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Col. Harmon was the commanding officer at France Field, Cristobal Canal Zone. (On April 16, he had sent a cablegram to the
Director Air Service, stating that two of his Army fliers reported lost and delayed by engine trouble, were safe at Bluefields Bluffs.) As of May 29, 1919, Lt. Col. Harmon's 7th Aero Squadron at France Field, Panama Station, was given a reduction in force to 32 officers and 146 regular Army personnel. In March 1920, Lt. Col. Harmon was part of a hunting party operating in the interior of Panama near the Chepo River. The 7th Aero Squadron sent out four flights to locate and communicate with Harmon's party. This involved a great deal of difficulty, and it is unclear whether Harmon's party in the jungle was rescued or returned on their own. At the end of WWI, flying officers who desired to remain in the Air Service to make it a career were permitted to do so, but career commissions in the Regular Army required written examinations, which did not begin until July 7, 1920. After taking this examination, however, Harmon would have to relinquish his (temporary) lieutenant colonel officer rank in order to accept a permanent Regular Army rank of major. This occurred sometime in the four-month period between August 5, when he was still reported to be a Lt. Col., and the first week of December 1920, when Maj. Harmon placed first among his fellow officers in pistol shooting competition at France Field. On March 12, 1921, France Field reported that Maj. Harmon was ordered to report back to Washington and leaving by transport ship the last of March. During his time there, Harmon was an avid polo player who organized his France Field polo team in matches against teams from nearby Army bases. Upon his return to Washington in April, he served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Air Service. In April 1927, Maj. Harmon was relieved from duty with the War Department General Staff and assigned to March Field, Riverside, California for duty. When March Field officially reopened as an Air Corps Primary Flying School on November 1, 1927, Maj. Harmon was appointed as a Faculty Board member and listed as Commandant of March Field. On March 10, 1928, Maj. Harmon commanded a formation of DH-4s and flew the California Lieutenant-Governor on a flight to Blythe for the official opening of the new bridge across the Colorado River. During the years of peace, he continued his training, graduating from the Command and General Staff School and the
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342:, California, during which time he came into contact with the young men then entering aviation training. In 1930, Maj. Harmon was ordered to report by August 1 to the Commandant of Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for duty as an instructor. In 1935, Maj. Harmon, commanding the 20th Pursuit Group at Barksdale Field, Louisiana in March, but within the following month was promoted back to Lt. Col. prior to April 6, and was temporarily commanding the 3rd Wing upon the absence of the wing commander. He commanded
131:
453:. With 30 years combat and command experience as a ground and air officer, General Harmon was well qualified to command Army Forces in an area of increasing strategic importance where air power was to play a dominant role. In July 1942, General Harmon was appointed Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces in the
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the next day after taking off for Hawaii. The aircraft was never found and there were no survivors. As
Japanese air power had been neutralized in the vicinity of the Marshall Islands for some time, it is highly unlikely that enemy fighters were the cause of loss. Harmon was declared dead on February
322:
Regarding the U.S. Air
Service fields under control of the Training Section in operation on January 20, 1919, Harmon was then a lieutenant colonel and wing commander of the 1st Provisional Wing (Active) at Hazelhurst Field, Mineola, Long Island, New York. Less than three months later, however, Lt.
461:
assumed command of the South
Pacific, and the two formed a perfect team. In 1944, at the conclusion of his mission and before he went to another command, Admiral Halsey wrote, "I was particularly fortunate in having Harmon as Commanding General of the Army Forces; his sound advice and wholehearted
492:
Harmon wanted his command of AAFPOA to be more than an administrative, service, and coordinating agency. He lobbied
Headquarters AAF for operational control of all USAAF combat operations in the Pacific Ocean Area and partial operational control of the B-29 operations against Japan, from his
515:, over command of five long-range fighter groups assigned to the Twentieth Air Force as escorts for strategic bombers, with LeMay prevailing. Harmon objected, contending that the result would be a seriously inefficient use of the forces. On February 25, 1945, a
405:
as an air observer — he was already rated a command pilot, combat observer and technical observer — serving in that capacity and as a member of the
Harriman Mission until April. On his return to the United States, he was assigned as commanding general of
504:(Strategic Air Force, POA) in December. However, this role brought him into conflict with Arnold's objective of maintaining absolute control of Twentieth Air Force operations independent of any theater commands.
895:
875:
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691:“France Field, C.Z., March 12,” Air Service News Letter V, no. 13, April 1, 1921, 17; “France Field, Cristobal, C.Z., March 19,” Air Service News Letter V, no. 15, April 15, 1921, 13.
