Harry B. Harris

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Harry B. Harris, 2013

Harry binkley harris jr. (Born August 4, 1956 in Yokosuka , Japan ) is a US diplomat and has been the US ambassador to South Korea since June 29, 2018 .

Between 2006 and 2007, Harris commanded the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba with its internationally controversial prison camps , which were set up after the terrorist attacks of September 11th . In 2011, Harris was the commanding officer of the 6th US Fleet stationed in the Mediterranean , responsible for the planning and execution of Operation Odyssey Dawn as part of the international military mission in Libya . Harris was also Admiral of the United States Navy (USN) and served from October 16, 2013 as Commander of the US Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT). Between May 27 2015 and the May 30, 2018 he was commander of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM), a part contending powerful cross-regional command of the United States Armed Forces .

Education and career

Harris was born in Yokosuka to a member of the US Armed Forces and a Japanese woman , but grew up mainly in Tennessee and Florida after his parents returned to the United States . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis , Maryland in 1978 and then began his service in the US Navy as a naval aviator . Harris then served as a tactical officer on the USS Saratoga and the Naval Air Station Barbers Point , Hawaii .

During his career, Harris served in numerous foreign assignments, such as in Operations Document III. (Libya, 1986) and Earnest Will ( Persian Gulf , 1987/88), also in the Second Gulf War ( Iraq , 1991) and as part of Operation Enduring Freedom .

As an aviator, Harris has so far completed around 4,400 flight hours, 400 of them in combat missions and in patrol and reconnaissance flights . His further education includes masters and courses at Harvard Kennedy School , Georgetown University of Foreign Service , University of Oxford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ; The focus of his studies was the East Asian region.

Service as flag officer

Harris (left, here as Vice Admiral) at the awarding of the Bronze Star to a US Navy soldier for his special services during his mission in Afghanistan ( Sigonella military airfield , 2010)

After being promoted to Flotilla Admiral , Harris first served as Director Information, Plans and Security Division with the Chief of Staff of Naval Operations from August 2003 .

From March 31, 2006, he commanded the Joint Task Force Guantanamo in eastern Cuba in the rank of rear admiral for about a year and was thus also responsible for the internationally controversial prison camps of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. In June 2007 he was transferred to the US Southern Command in Miami , Florida, as Director of Operations (J3) ; he subsequently served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Communication Networks (OPNAV N6) and Deputy Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer at the Pentagon between 2008 and 2009 .

In November 2009 Harris took over command of the 6th US Fleet while being promoted to Vice Admiral , and was associated with it at the same time as Deputy Commander of US Naval Forces Europe and US Naval Forces Africa. From October 2011 he served again in the Pentagon as adjutant to the chairman of the United Joint Chiefs of Staff.

On June 24, 2013, US President Barack Obama nominated Harris to succeed Cecil D. Haney , who in turn assumed command of the US Strategic Command , as commander of the US Pacific Fleet. The Senate confirmed the nomination on August 1, with Harris finally assuming command on October 16; his promotion to admiral took place on the same day as part of the transfer of command.

Awards

Selection of decorations, sorted based on the Order of Precedence of Military Awards :

Promotions

rank date
US-O1 insignia.svg Ensign 1978
US-O2 insignia.svg Lieutenant Junior Grade n / A
US-O3 insignia.svg Lieutenant n / A
US-O4 insignia.svg Lieutenant Commander n / A
US-O5 insignia.svg Commander n / A
US-O6 insignia.svg Captain n / A
US-O7 insignia.svg Rear Admiral (lower half) 2004
US-O8 insignia.svg Rear Admiral (upper half) 2006
US-O9 insignia.svg Vice Admiral  2009
US-O10 insignia.svg admiral 2013

See also

Web links

Commons : Harry B. Harris  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Official biography of Harris in the US Navy (last accessed November 16, 2013).
  2. ↑ Press release of the Ministry of Defense of June 24, 2013 (last accessed on November 16, 2013).
  3. ↑ Press release of the Senate of August 1, 2013 (last accessed on November 16, 2013).
  4. ^ US Pacific Fleet Public Affairs: Pacific Fleet Continues Rebalance as Harris Takes Command. Report on the transfer of command of October 16, 2013 in the US Navy (last accessed on November 16, 2013).
personal data
SURNAME Harris, Harry B.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Harris, Harry Binkley junior (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American admiral
DATE OF BIRTH 4th August 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH Yokosuka , Japan