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| Information > Biographies > BRIGADIER GENERAL RAY GUY HARRIS |
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BRIGADIER GENERAL RAY GUY HARRIS
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Retired Oct. 31, 1947.
Died Oct. 25, 1971.
General Harris was born at Aquilla, Texas, in 1891. He attended Cooper Union Institute in New York, N.Y., from Jan. 7, 1909, until Jan. 6, 1913, and served as an enlisted man in the United States Navy. On Sept. 10, 1917, he enlisted in the Army, and on Aug. 28, 1918, was commissioned a temporary second lieutenant in the Air Service, serving until Aug. 23, 1919.
Kelly Field, Texas, was General Harris' first assignment and he served there until March 1918 when he was accepted as a flying cadet and sent to the School of Military Aeronautics at the University of Texas at Austin. Upon completion of the course there in June 1918, he went to Barron Field, Texas, and in August 1918 was transferred to Love Field, Texas, as an instructor, serving there until he was honorably discharged in August 1919.
Upon entering the Regular Army, General Harris was assigned to the Aviation Repair Depot in Dallas, Texas, as a test pilot, and in March 1921 was transferred to the San Antonio, Texas, Air Intermediate Depot. He entered the Air Service Technical School at Chanute Field, Ill., in March 1923 to study aerial photography. Upon completion of the course in November 1923 went to Hawaii.
General Harris served at Luke Field with the 23rd Bombardment Squadron and the 5th Composite Group. Returning to the United States in October 1926, he was assigned to the Middletown, Pa., Air Intermediate Depot. In January 1929, he served as Engineer Officer of the airplane "Question Mark" on a record-breaking endurance flight. He was in charge of the installation of spedial equipment and of remodeling the airplane for that flight.
In September 1930, General Harris went to Kelly Field, Texas, and served there with the 68th Service Squadron and at Headquarters of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School. In July 1934, he was ordered to Santa Monica, Calif., as Air Corps Representative with the Douglas Aircraft Company. In May 1939, he weont to Wichita, Kan., as Air Corps Representative with the Stearman and Beech Aircraft Companies.
Entering the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., on Aug. 15, 1938, Generall Harris graduated in June 1939. He was assigned to return to Wichita, Kan., to work with the Stearman and Beech Companies. In February 1940, he became additionally Assistant Supervisor of the Central Air Corps Procurement District Ninth station at Wichita, and in January 1942, became additionally Control Officer for the Air Corps Ferrying Command there. He was Commander, Midwestern District, Army Air Force Air Training Service Command 1942 to 1945.
General Harris is rated a Comman Pilot and Combat Observer.
His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal.
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