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Hellcat Pilot Cpt.. Cecil E. Harris
Little-known S. Dakota Ace Honored


Second-highest scoring U.S. Navy Ace of World War Two
Ace Pilot of USS Intrepid VF-18 - 24 kill

Awarded Navy Cross

Cecil E. Harris was born in 1916, in the state of South Dakota. Harris, grew up on a Cresbard area farm in Faulk County. He was a graduate of Cresbard High School. He was attending Northern State Teachers' College when WWII started. He joined the Navy before Pearl Harbor, and was appointed an aviation cadet. He trained at Minneapolis and Corpus Christi, and in April 1942 became part of VGF-27, followed by more training. VGF-27, on board the escort carrier Suwanee CVE-27, took part in the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. In early 1943, Suwanee sailed to the southwest Pacific to support operations in the Solomons. Because the escort carrier was so small, her Wildcat-equipped fighter squadron was detached to operate from land, and was re-designated VF-27. Harris served there, shooting down two Japanese planes.

















Later, Harris flew F6F Hellcats for VF-18, based on the carrier USS Intrepid, CV-11. He downed 3 Hamps and a Zero on Sept. 13, 1944.

On October 12, 1944, he embarked on a memorable mission, the war's first air strike at Jap airfields on Formosa, in preparation for the liberation of the Philippines. Following the invasion of the Marianas in June - August, under Admiral Nimitz, and General MacArthur's drive from New Guinea to the south.

On the 12th, the Fast Carrier Task Force began three days of strikes against the large Japanese air forces on Formosa. VF-18 flew cover for the torpedo squadron, VT-18, and the dive-bombing squadron, VB-18. Harris was one of 16 pilots from VF-18 participating in the day's fighter sweep, launched before dawn in order to catch the enemy aircraft on the ground at first light.


























Lt. Harris, although ranked 10th in seniority when he joined Fighting Squadron 18 on the aircraft carrier  U.S.S. Intrepid, was elevated to flight officer, the No. 3 post, as a result of his skills and leadership, according to Ken Schroeder of Rapid City, a member of the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame. Schroeder, a retired Navy pilot, has made it his mission to get recognition for Harris.

One of Harris' friends in the squadron on the Intrepid was Lt.j.g. Harold Thune of Murdo, who became the father of Sen. John Thune. The elder Thune, who was also  honored in the ceremony at Ellsworth, called Harris "exceptional." "He was better than the best," Thune said in a prepared statement. "He didn't just tell you to do it. He showed the way. He was a leader among men."

Schroeder said Harris, not the squadron commander nor the executive officer, led the squadron through six weeks of intensive air combat near the Philippines and Formosa. Schroeder said that Harris' 24 enemy kills were second only to those of Navy Cmdr. David McCampbell in the war. But Schroeder said Harris shot down more fighters, 17, a much more difficult feat than shooting down enemy bombers.

VF-18 flew northwest from the Intrepid, to hit an airfield on the northeastern corner of Formosa, as squadron CO Lt. Cdr. Ed Murphy had briefed them the previous night. On schedule, all the Hellcats catapulted off the carrier, and began the slow climb to altitude. Murphy's own division of four planes was in the lead, the second division behind and to his right. Behind the second division, and well to the left was Harris' third division. The fourth division flew behind and to the left of Harris; all climbing at 150 knots. Many other planes from Task Force 38 carriers accompanied VF-18. All maintained radio silence, as they leveled off at 15,000 feet.

As they approached Formosa, they pointed their noses downward and began to gain speed. When Harris, his wingman Burley, and Lt. Bill Zeimer's section approached the field, five enemy bombers had just taken off from the field. In a few seconds Zeimer's gunfire tore into and exploded the first bomber. Harris soon added one of his own. They turned and both quickly splashed another bomber each. Easy so far, but Zeroes appeared up above, dove down and shot up Zeimer's plane. His chute opened and Zeimer floated down. His wingman, DiBatista, locked onto the Zero and avenged Zeimer's loss. Another Zero dived onto DiBatista, and hit him with 20mm cannon fire. But in the deadly round-robin of aerial combat, Harris got behind this Zero and his concentrated 50 caliber fire took a heavy toll. The Zero crashed into the trees and blew up, for Harris' third victory of the day.

While escorting the DiBatista's damaged plane back to Intrepid, he downed another Zero, his fourth of the day.



















He followed this up by shooting down three Judys on the 14th. His mission on the 29th earned him a Navy Cross. Over Luzon, he intercepted two flights of Japanese fighters that were preparing to hit American bombers and torpedo planes. He led his division to the attack, downing four and disrupting the remainder.
Harris accumulated a total of 24 victories against the Japanese (the second highest scoring US Navy ace). He was out of action from November, 1944, when the Intrepid was badly damaged in a kamikaze attack. He earned the Navy Cross, the DFC, a Silver Star, and two Gold Stars.

After the war, Harris returned to South Dakota and resumed teaching school. But when the Korean War broke out, he was recalled to active duty. Harris stayed in the Navy, retiring in 1967 as a captain.

"During the period 1955-1960 the Navy and Reserve was going through a period of austerity resulting in curtailed flight time and several personnel cutbacks of officers."

"I recall several officers receiving release "at the convenience of the government" as they were nearing retirement. This was devastating to many fine reserve officers. In addition there were very few promotions. It was always a mystery to me why an officer such as "Cece", who had served his country with such distinction during WW2, and who was doing a good job currently, was not promoted at least to full commander (05) rank by 1959. But alas, promotions did not come automatically based on time in service and past distinguished achievements."

"I'm not sure if Lt.Cdr Harris was passed over for promotion and thereby released from the Navy as I left the service in July 1959 -- but I suspect that is what happened. It would be devastating to a man to have served his country so well in wartime, to be treated so unfairly as he was recalled to active duty and later assigned to the place he started his flying career, only to be passed over for promotion as he neared retirement."

"I remember Cecil Harris as a leader who was a kind, personable, caring officer, that treated everyone with respect and who had served his country with much distinction. I was saddened to learn the details of his passing, but I'm not surprised knowing how his country and the Navy treated him."






















Lt. Cecil E. Harris receiving the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Gold Star in Lieu of second DFC from Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher Jan 17, 1945.


Lt. Cde. Harris is credited with shooting down 24 enemy planes in South Pacific combat in less than six weeks during the second world war. He received numerous medals and honors for his heroic acts. Navy Cross, Silver Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Five Gold Stars, American Defense Service Medal and more.

In 1981, Harris died while in police custody, on his birthday, in Washington, DC. Depression and alcohol Were blamed for having played their parts in his postwar decline. While officially ruled a suicide, Harris's family and friends were never satisfied with that conclusion. e is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Cecil Harris, was honored at a ceremony recognizing his induction into the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame's South Dakota Combat Aircrew Memorial. The ceremony was at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

The state Transportation Commission named an 80-mile stretch of South Dakota Highway 20 between U.S. Highways 83 and 281 the Cecil E. Harris Highway.



Air Combat Honorees

Seven new members of the South Dakota Combat Aircrew Memorial of the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame were recognized at a ceremony at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

They are:

- Navy Capt. Cecil E. Harris of Cresbard, who shot down 24 enemy aircraft in the Pacific Theater, becoming the second-highest scoring Navy ace of World War II. Harris scored most of his victories in an F-6F Hellcat. Harris died in 1981.

- Navy Lt.j.g. Harold Thune of Murdo, who flew more than 50 combat missions off the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Intrepid in the Pacific Theater. Thune shot down four Japanese aircraft in one mission and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on Dec. 15, 1944.

- Lt. Col. Thomas K. Oliver, a B-24 pilot who flew 18 missions in the Mediterranean Theater in World War II. Oliver, who lives in Rapid City, was shot down May 6, 1944, and was held as a prisoner of war until he escaped with his air crew through Yugoslavia on Aug. 10, 1944.

- 2nd Lt. Lynus Ryan, originally from Kimball and who now lives in Custer..  Ryan was a glider pilot in World War II. Ryan also served in Korea as a forward air observer, flying an L-19. Then-Congressman John Thune in 2002 awarded Ryan the Korean War Service Medal.

- Maj. Charles Summers, a native of Nebraska who now lives in Rapid City. Summers was an F-100 Super Saber pilot, who served as a wing commander in Korea and served three tours in Vietnam. He received a Silver Star for gallantry in action.

- Lt. Col. Lawrence E. Pravecek, a Huey helicopter pilot in Vietnam with the 48th Assault Helicopter Company. Pravecek, who lives in Winner where he grew up, finished his military career in 1967.

- The late Cpl. Richard C. Callies of Howard, who served with the 383rd Fighter Squadron in the European Theater during World War II.


























Capt. Cecil  E.  Harris       


Rank,              Service
Captain O-6,  U.S. Navy

Veteran of:
U.S. Navy 1941-1945
U.S. Naval Reserve 1945-1951
U.S. Navy 1951-1967
World War II 1941-1945
Cold War 1945-1967


Capt Harris' final assignment was in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon as Head of the Aviation Periodicals and History Office from June 1962 until his retirement from the Navy on July 1, 1967.


























His Navy Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism as a Fighter Pilot in Fighting Squadron EIGHTEEN, attached to the U.S.S. INTREPID, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Luzon, Philippine Islands, October 29, 1944. Quick to intercept two successive flights of Japanese fighter planes preparing to attack our bomber and torpedo squadrons as they completed a strike on Clark Field, Lieutenant Harris boldly led his division in a swift assault on the enemy planes. Skillfully and daringly maneuvering among the hostile formations, he shot down one enemy plane from each flight and put the others to rout. Quick to intercept a superior force of enemy fighters descending in waves in furious attempts to wipe out our fighter protection, he dauntlessly engaged in the fierce dog fight with ensued. Successively knocking down to enemy planes chasing two of our Hellcats whose pilots were unaware of their imminent peril, he effectively averted the certain destruction of these friendly planes and assisted essentially in the utter defeat of the entire enemy formation without the loss of any of our planes from enemy action.

By his courageous initiative, superb airmanship and fearless devotion to the fulfillment of a hazardous mission, Lieutenant Harris contributed materially to the success of our operations in this strategic area, and his great personal valor in the face of grave peril upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Sources:

    * Edward Sims, Greatest Fighter Missions, Harper and Brothers, 1962
    * Barrett Tillman, Hellcat Aces of World War 2, Osprey Publishing, 1996
    * USS Intrepid Museum website
    * South Dakota Air and Space Museum
    * Steve Miller, Rapid City Journal