Harris Hull Harris B . Hull ( May 23 , 1909 – January 29 , 1993 ) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force , and part of the original staff of the Eighth Air Force during the Second World War . Biography . Hull was born in 1909 , in Williamsburg , Iowa . He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business of Economics with a bachelor of science degree in 1930 . He received a commission as a 2d lieutenant through the Reserve Officers ' Training Corps program and , from August 1934 to January 1942 , performed Army Reserve duty in New Jersey , New York and Washington , D . C . with the United States Army Air Corps . In April 1938 , Hull was called to active duty with the 2nd Bombardment Group at Langley Field , Virginia , to help publicize the capabilities of the new B - 17 Flying Fortress . He conceived the interception of the Italian ocean liner " Rex " over 600 miles at sea as part of a training exercise , and on May 12 , 1938 , flew on the lead bomber in what turned into a hazardous but highly successful mission . Just prior to returning to active duty with the Army Air Corps Hull served in the Sperry Company as Assistant to the Vice - President . Working as a journalist , Hull was called back into service in January 1942 to accompany Brig . Gen . Ira C . Eaker to England as his A - 2 , and served in both the Eighth Air Force and the Mediterranean theater as a combat intelligence officer during World War II . Hull was promoted through the ranks to colonel , and served most of his military career in that grade . In June 1944 he was transferred to the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces in Italy . In June 1944 he was a member of the initial mission of the Fifteenth Air Force to Russia . In July 1945 , he was assigned to Headquarters U . S . Army Air Forces in Washington , D . C . , as chief of the Analyses Division . From November 1945 to November 1946 , he was a special project officer in the Intelligence Directorate ' s Executive and Field Divisions . Hull served as the executive officer for the director of information at Army Air Forces headquarters from November 1946 to June 1947 . When the Air Force became a separate service in 1947 , he served in a similar position on the Air Force Information staff . Transferring to the Office of the Air Force Inspector General , Hull served as the executive officer , from January 1948 to April 1950 . After brief service as an Air Inspector for the 3894th School Squadron , with duty at the 1009th Special Weapons Squadron in Washington , D . C . , Hull was named chief of the Current Intelligence Branch , Intelligence Directorate , at Air Force headquarters . Following graduation from the Air War College in June 1952 , he joined Headquarters Command ' s 1007th Air Intelligence Service Group as an intelligence staff officer . Hull became deputy for intelligence , Directorate of Intelligence , Headquarters Far East Air Forces , Fuchu Air Station , Japan , in June 1956 . In July 1957 , when the command became Pacific Air Forces and was relocated to Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii , Hull was assigned as assistant chief of staff for intelligence . Hull then was named deputy chief of staff for intelligence at North American Air Defense Command headquarters at Ent Air Force Base , Colorado and promoted to brigadier general May 4 , 1960 . He returned to Washington , D . C . , in August 1963 as special assistant to the assistant administrator for technical policy , utilization and plans , National Aeronautics and Space Administration and retired August 1 , 1964 . He had written numerous articles on military matters , most of them having been published in the Washington Post . His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster , Bronze Star , Air Medal , American Campaign Medal , European - African - Middle East Campaign Medal , World War II Victory Medal and National Defense Service Medal . Harris Hull died January 29 , 1993 .