▁vice - pres ident ▁of ▁Pan ▁American ▁Air ways . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Harold ▁R . ▁Harris ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁Illinois , ▁as ▁a ▁son ▁of ▁Ross ▁Allen ▁Harris ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Ma e ▁Pl umb ▁Harris . ▁He ▁showed ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁aircraft ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁ski pped ▁school ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁first ▁National ▁A viation ▁Me eting ▁during ▁ 1 0 – 2 0 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁at ▁Dom ing uez ▁Field , ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁California . ▁As ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁av iation ▁engineering ▁courses ▁yet ▁available ▁he ▁studied ▁mechanical ▁engineering ▁at ▁the ▁Th ro op ▁College ▁of ▁Technology ▁( l ater ▁Cal tech ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁gradu ating ▁with ▁a ▁B . S . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁Harold ▁R . ▁Harris ▁joined ▁a ▁Cit izen ’ s ▁Military ▁Training ▁Camp ▁at ▁Mon ter ey , ▁California , ▁which ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁with ▁an ▁av iation ▁unit . ▁En rolling ▁there ▁he ▁became ▁an ▁engineering ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Pro vis ional ▁A ero ▁Squadron . ▁When ▁the ▁U . S . ▁entered ▁the ▁war , ▁Harris ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Army ▁Sign al ▁Reserve ▁Corps ▁at ▁San ▁Diego , ▁California . ▁He ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁ground ▁school