World War II Honoree

Walter R. 'Red' Harris

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Hebron, Nebraska

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CAPTAIN. HE WAS COMMISSIONED A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE JANUARY 1, 1943, AFTER HE HAD COMPLETED THE U.S. NAVAL FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM. SERVED AS A MARINE CORPS FIGHTER PILOT, WHO FLEW THE F4U-1A CORSAIR FIGHTER-BOMBER ASSIGNED TO THE ‘BLACK SHEEP’ MARINE ATTACK SQUADRON VMF-214, COMMANDED BY COLONEL GREGORY ‘PAPPY’ BOYINGTON ATTACHED TO THE MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP-13. HE WAS STATIONED ON NEW CALEDONIA, AN ISLAND LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC OCEAN, AND FOUGHT ABOVE THE NORTHERN SOLOMON ISLANDS AND RABAUL. ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1943 HE FLEW A HIGH COVER ESCORT MISSION FOR A B-24 BOMBER STRIKE AGAINST KAHILI AIRFIELD LOCATED ON SHORTLAND ISLAND. DURING THE MISSION, HIS SQUADRON WAS ATTACKED BY 15-20 JAPANESE FIGHTERS AND DURING THE ENGAGEMENT, HE WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1944 AND HE IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: AIR MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE CAPTAIN FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.