Colonel Harry G. Canham made unfathomable sacrifices, spending over three decades away from the comfort of home on dangerous missions to protect and defend America. He knows about military preparedness, global strategy, and combined operations in the coalition war against fascism waged in air over several diverse theaters of operations. He displayed physical courage, flying top-secret weapon and combat missions, aiding in paving the way for peace. Colonel Canham served during World War II, Korea, Reserves, NATO Operations, and Vietnam as pilot, director, and commander and flew twenty-two thousand hours night missions.
During Colonel Canham’s thirty-two years of service, he earned numerous medals and decorations, but his main objective was all about victory. He didn’t court attention and never flinched from an assignment. The chronological air force tree branches he had built were records that represented the spirit and ideals of the heart of a young Illinois boy making a decision in 1942. For Colonel Canham, he made it home, but not unscratched. After he recovered from a serious Vietnam injury, it never entered his mind to quit and continued to fly eighty-six more missions. Harry’s military journey is unique of a modest pilot who wished not to tell of his accomplishments but just a pilot doing his duty.