870:
825:
315:, served at Allied and American headquarters, and was finally attached to the French 13th Group de Combat as a pilot during the Somme defensive, for which he was awarded the
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830:
736:"20th Pursuit Group Goes 'On the Air,'" Air Corps News XVIII, no. 4, March 1, 1935, 73; "Army Day at Air Corps Fields," Air Corps News XVIII, no. 9, May 15, 1935, 8.
682:“France Field, Canal Zone,” Air Service News Letter IV, no. 30, August 5, 1920, 13; “France Field, C.Z.,” Air Service News Letter IV, no. 46, December 15, 1920, 10.
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622:
562:, Guam was named after him. Harmon field was returned to the government of Guam, and has since become an industrial park. The area is still known as Harmon.
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646:“Air Service Fields Under Control of Training Section,” D.M.A. Weekly News Letter I, OS 1244 (Washington, DC: War Dept. Air Service, January 25, 1919), 3.
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headquarters on Guam. Wearing his AAFPOA hat, he gained control of all Army and Navy land-based bomber and fighter operations when theater commander
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655:“Army Fliers From France Field Safe At Bluefields,” Air Service News Letter II, V‒154 (Washington, DC: War Dept. Air Service, April 19, 1919), 5.
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On
February 2, 1943, Harmon was promoted to lieutenant general. Until September of the following year, he commanded the Army Forces in the
335:, was assigned as an instructor in the Command and General Staff School, and served with the War Department General Staff for two years.
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700:"Changes in Station of Air Corps Officers," Air Corps News XI, no. 5 (Washington, DC: Information Division, April 27, 1927), 117.
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673:“Activities of 7th Aero Squadron, France Field, Panama,” Air Service News Letter IV, no. 13, March 22, 1920, 21.
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727:"War Department Orders Affecting Air Corps Officers," Air Corps News XIV, no. 3, March 5, 1930, 62.
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in the infantry, serving with the 28th and 9th
Infantry Regiments. In 1914 he was ordered to the
709:"Official Opening of New Primary Flying School," Air Corps News XII, no. 1, January 7, 1928, 14.
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cooperation in attaining the common goal were outstanding contributions to the joint effort."
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437:
U.S. Army ground and air generals confer with their chief. From left to right: Major
General
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718:"March Field, Riverside, Calif., March 10," Air Corps News XII, no. 5, March 31, 1928, 130.
426:, Washington. In December of that year he was assigned as acting commanding general of the
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394:. On October 1, 1940, while he was in command at Randolph Field, he was promoted to
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612:"Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917-1952, Volume 1 – A thru L"
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The issue came to a head in
February 1945 when Harmon clashed with Major General
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366:. In 1938 he returned to the United States to become assistant commandant of the
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From 1927 to 1930, he was commandant of the Air Corps Primary Flying School at
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664:“Recruiting Statistics,” Air Service News Letter II, V‒452, June 6, 1919, 11.
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473:(AAFPOA), created under the principle of unity of command in preparation for
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445:, conferring over a map while serving in the South Pacific, February 1943.
378:. After two years of service there, he was assigned for brief periods to
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268:. He was from a military family; his father Millard F. Harmon. Sr. was a
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A General Airman. Millard Harmon and the South Pacific in World War II
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481:. At the same time, he was "dual-hatted" as deputy commander of the
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Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the Marshall Islands
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and another, Kenneth B. Harmon, a colonel. He graduated from the
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United States Army Air Forces personnel killed in World War II
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carrying out those operations, under the command of General
457:, an area that was under Navy command. In November, Admiral
244:, all lieutenant generals at the time of their deaths, were
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to resolve the fighter dispute. Their aircraft reached
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On January 26, 1942, he became Chief of the Air Staff,
441:, Lieutenant General Millard Harmon, and Major General
871:
United States Army Air Forces generals of World War II
292:, and two years later detailed to the newly organized
826:
Aerial disappearances of military personnel in action
621:. pp. 778–782. USAF historical studies: no. 91.
307:, Harmon, then a first lieutenant, was on his way to
881:
United States Army Air Service pilots of World War I
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603:
477:
strategic bombing operations against Japan from the
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the highest-ranking Americans to die in World War II
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891:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1945
831:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents
746:"Harmon, Millard Fillmore Jr., Lieutenant-General"
572:List of people who disappeared mysteriously at sea
600:
807:
418:, and a week later was placed in command of the
327:. He taught military science and tactics at the
300:and did aerial patrol work along the border.
