Henry William Harms was born in Wentworth, South Dakota, on November 25, 1887. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, with the Class of 1912, receiving a commission of second lieutenant in the Cavalry on June 12, 1912.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1915, Obtained F.A.I. airplane pilot certificate No. 326 and the rating of Junior Military Aviator upon graduating from the Signal Corps Aviation School
2. 1915-1916, One of two Air Service officers to attend the Air Engineering Course, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the other being Lt. Byron Q. Jones
3. March-June 1916, Government Inspector, Curtiss Airplane Company, Buffalo, New York
4. July 1916-September 1917, Duty in the Aviation Section, Office of the Chief of the Signal Corps
5. October 1917-February 1918, Duty in the Engineering Office, Air Service HQ, AEF, Paris, France
6. March 1918-January 1919, Same, London, England
7. February 1919, Duty in Office of the Director of the Air Service
8. March 1919-February 1920, Chief of the Airplane Division, McCook Field, Ohio
9. April 1920-September 1923, Engineering representative, Office of the Chief of the Air Service
10. 1923-1924, Student at the Air Service Tactical School, Langley Field, Virginia
11. July 1924-June 1925, Instructor at the Air Service Tactical School, Langley Field
12. July-August 1925, Executive Officer, Langley Field
13. July 1926-December 1929, Chief of the Material Division, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps
14. 1927, Student at the Army Industrial College
15. March 1930-May 1931, Commanding Officer of the Philippine Air Force, and Air Officer, Philippine Department, Manila, Philippines
16. May 1931-September 1932, Air Officer, Philippine Department, Manila, Philippines
17. December 1932-July 1934, Assistant Commandant and Executive Officer of the Air Corps Primary Flying School, Randolph Field, Texas
18. August 1934-July 1937, Commandant of the Air Corps Primary Flying School and Commanding Officer of Randolph Field, Texas
19. September 1937-June 1938, Student at the Army War College, Washington Barracks, D.C.
20. July 1938-May 1939, Chief of the Procurement Section, Supply Division, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C.
21. June 1939-June 1940, Air Officer, Ninth Corps Area, Presidio, San Francisco, California
22. May 1939-June 1940, Additional duty as Director of Aircraft Production, San Francisco, California
23. June 1940-June 1941, Director of Aircraft Production, San Francisco, California
24. July 1940-June 1941, Commanding General of the West Coast Air Corps Training Center, Moffett Field, California
25. August 1941-September 1941, Commanding General of the Newfoundland Base Command, Fort Pepperell, Newfoundland (terminated rank of Brigadier General on September 30, 1941, reverting to the rank of Colonel)
26. October 1941-December 1941, Commanding Officer of Pendleton Army Air Base, Oregon
27. December 1941-June 1942, Commanding Officer of the II Air Force Base Command, Fort George Wright, Washington
28. June 1942-January 1944, Commanding Officer of the 18th Replacement Wing, Salt Lake City, Utah
29. March 1944-April 1944, Again, Commanding Officer of the 18th Replacement Wing, Salt Lake City, Utah
30. April 1944-December 1944, Commanding Officer of the 21st Bombardment Wing, Topeka Army Air Field, Kansas
Colonel Harms died of a gunshot wound in the head in Riverside, California, on June 4, 1945.
He was rated as a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Technical Observer.
PROMOTIONS
Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, March 2, 1908; Second Lieutenant, Cavalry, June 12, 1912;
First Lieutenant, Aviation Section Signal Corps, July 13, 1915; First Lieutenant, July 1, 1916;
Captain, May 15, 1917; Lieutenant Colonel, Signal Corps (temporary), October 23, 1917 to February 28, 1929; transferred to the Air Service, July 1, 1920; Major, July 1, 1920; Colonel (temporary), March 2, 1935 to June 16, 1936; Lieutenant Colonel, August 1, 1935; Colonel (temporary), August 26, 1936; Brigadier General, A.U.S., October 1, 1940; Colonel, A.U.S., February 14, 1941; terminated Brigadier General, A.U.S., September 30, 1941; Colonel, May 1, 1942.
DECORATIONS
World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal.