Colonel William F. Harris

Colonel William F. Harris died on Saturday July 9, 2011 in San Antonio, TX. He was born May 30, 1918 in Mineola, Long island, New York. Col. Harris is survived by his wife, Cleo; one son, William E. Harris of Lubbock; three step children, Richard (Carla) Shull, Philip (Mary) Shull, and Susan (Jim) Mardock; eight step-grandchildren; six step great-grandchildren and four nieces and nephews: Edith Campbell, Gayle Jackson, Reed White and Bill Bender. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Madeline Carol Cochrum; his parents, Innis D. and Edith Pendleton Harris; one brother, Innis, Jr. and two sisters, Marion White and Elise Bender. Flying was Col. Harris’s first love. At age 14, he was the youngest person to receive a flying license. He flew the Hump, worked with missiles, was involved with the beginning of the space program, and served as Air Attaché in France. In addition to flying a huge variety of aircraft including gliders, he built his own airplane. Col. Harris attended Kansas State University School of Engineering, transferred to the University of Kansas where he earned a degree in Chemistry. He attended the University of Kansas School of Medicine from 1939 until 1941 when his education was interrupted by Pearl Harbor and he, like many others at that time, entered the military. Col. Harris started his military service career as a flight instructor at the Stamford Army Flight School in Texas. He was transferred to the 7th Ferrying Group in Great Falls, Montana and qualified as first pilot in the A-20, B-17, B-24, B-25, C-47, C-54, C-60 and fighters P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47 and P-51. He was assigned to the Bengal Wing and "Flew the Hump" from India into China and back completing 695 hours in 5 1/2 months (219 hours in one 30 day period.) Returning to the Fifth Ferrying Group, he qualified as Aircraft Commander on the B-29 and as pilot on the P-80 in 1945. While assigned to the 18th Fighter Wing in the Philippines the "needs" of the Pacific Airlift resulted in double duty: flying C-54s at the same time maintaining proficiency in the P-47 and P-51. Graduating as an Aeronautical Engineer from the AF Institute of Technology, Col. Harris was assigned to the AF Research and Development Command as Project Officer for development of MX-904 missile. Subsequently, he was assigned as Commander of the 77th Fighter Bomber Squadron in England and at Headquarters USAFE; Office of Inspector General in Germany. He returned to the USA to become Chief, Bioastronautics, for the Space Program with AFBMD. also served as Chief, Engineering Division, SAINT Program; Technical Attaché Office of the Air Attaché, Paris, France; Deputy Commander First Fighter Wing and finally as Special Assistant to the Commanding General, 12th Air Force. Col. Harris retired from the Air Force in 1970 and moved to Austin TX. He flew as a civilian for the State of Texas, retiring in 1983. He completed his professional pilot career as a Corporate Pilot for the Mortgage Bankers Corporation. After 65 ½ years as a pilot, five personal airplanes and 22,000 estimated flying hours, Col. Harris "hung up” his helmet and goggles for the last time. In September 2000, Col. Harris married Cleo B. Shull, a childhood classmate. They moved to Air Force Village 1 in San Antonio in 2002. A Visitation will be held at Funeraria Del Angel Roy Akers, 515 N. Main Avenue, San Antonio at 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 18. A Memorial Service will be held at the Air Force Village 1 Chapel on Tuesday, July 19 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery at 1:00 p.m., with a reception to follow at AFV 1. Please visit www.funerariadelangelroyakers.com for online tributes.