Hunter Harris , Jr . Hunter Harris , Jr . ( November 27 , 1909 – March 5 , 1987 ) was a United States Air Force four - star general who served as Commander in Chief , Pacific Air Forces ( CINCPACAF ) from 1964 to 1967 . Biography . Harris was born in Fort Sam Houston , Texas , in 1909 , the son of Lula Allen Harris and Hunter Harris , an army officer . He attended the Virginia Military Institute , the University of Georgia , and graduated from the United States Military Academy as a second lieutenant of Infantry on June 10 , 1932 and was detailed to the Army Air Corps for pilot flight training at Randolph Field and Kelly Field , Texas . He became a rated pilot in October 1933 and was assigned to the Army Air Corps February 16 , 1934 , and was stationed at March Field , California , where he held various group and squadron positions . In March 1937 , Harris went to Nichols Field , the Philippines , for duty with the 28th Bomb Squadron , and later served at Clark Field . In March 1940 he was assigned to Bolling Field , and in December 1941 became assistant operations officer with the Air Force Combat Command Headquarters at Bolling Field . Harris was assigned to the War Department General Staff in March 1942 and in October assumed command of a B - 17 Provisional Group and later became commander of the 447th Bomb Group . In the fall of 1943 he took the 447th Group to England . General Harris assumed command of the 13th Combat Bomb Wing of the Eighth Air Force in September 1944 , and then was assigned as deputy chief of staff for operations of the Third Bomber Division of the Eighth Air Force in the European Theater in December 1944 . During this service in Europe , he flew 25 combat missions in B - 17s totaling 200 hours , followed by a few P - 51 missions . After returning to the United States in June 1945 , he was assigned as deputy chief , Military Personnel Division , in charge of officer personnel , Headquarters Army Air Force , Washington , D . C . In August 1947 , he entered the Air War College at Maxwell Field , Alabama , graduating in June 1948 . His next assignment was as Air Force deputy commander , Armed Forces Special Weapons Project , Sandia Base , New Mexico . Harris assumed command of the 509th Bomb Wing , Eighth Air Force , at Walker Air Force Base , New Mexico in January 1950 and was appointed commanding general , 47th Air Division at Walker in January 1951 . His next assignment in February 1952 was as chief of the War Plans Division , Deputy Chief of Staff / Operations , Headquarters U . S . Air Force , Washington , D . C . In November 1953 , he was designated deputy director of plans at Headquarters U . S . Air Force and the Air Force member of the Joint Strategic Plans Committee of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Harris became deputy for operations in May 1955 , at Headquarters Far East Air Forces and was later assigned to the staff of the commander in chief Pacific , as deputy chief of staff for plans and operations . In November 1958 he became deputy commander , Eighth Air Force , Strategic Air Command , Westover Air Force Base , Massachusetts , and in October 1961 he became commander . On October 1 , 1962 , General Harris became vice commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska , and August 1 , 1964 assumed his assignment as commander of the Pacific Air Forces , Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii . He retired from the Air Force on February 1 , 1967 , and died on March 5 , 1987 . Awards and decorations . Harris ' awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal ; Silver Star ; Legion of Merit ; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster ; Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters ; Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster ; Purple Heart ; and the Distinguished Unit Citation ; also the French Croix de Guerre with Palm ; British Distinguished Flying Cross ; Thai Order of the Cloud and Banner ; Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner ; and the Korean Order of Military Merit , Taeguk Cordon . He was a rated command pilot and technical observer .