▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁became ▁assistant ▁operations ▁officer ▁with ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Com bat ▁Command ▁Head quarters ▁at ▁Bol ling ▁Field . ▁ ▁Harris ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁General ▁Staff ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁in ▁October ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁B - 1 7 ▁Pro vis ional ▁Group ▁and ▁later ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 4 7 th ▁Bomb ▁Group . ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁he ▁took ▁the ▁ 4 4 7 th ▁Group ▁to ▁England . ▁General ▁Harris ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Com bat ▁Bomb ▁Wing ▁of ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁and ▁then ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁deput y ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁for ▁operations ▁of ▁the ▁Third ▁Bom ber ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Theater ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁During ▁this ▁service ▁in ▁Europe , ▁he ▁fle w ▁ 2 5 ▁combat ▁miss ions ▁in ▁B - 1 7 s ▁total ing ▁ 2 0 0 ▁hours , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁few ▁P - 5 1 ▁miss ions . ▁ ▁After ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁deput y ▁chief , ▁Military ▁Person nel ▁Division , ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁officer ▁personnel , ▁Head quarters ▁Army ▁Air ▁Force , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁Air