton, OH.
In 1923, Harris became the first pilot to fly the massive
On February 23, 1924, Harris became one of the first pilots to fly the Emile Berliner Helicopter, the U.S. Air Service's first experimental helicopter.[3]
Unauthorized "stunt" flying was common at McCook Field, and in 1924 Harris was observed flying his DH-4 under a bridge over the Great Miami River while upside down.[2]
In 1926 Harold R. Harris held 13 world flying records. By the conclusion of his test pilot career, Harris held 16 American and 10 world flight records.
Post test career
Harold R. Harris briefly left the military in 1926 to begin the
In 1925 Harold R Harris testified before the
World War II
With the onset of
Post-war
Harold R. Harris left the military for the second time to join American Overseas Airlines. In 1950 American Overseas Airlines was incorporated into Pan Am Airlines, and Harris became vice-president in charge of the Atlantic Division. From 1954 to 1955 Harris was president and chief executive officer of Northwest Airlines. He resigned because of health issues and conflicts with the Northwest Airlines Board of Directors. From 1955 until 1965 Harris was President of Aviation Financial Services, Inc., a company that helped fledgling airlines acquire operating capital. Harris retired in 1965 at age 70.
Harold R. Harris died in his home in Falmouth, Massachusetts on July 28, 1988, at age 92.[5]
He was married to Grace Harris with whom he had two children: son Harold R. Harris Jr. and daughter Alta Mae Harris.
Decorations
USAF Command Pilot wings | ||||||||||||||||
1st Row | Army Distinguished Service Medal | Legion of Merit | Air Medal | |||||||||||||
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2nd Row | World War I Victory Medal with battle clasp | American Campaign Medal | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two service stars
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World War II Victory Medal
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3rd Row | Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy | Order of Abdon Calderón (Ecuador) | Officer of the Order of the Sun (Peru )
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References
- ^ a b Fogerty, Robert P. (1953). "Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917-1952, Volume 1 – A thru L" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. p. 794. USAF historical studies: no. 91. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k
Johnson, Mary Ann (2002). McCook Field 1917 - 1927. Dayton, Ohio: Landfall Press. pp. 113–114. ISBN 0-913428-84-1.
- ^ ISBN 0-16-067599-5.
- ^ a b Eagle Biography, Harris Air University
- New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
Harold Ross Harris, a retired Air Force brigadier general and one of the nation's most distinguished pilots, died of pneumonia and other complications yesterday at his home in Falmouth, Mass. He was 92 years old. ...
External links
- A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Harold R Harris" is available for viewing at the Internet Archive