▁commander , ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force , ▁Str ateg ic ▁Air ▁Command , ▁West over ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Massachusetts , ▁and ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁he ▁became ▁commander . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁General ▁Harris ▁became ▁vice ▁commander ▁in ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁Str ateg ic ▁Air ▁Command ▁at ▁Off utt ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Neb r aska , ▁and ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁assumed ▁his ▁assignment ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Air ▁Forces , ▁H ick am ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁Hawai i . ▁He ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁and ▁died ▁on ▁March ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁decor ations ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁r ated ▁command ▁pilot ▁and ▁technical ▁observer . ▁Harris ' ▁awards ▁include : ▁ ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Service ▁Medal ; ▁ ▁Silver ▁Star ; ▁ ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ; ▁ ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross with ▁o ak ▁leaf ▁cluster ; ▁ ▁Air ▁Medal ▁with ▁four ▁o ak ▁leaf ▁clusters ; ▁ ▁Comm end ation ▁Medal ▁with ▁o ak ▁leaf ▁cluster ; ▁ ▁Pur ple ▁Heart ; ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Unit ▁C itation ; ▁French ▁Cro ix ▁de ▁Guerre ▁with ▁Pal m ; ▁ ▁British ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross ; ▁ ▁Th ai ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁Ele ph ant ▁ 2 nd ▁class ▁Chinese ▁Order