Arthur Travers Harris

Born Apr. 13, 1892, in Cheltenham. Air chief marshal (1943) of the British Air Force.

Harris entered military service in 1915. He fought as a pilot and squadron commander in World War I. Graduating from the staff college in 1929, Harris in the 1930’s was in the Air Ministry and was an air force representative on the Committee of Imperial Defense; in 1938 he was named chief of the British air force mission to the USA. In World War II he commanded the No. 5 Bomber Group from 1939 to 1940, was deputy chief of the air staff from 1940 to 1941, and chief of the British air force delegation to the USA in 1941. In 1942 he took over the command of the British bombers and directed the saturation air bombardment of Germany. He retired in 1946. From 1946 to 1953, Harris was manager of the South Africa Marine Corporation. In 1944 he was awarded the Soviet Order of Suvorov First Class.