Cecil E. Harris

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Cecil E. Harris
Nickname(s) "Cece"
"Speedball"
Born (1916-12-02)December 2, 1916
Faulkton, South Dakota, United States
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Washington, D.C., United States
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service March 1941 – 1967
Rank Captain (United States O-6)
Unit <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Battles/wars <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Awards <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>

Captain Cecil E. "Cece" Harris (December 2, 1916 – December 2, 1981) was a United States naval aviator and fighter ace. Harris is remembered for his actions in the Pacific Ocean Theater during World War II, for which he earned the Navy Cross, among other medals. By war's end he was the second-highest-ranked ace in the U.S. Navy with 24 kills to his name.[1][2]

Pre-War

Cecil E. Harris was born in Faulkton, South Dakota on December 2, 1916. After graduating from Cresbard High School in 1934, Harris attended Northern State Teachers' College (NTSC) for a year. He took a leave from school to teach for a few years in Onaka, South Dakota before returning to NTSC in 1940 to complete his degree. Upon returning to school he enrolled in a civilian pilot training course, which ultimately led to his enlistment in the U.S. Naval Reserve on March 26, 1941.[3][4] By March 12, 1942 Harris had earned his wings.[5]

World War II

Snapshot

Harris first served aboard USS Suwannee, reporting for duty on 30 May 1942.[6] He was a pilot in VGF-27, which provided support for Operation Torch in North Africa and later flew sorties in the Solomon Islands Campaign. During this latter period Harris—flying a Grumman F4F Wildcat as part of a detachment posted on Guadalcanal—scored his first aerial victory.[7]:50 After his stint with "Suwannee" ended he was transferred to VF-36,[8] which was eventually re-designated as VF-18.[9] "Fighting 18" boarded USS Intrepid 16 August 1944 as part of its Air Group 18.[10]

Though he was only a lieutenant at the time, many of the Fighting 18's green pilots turned to Harris for advice.[11] Intrepid's skipper similarly recognized Harris's ability and made him flight operations officer. According to later testimony from his peers, the tactical and flight training Harris provided to his outfit helped see them through the war.[12][13] His prowess on the wing would save a number of them in more direct fashion, both in dog fights and carrier landings. On 29 October, Intrepid entered a squall with a Combat Air Patrol inbound. Though many from VB-18 and VT-18 were forced to water land, Harris used his dead reckoning and other navigation skills to find the carrier in the storm. He landed successfully and radioed information to men in the air, saving them from the risks of water landing and preserving valuable aircraft.[14]

After eleven weeks of flying combat missions from Intrepid with Air Group 18, Cecil Harris had scored 23 of the group's total 187 confirmed kills.[15] Over half of Harris's VF-18 kills derive from four separate engagements in which he downed at least four Japanese planes: 13 September over the island of Negros,[16] 12 October over Formosa,[17] 29 October over Clark Field on Luzon[18][19] and 25 November over Nielsen Field and en route to Intrepid.[15]:153[20] This was a feat rarely replicated in U.S. Navy history. For each of these individual engagements Harris was awarded medals, culminating with the receipt of the Navy Cross for the actions of 29 October.[21] On 24 October, he shot down two Japanese floatplanes.[7]:57 The Kamikaze attacks of 25 November 1944 put Intrepid out of commission for a stretch and saw VF-18 detached from Air Group 18. VF-18 stayed for less than a week on USS Hancock before it detached yet again, this time for Pearl Harbor: Cecil Harris was headed home. He arrived stateside 16 January 1945.[22]

VF-18 was reformed and returned to Air Group 18 on 25 January 1945. A large number of former VF-18 fighter pilots returned to the reformed squadron, including Harris, who served as Flight Officer. He was married at Seaside, Oregon while serving with this outfit. Training commenced immediately at NAS Astoria in Oregon and continued at NAS North Island in San Diego, where the group was transferred on 19 April. The squadron trained in night fighting, the use of rockets, and on the newly introduced Grumman F8F Bearcat. They would never see combat as a unit due to the Japanese surrender in August of that year.[23]

Aerial Victories

Date Type Total Citation
09/13/44 1 A6M Zeke, 3 A6M3-32 Hamp 4 [24]:23
10/12/44 1 Ki-21 Sally, 1 Ki-48 Lily, 2 A6M Zeke 4 [25]:58
10/14/44 3 D4Y Judy 3 [25]:146
10/21/44 1 Ki-21 Sally (Assist) 1 [25]:176
10/24/44 2 F1M Pete 2 [25]:197
10/29/44 3 Ki-44 Tojo, 1 A6M Zeke 4 [25]:294
11/19/44 1 A6M Zeke 1 [26]:2
11/25/44 3 Ki-44 Tojo, 1 A6M3-32 Hamp 4 [27]:21
23

