Harold R. Harris

Harold Ross Harris
Harold R. Harris in 1950.
Born	(1895-12-20)December 20, 1895 Chicago, Illinois
Died	July 28, 1988(1988-07-28) (aged 92) Falmouth, Massachusetts
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Air Forces
Years of service	1917–1929, 1942–1946
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands held	Chief of Staff, Air Transport Command
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Air Medal
Other work	vice-president of Pan American Airways

Harold Ross Harris (December 20, 1895 – July 28, 1988) was a notable American test pilot and U.S. Army Air Force officer who held 26 flying records. He made the first flight by American pilots over the Alps from Italy to France, successfully tested the world's first pressurized aircraft, was the first airman to safely escape an aircraft by "bailing out" using a free-fall parachute. In his civilian career he helped create the first aerial application "crop dusting" business, and later retired as vice-president of Pan American Airways.

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 first National Aviation Meeting from 10–20 January 1910 at Dominguez Field, in Los Angeles, California. As there were no aviation engineering courses yet available he studied Mechanical Engineering at the Throop College of Technology (later Caltech) in 1910 and 1911, graduating with a B.S.

Because of World War I, in 1916 Harold R. Harris joined a Citizen’s Military Training Camp at Monterey, California, which was one of the few with an aviation unit. Enrolling there he became an Engineering Officer in the First Provisional Aero Squadron. When the U.S. entered the war, Harris enlisted in the Army Signal Reserve Corps at San Diego, California. He was sent to the first ground school class at the University of California Berkeley, and graduated in July 1917. After graduation he was sent to Europe for flight training where he helped set up the 8th Aviation Instruction Center for the Allied Expeditionairy Force in Foggia, Italy. After 181 minutes of dual instruction time, he soloed, and shortly afterward was named Chief Instructor for both day and night training. He served at Foggia from March to July 1918. While there Harris flew Farman and Caproni bombers. On July 25, 1918, Harris along with co-pilot, George Lewis, led the first successful flight by American pilots over the Alps, crossing from Italy to France in four Caproni bombers. While based in Italy Harris also helped the United States Navy establish an aerial ferry route from Milan to Paris.