Col. Samuel Russ Harris, Jr., served as commander of one of the first B-29 Heavy Bombardment Groups to reach the Marinas Islands in 1944. For his courageous service, he received 11 awards, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit award and the National Defense Service Medal. Robert A. Mann is a former member of the United States Air Force, and enjoyed a long career in the aerospace industry. The author of five books, he lives in Pahrump, Nevada.