Harris Raymond Bernstein, B-24 Pilot, 765 Bomb Squadron, 461s Bomb Group, Army Air Corps

Born June 10, 1924, Harris Raymond Bernstein enlisted at age 18 as an Aviation Cadet, and received pilot and co-pilot flight training at Maxwell Field (Alabama) in February1943, followed by advanced training for B-17s and B24s at Columbus Field (Mississippi). By the time he achieved his last rank of Second Lieutenant, he had piloted multiple missions in the Mediterranean theater, including forays over the Po Valley, the Northern Apennines, Vienna, Linz, Bolzano and the Balkans and other tactical and strategic air missions over enemy-occupied Europe. Primary objectives of his group included destruction of oil refineries, railroads and ammunition depots. On at least one occasion, his plane crashed during a mission, but he made his way back to allied lines. For his efforts, he was awarded the European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon, the European Theatre of Operations ribbon with four battle stars, and the Air Medal. He received his honorable discharge from the military on October 16, 1945 and returned to his prior career as a retail buyer.

Although he was proud to have served his country during the Second World War and treasured his experience in piloting bombers, he never piloted an airplane again. He returned to the quiet of civilian life to work as a retail buyer, then as an insurance agent, and raised three children. Always fascinated by air and space exploration, he died in Poughkeepsie, NY in August, 1988, at the home of his sister Rita and his brother-in-law and fellow ex-airman Julian Chugerman.