Joseph Harper: Difference between revisions

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Character infobox

|variant=Human

|name=Joseph Harper

|death=

|causeofdeath=

|species=[[Human]]

|mass=

|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]<ref name="h2">'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level, ''[[Cairo Station]]''</ref>

|rank=[[Fleet admiral]]{{Ref/Reuse|h2}}

|sn=07959-90021-JH<ref name="h2a">'''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''', campaign level, ''[[Cairo Station]]''</ref>

[[Fleet Admiral]] '''Joseph Harper'''<ref name="lootcrate2">'''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]''', ''[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]''</ref> ([[service number]] '''07959-90021-JH'''){{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} is a [[human]] flag officer of the [[UNSC Navy]]. Towards the end of the [[Human-Covenant War]], Harper commanded the [[Fifth Fleet]], as well as the {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} {{UNSCShip|Canberra}}, his [[flagship]]. Along with Fleet Admiral [[Terrence Hood]], Harper led UNSC forces during the [[Battle for Earth]] in late [[2552]].{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}

===Preparing the defense of Sol===

In the final years of the [[Human-Covenant War]], [[Fleet Admiral]] Joseph Harper served as the commander-in-chief of the [[Fifth Fleet]], taking command of the expeditionary [[fleet]] on [[2548|January 20, 2548]].{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}} His [[flagship]] was the {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} {{UNSCShip|Canberra}}.{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} In [[2552#May|May 2552]], Harper organized the defenses of [[Earth]] in preparation for a possible [[Covenant]] attack. Harper had all [[warship]]s with functional [[MAC]]s self-deployed or towed to rally points, and personally assessed the security team deployed by the {{UNSCShip|Chevalier}} to [[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]] in preparation of the arrival of Fleet Admiral [[Terrence Hood]], [[Chief of Naval Operations]]. Following the [[Fall of Reach|Fall]] of [[Reach]], all remaining forces of the [[UNSC Navy]] were consolidated into a single command grouping under the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] on [[2552#September|September 5, 2552]]. Harper was appointed senior flag officer and given primary administrative and tasking authority over all aerospace assets within the [[Sol system]], as per emergency security directives authorized by [[UNSC High Command]] and approved by the [[UEG Security Council]]. On [[2552#October|October 9, 2552]], the [[UEG Strategic Forecasting and Scenario Planning Group]], as well as the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] and the [[UNSC Special Topics Committee]], concluded that [[human]]ity was almost certainly doomed following the losses sustained during the [[Covenant]]'s invasion of [[Epsilon Eridani]]. However, Harper did not agree with this assessment.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}

On [[2552#October|October 10, 2552]], [[Battle Group Rhino]] of the [[Third Fleet]] approached twelve unidentified vessels with outdated [[civilian]] [[Identification friend or foe|IFF]] codes near [[Enceladus]]. Upon approach, eleven of the vessels promptly fled the system, leading to Battle Group Rhino attacking the remaining vessel. The [[carrier]] {{UNSCShip|Totem Lake}} was lost with all hands, and Battle Group Rhino disengaged and returned to the UNSC defense line. [[Vice Admiral]] [[Williams]] of the Third Fleet requested permission to reengage the remaining hostile vessel, but was denied by Harper. On [[2552#October|October 13, 2552]], anomalies were detected near [[Argyre Planitia]] on [[Mars]]. A team deployed by [[Naval Special Warfare Command]] discovered [[Active camouflage|cloaked]] remote sensor platforms of undetermined origin. After consultation with [[Admiral]] [[Margaret Parangosky]], [[Commander-in-Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence|Commander-in-Chief]] of ONI, Harper issued a priority-1 stand-down.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}

{{Quote|First echelon, you're with me—blanket those cruisers, take 'em out one by one. Second echelon, keep those carriers busy.|Fleet Admiral Joseph Harper, leading the Fifth Fleet{{Ref/Reuse|h2}}}}

[[File:UNSC Canberra.png|thumb|250px|left|Fleet Admiral Harper contacting Fleet Admiral Hood as the Battle for Earth begins]]

On [[2552#October|October 20, 2552]], the [[Battle for Earth]] began when the Covenant's [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration]] arrived in the Sol system, unaware of the system's human presence.{{Ref/Reuse|h2}} Harper and Hood coordinated the orbital defense of Earth,{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}} with Harper leading the Fifth Fleet to engage the Covenant fleet while Hood commanded Earth's [[orbital defense platform]]s. Harper desired to engage the Covenant fleet on their way to Earth, though Hood had him form a defensive perimeter around Cairo Station's battle cluster. Harper led the first echelon of his fleet against the thirteen {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s of the Covenant fleet, while the rest of his fleet engaged the two {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s. Despite substantial losses, the Fleet of Sacred Consecration eventually managed to break through Earth's defenses and launch a ground assault upon the planet.{{Ref/Reuse|h2}}

On [[2553#February|February 1, 2553]], Harper no longer commanded the Fifth Fleet, though continued to serve in the UNSC Navy by at least [[2554|April 6, 2554]], compiling reports on the actions he took to prepare Earth's defenses for a Covenant attack.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}

When the city of [[Aranuka]] underwent reconstruction as part of the [[UEG]]'s [[Project Rebirth|Rebirth initiative]], an educational facility was constructed and named in Joseph Harper's honor. A notable student who attended [[Admiral Harper High School]] was [[Molly Patel]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]''', Chapter 2, ''page 19''</ref>

*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}

*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''

*''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]'' {{Mo}}

[[Category:Human characters|Harper, Joseph]]

[[Category:UNSC Navy officers|Harper, Joseph]]