6 N O R T H E R N T O D A Y News NORTHERN January 17, 1945. Lt. Cecil E. Harris receiving the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Gold Star in lieu of second DFC from Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher. WHAT IS A HERO? What does it take to become a hero? What does it mean to say that someone is truly a hero? Heroism takes many forms and most heroes are unlikely people who have no idea they are one until the moment or situation finds them. Cecil E. Harris is a hero. Born in 1916 in north central South Dakota, Harris grew up on in farm in Cresbard. After graduating from Cresbard High School he enrolled at Northern State Teachers College (NSTC). It was not long after that Harris felt a calling and joined the U.S. Navy one year prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Cecil “Speedball” Harris trained as an aviation cadet, and was commissioned and designated as a Naval Aviator in 1942. While thousands of Navy pilots fought in WWII, Cecil E. Harris ranked as the second highest scoring ace, and the most highly decorated U.S. Naval Reserve pilot. Credited with shooting down 24 enemy planes in the South Pacific in less than six weeks, Harris’ success as a flying ace is forever embedded in history. For his heroism, Cecil Harris was awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, and second gold star, Distinguished Flying Cross with second and third gold stars, and the Air Medal with two gold stars. An excerpt from “Greatest Fighter Missions of the top Navy & Marine aces of World War II,” by Edward H. Sims and Arleigh Burke describes Harris’ skill and heroism. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Fighter Pilot in Fighting Squadron 18...on Northern Formosa, October 12, 1944…he braved intense enemy aircraft fire.. to execute an attack upon an important airfield installation and, during the same flight, valiantly engaged in an aerial dogfight with numerically superior aircraft…succeeded in shooting down four of the hostile craft and on two instances saved two of his teammates during the action. After the end of WWII Harris returned to South Dakota and to NSTC and completed his degree. Following his graduation in 1946, Cecil returned to Cresbard to teach and eventually became the principal of the local high school. The Korean Police action in 1951 necessitated his recall to active duty where Harris remained until 1967. He retired as a Captain with the U.S. Navy. Harris was honored at a ceremony recognizing his induction into the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame’s South Dakota Combat Aircrew Memorial in 2009, and the state Transportation Commission named an 80-mile stretch “It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle. ” Norman Schwarzkopf of S.D. Highway 20 between U.S. Highways 83 and 281 the Cecil E. Harris Highway. He was also the recipient of the Northern State University Foundation’s Distinguished Alumni award in 2000. Cecil E. Harris, hero, died in 1981 in Washington, D.C. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. BORN IN 1916 IN NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA, Harris grew up on in farm in Cresbard. After graduating from Cresbard High School he enrolled at Northern State Teachers College (NSTC).
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