VF-18 In Detail

September

The air group cut its teeth off the coast of Babelthuap, the largest island of Palau, on 6 September 1944. Encountering no aerial opposition to speak of during any of the day's sorties, fighters escorted their bomber charges to the target areas, engaging in strafing of anti-aircraft positions and military installations along the western coast of the island. With meager anti-aircraft fire reported and partly cloudy skies, the air group dropped in excess of 46 tons of ordnance on its first day of bona fide combat. The next couple days in this target area brought more of the same.[28]

Things heated up significantly when the group moved on to Mindanao on 9 September. Anti-aircraft fire escalated exponentially—as did the significance of the air group's contribution to the war effort. CAG Ellis personally witnessed VT-18 score two direct hits on the runway at Matina with 1-ton bombs. Likewise, strikes later in the day cratered Daliao airfield rendering it inoperational.[29]:9 This is also the first day Harris is mentioned in the VF-18 reports. During a dawn fighter sweep over the Davao Gulf, he led a division against shipping vessels which led to the sinking of two small craft and left a third, larger one ablaze.[29]:4 After incendiary strikes on the 10th, the carrier spent a day refueling before moving on to the Visayas.

Harriss ace status was cemented on 13 September when he and Lt. James Neighbours led divisions in a dawn strike against Negros. Both divisions flew 500 feet (150 m) above the dive and torpedo bombers they were shepherding to the day's targets, with Neighbors' division positioned forward and Harris's behind the more sluggish bomber craft. By the time Harris et al. crossed over the island's coastline, Bunker Hill's Air Group 8 was already tangling with Japanese air defense. Enemy aircraft moved quickly to intercept the new arrivals. Harris and his wingman Franklin "Jimmy" Burley, along with the other two men in the division, kicked off the action.

The first target was a lone Zeke making a run on the bombers. The four pilots pounced right away, forcing the intruder to dive down into cloud cover. They raced in after it and broke through the clouds to find not one but over a dozen enemy planes circling above Fabrica air strip—a veritable "hornets nest" as the air group's official history puts it.[30]:10 There was no hope of making an accurate run on such short notice and at such speeds. Plunging down to 500 feet (150 m), Harris and Burley used their built up speed to zoom back up to 2,500 feet (760 m), right into the mass of surprised Japanese pilots. One Zeke bolted from the group and took off running, Burley on its tail in hot pursuit. He hit his quarry but didn't have time to verify the kill: another Zero was coming in from behind, forcing him to take evasive action. Fortunately for Burley, Harris was behind this second Japanese fighter and blasted him out of the sky just a moment later.

Leaving the scrum to head back to formation, Harris spotted a single Hamp climbing ahead of him heading in the same direction, apparently intent on jumping the bomber squadrons. Harris pulled in above the enemy and turned inside of him, putting a burst into the plane from 7 o'clock and sending it down in flames. There was no time for rest after the first two victories, however. Harris's division had its hands full over Fabrica. As he was moving to assist his division, Harris was jumped from above, on his 7 o'clock, by two Hamps. He pulled up hard and swung left, allowing his pursuers to overshoot their runs before he tacked back to the right, putting himself above and behind them. Diving on the pair and easily outpacing them, Harris blasted one so badly that it exploded mid-air as the other fled the scene.

Once more seeking out his division, Harris approached a cluster of planes that turned out to be yet more Hamps. Harris's Hellcat had no problem outpacing these bandits. After he'd put enough distance between himself and his pursuers, the lone American fighter looped back and approached the enemy formation head on in a low side run. His target—the last Hamp in formation—exploded a mere 200 feet (61 m) from Harris, who finally spotted some fellow Hellcats and broke off his engagement to follow them to the rendezvous point.[31]:23–29 13 September represented the first day that Air Group 18 encountered significant resistance in the Pacific skies. From Harris's Strike 2 Able through to the fourth and final strike of the day, Strike 2 Dog, 41 Japanese planes were shot down by Admiral Bogan's Task Group 38.2 and a similar number were destroyed on the ground by bombing and strafing runs.[32]:9

External image
image icon McCampbell and Harris, the Navy's top aces, posing with a total of their aerial victories

On 14 September Harris was credited with damaging a Sally on the ground during strafing attacks on Alicante airstrip.[24]:14 The next day the task group retired to rendezvous with oilers and escort carriers, which refueled the ships and provided replacement aircraft on the 16th. Heading off the coast of the Palaus, the air group provided all day air support for Marine landings during the Battle of Peleliu on 17 September. The fighter squadron loaded their belly tanks with napalm to drop on targets at Peleliu and Angaur in addition to the conventional bombs dropped by the VB and VT squadrons.[24]:20–21 18–20 September were spent refueling and moving towards the next target: Luzon.[32]:10 Air Group 18 and the other air groups in ComCarDiv 4 flew the first carrier strikes on Luzon since its capture by Japanese forces, making strikes on shipping in the proximity of Subic Bay and bombing installations at Clark Field between 21 and 22 September. The first of these was a banner day for VF-18's fighter pilots. Lt(jg) Charles M. Mallory made ace in a day with 5 aircraft to his name; Lt. Harvey P. Picken destroyed 4½.[33] One of the last actions taken before the task group retired to Ulithi for the remainder of September was a long-range fighter-bomber strike on shipping in Coron Bay. Achieving total surprise on the morning of 24 September, Air Group 18 alone reportedly accounted for around 50,000 tons sunk.[34] :10

October

Post-War

As a member of the United States Naval Reserve Cecil Harris' commission effectively ended with the War. Upon returning home, he picked up where he left off before the war, completing his degree from Northern State Teachers College and resumed his teaching career, this time at Cresbard High School where he functioned variously as principal, coach and teacher. He also was engaged to his sweetheart Eva at this time.[35]

Harris was recalled from reserve status to active duty with the outbreak of the Korean War in 1951. On October 15, Harris reported to NAS Memphis for a two-month pilot refresher training before being assigned to NAS Pensacola for flight duty.[36] Following this post and a rank promotion to Captain, Harris served in the Air Warfare Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OpNav) at the Pentagon. After the Korean War he moved through a number of positions at different Naval Air Stations. He ultimately attained the rank of Captain and finished out his career in the Navy back at OpNav, this time as Head of the Aviation Periodicals and History Office. Harris retired July 1, 1967.[5]

Awards and decorations

Harris received the following decorations:[21][37]

File:Harris Pinning.jpg
Vice Adimral Marc A. Mitscher presents the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Gold Star in lieu of a second DFC to Lieutenant Cecil E. Harris on 17 January 1945[37]

Recognition

On May 25, 2009, a segment of Highway 20 in South Dakota was designated the Cecil Harris Memorial Highway. Senators Johnson and Thune read their remembrances of Harris into the U.S. Congressional Record to mark the occasion.[41][42] In 2014, a statue of Harris was dedicated on the grounds of his alma mater, Northern State University.[43]

References

  1. ↑ Intrepid Ace Cecil Harris, by Stephen Sherman, at Acepilots.com; published June 1999; updated July 2, 2011; retrieved March 16, 2016
  2. ↑ American Fighter Aces, by Frank Olynyk et al. at Americanfighteraces.org.; retrieved March 13, 2016.
  3. ↑ South Dakota's 'Speedball', by Kaija Swisher at bhpioneer.com; published May 22, 2015; retrieved March 11, 2016.
  4. ↑ The Exponent, hosted at digitalcollections.northern.edu; originally published December 8, 1944; retrieved March 26, 2016.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Veteran Tributes Cecil E. Harris, by veterantributes.org; retrieved January 29, 2016.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Fighter Squadron Lineage, by Naval History and Heritage Command; retrieved May 30, 2016.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Harris More Than War Hero, by aberdeennews.com; published April 8, 2009; retrieved March 13, 2016.
  12. ↑ Campus statue honors U.S. Navy hero, NSU grad Cecil Harris, by northern.edu; retrieved March 13, 2016.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Wing Talk, by Robert Devore at Collier's Weekly; published Saturday May 19, 1945; hosted by unz.org; retrieved March 13, 2016.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. First Edition scan available via Archive.org
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Fletcher, pg. 312
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Valor Awards for Cecil Elwood Harris, by militarytimes.com; retrieved March 13, 2016.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. open access publication - free to read
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. open access publication - free to read
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. open access publication - free to read
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Remembering Cecil E. Harris, recorded May 20, 2009; published by congress.gov; retrieved January 29, 2016.
  42. ↑ Commending Cecil Harris, see pg. 173; recorded July 16, 2009; published by congress.gov; PDF file; retrieved January 30, 2016.
  43. ↑ Cecil Harris Honored in Aberdeen, by John Andrews at southdakotamagazine.com; published June 17, 2014; retrieved January 29, 2016.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Cecil_E._Harris&oldid=722920146"