Matt Harrison

Matt Harrison
Fictional Character
The Hot War POD: November, 1950
Appearance(s):	Bombs Away
Type of Appearance:	Direct
Nationality:	United States
Date of Birth:	c. 1895
Occupation:	Soldier

Matt Harrison (born c. 1895) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He commanded a base near Pusan, South Korea before and after the Korean War became part of World War III.

In January, 1951, he informed the base that President Harry Truman had authorized the use of atomic bombs against China, and that all of the atomic bombs at the base now had pits in them. He gave the pilots under his command a chance to withdraw if they had qualms of conscience, and promised that their would be no black marks on their record (which was almost certainly an empty promise). He scowled when several flyers left.

A few weeks later, Harrison informed the base that Truman had transferred the final decision making to MacArthur, authorizing the general to use them if, in MacArthur's view, their use was the only way to improve the situation. The situation had certainly worsened, as the Chinese had relentlessly marched south throughout December and into January, recapturing Seoul, the South Korean capital. Harrison also informed the base that aerial reconnaissance showed that the Soviets were moving fighters and bombers onto airstrips in southeastern Siberia. One pilot, Bill Staley, asked about the possibility that the Soviets might paint their Tu-4's to look like B-29s, the model the Soviet bombers were copies of. Harrison hoped that U.S. forces would be alert, but admitted they may not always be.