284:at West Point in 1912 and was commissioned a
213:(January 19, 1888 – February 26, 1945) was a
886:United States Army personnel of World War I
836:Army Black Knights men's ice hockey players
303:Two weeks before the United States entered
861:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre (France)
31:
801:Plane loss report at Pacific Wrecks Forum
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551:27, 1946, one year after he disappeared.
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401:In January 1941, Harmon was sent to the
311:. There he attended aviation schools in
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158:US Army Forces in the South Pacific Area
609:
866:United States Army Air Forces generals
841:Members of the Early Birds of Aviation
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766:"LIEUTENANT GENERAL MILLARD F. HARMON"
16:US Army Air Forces general (1888–1945)
846:Military personnel from San Francisco
414:. On July 11, 1942, he was appointed
628:from the original on August 31, 2021
619:Air Force Historical Research Agency
471:Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas
264:He was born on January 19, 1888, at
469:, and then moved to a new command,
294:Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
13:
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851:Missing in action of World War II
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856:People declared dead in absentia
199:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
195:Army Distinguished Service Medal
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526:, his chief of staff, departed
296:. That year he accompanied the
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350:for four years. In 1936, as a
282:United States Military Academy
160:Army Forces South Pacific Area
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219:United States Army Air Forces
112:United States Army Air Forces
597:, accessed 2 September 2011.
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163:Army Air Forces Pacific Area
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610:Fogerty, Robert P. (1953).
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511:, the new commander of the
298:Mexican Punitive Expedition
211:Millard Fillmore Harmon Jr.
25:Millard Fillmore Harmon Jr.
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764:United States Air Force.
744:Ammentorp, Steen (2007).
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368:Air Corps Tactical School
238:Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
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428:Air Force Combat Command
329:University of Washington
156:Air Force Combat Command
95:United States of America
517:C-87A Liberator Express
500:named him commander of
422:, with headquarters at
589:Hamner, Christopher. "
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408:IV Interceptor Command
266:Fort Mason, California
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560:Harmon Air Force Base
519:carrying Harmon, and
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364:5th Bombardment Group
260:At West Point in 1912
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234:Frank Maxwell Andrews
118:Years of service
750:The Generals of WWII
776:on January 12, 2008
595:Teachinghistory.org
483:Twentieth Air Force
149:5th Composite Group
513:XXI Bomber Command
475:B-29 Superfortress
467:South Pacific Area
459:William Halsey Jr.
455:South Pacific Area
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424:Fort George Wright
352:lieutenant colonel
348:20th Pursuit Group
278:lieutenant general
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215:lieutenant general
145:20th Pursuit Group
135:Lieutenant General
524:James R. Andersen
521:Brigadier General
443:Nathan F. Twining
396:brigadier general
286:second lieutenant
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78:February 26, 1945
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772:. Archived from
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544:Kwajalein Island
532:Washington, D.C.
420:Second Air Force
412:Fourth Air Force
325:Army War College
274:Hubert R. Harmon
242:Lesley J. McNair
223:Pacific campaign
183:Pacific Campaign
153:Second Air Force
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85:Marshall Islands
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451:Army Air Forces
439:Alexander Patch
344:Barksdale Field
317:Croix de Guerre
272:, one brother,
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778:. Retrieved
774:the original
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753:. Retrieved
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630:. Retrieved
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227:World War II
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177:World War II
169:Battles/wars
80:(1945-02-26)
18:
821:1945 deaths
816:1888 births
780:February 2,
755:February 2,
548:disappeared
358:to command
340:March Field
305:World War I
290:Philippines
221:during the
173:World War I
40:Nickname(s)
810:Categories
632:August 18,
578:References
487:Hap Arnold
392:California
360:Luke Field
91:Allegiance
65:California
61:Fort Mason
54:1888-01-19
536:Kwajalein
252:Biography
121:1912–1945
623:Archived
566:See also
479:Marianas
362:and the
346:and the
232:Harmon,
141:Commands
101:Service/
376:Alabama
333:Seattle
270:colonel
217:in the
555:Legacy
540:Hawaii
386:, and
356:Hawaii
309:France
191:Awards
103:branch
43:"Miff"
626:(PDF)
615:(PDF)
384:Texas
313:Paris
782:2008
757:2008
634:2022
538:and
534:via
530:for
528:Guam
276:, a
240:and
126:Rank
75:Died
48:Born
593:."
370:at
331:in
225:in
812::
768:.
748:.
617:.
602:^
489:.
430:.
410:,
398:.
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382:,
374:,
319:.
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236:,
67:,
63:,
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759:.
636:.
56:)
52:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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