Arizona T. Harris
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

On 3 January 1943, Technical Sergeant Arizona T. Harris was serving as Engineer / Top Turret Gunner of a B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber in the 369th Bombardment Squadron, 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy), Eighth Air Force.

On that day, TSGT Harris’ unit was in action against German forces while participating in a bombing mission against enemy targets in the European Theater of Operations. Following a mission to St. Nazaire, France, as his B-17F Bomber named "Sons of Fury" (SN 41-24470) returned to base it was shot down by FW-190 fighters and forced to crash land in the English Channel off Brest Peninsula. Four of the "Sons of Fury" crew had parachuted from the plane and were freeing themselves from their nylon chutes in the water when TSGT Harris noticed that the FW-190 that had shot them down was strafing the water with machine-gun fire in an attempt to kill the downed airmen. TSGT Harris selflessly remained in the top turret of the bomber as it sank, continuously firing his machine guns at the German plane to give his friends a chance to survive. Reportedly, his machine guns didn't stop firing until the plane sank beneath the waves. All 10 members of the crew were killed in action. TSGT Harris’ courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Air Medal with Award Numeral 2
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Aerial Gunner Badge
Flight Engineer Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation (Synopsis)

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Arizona T. Harris (6296272), Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Top Turret Gunner of a B-17 Heavy Bomber in the 369th Bombardment Squadron, 306th Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 3 January 1943, against enemy targets in the European Theater of Operations. The personal courage and devotion to duty displayed by Technical Sergeant Harris on this occasion, at the cost of his life, have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

Headquarters: European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, General Orders No. 19 (1943)

Memorialization

The remains of Technical Sergeant Arizona T. Harris are lost at sea. He is memorialized with his names inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56290467