▁class ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California ▁Ber keley , ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁After ▁gradu ation ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Europe ▁for ▁flight ▁training ▁where ▁he ▁helped ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁A viation ▁Inst ruction ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Al lied ▁Ex ped ition air y ▁Force ▁in ▁F og gia , ▁Italy . ▁After ▁ 1 8 1 ▁minutes ▁of ▁dual ▁instruction ▁time , ▁he ▁solo ed , ▁and ▁shortly ▁after ward ▁was ▁named ▁Chief ▁Inst ruct or ▁for ▁both ▁day ▁and ▁night ▁training . ▁He ▁served ▁at ▁F og gia ▁from ▁March ▁to ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁While ▁there ▁Harris ▁fle w ▁Far man ▁and ▁Cap ron i ▁bom bers . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁Harris ▁along ▁with ▁co - p il ot ▁George ▁Lewis , ▁led ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁flight ▁by ▁American ▁pil ots ▁over ▁the ▁Al ps , ▁crossing ▁from ▁Italy ▁to ▁France ▁in ▁four ▁Cap ron i ▁bom bers . ▁While ▁based ▁in ▁Italy ▁Harris ▁also ▁helped ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁establish ▁an ▁aer ial ▁fer ry ▁route ▁from ▁Milan ▁to ▁Paris . ▁ ▁Test ▁pilot ▁Following ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁Harris ▁was ▁re called ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁assigned ▁as ▁a ▁test ▁pilot ▁at ▁Wil bur ▁Wright ▁Field ▁in ▁Day ton , ▁Ohio . ▁He ▁remained ▁at ▁Wil bur ▁Wright ▁F iled ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 0