World War II Honoree

Whitney R. Harris

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Frontenac, Missouri

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AFTER THE START OF THE WAR. AFTER THE WAR, PLACED IN CHARGE OF INVESTIGATING WAR CRIMES. IN AUGUST, 1945, HE BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN STAFF ASSIGNED TO TRY MAJOR GERMAN WAR CRIMINALS. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE U.S. LEGAL TEAM THAT PROSECUTED NAZIS AT NUREMBERG, GERMANY. ONE OF THREE NUREMBERG PROSECUTORS, HE WAS THE LEAD PROSECUTOR IN THE FIRST NUREMBERG TRIAL IN 1945 AND TRIED ERNST KALTENBRUNNER, THE SENIOR SURVIVING LEADER OF THE NAZI SECURITY POLICE. HE ALSO HELPED CROSS-EXAMINE HERMANN GOERING, HITLER'S SECOND-IN-COMMAND, AND HELPED GET THE CONFESSION OF RUDOLF FRANZ FERDINAND HOESS, HEAD OF THE AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION CAMP. THE COURT TRIED 22 HIGH-RANKING NAZIS, CONVICTED 19 AND SENTENCED 12 TO DEATH. HE WAS THE ONLY PROSECUTOR TO ATTEND THE EXECUTIONS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.