The Father of Modern Military Aviation

Lieutenant General Billy Mitchell was one of the most visionary, controversial, and perhaps one of the most forward thinking military men of the modern age.  He defied conventional thinking about warfare in his era, standing by his views even though it got him court martialed.  Some consider him to be reckless, but he is the father of modern air power and air tactics.

Born William Lendrum Mitchell, Billy was born 28 Dec 1879 to the family of a wealthy Wisconsin senator. Mitchell attended the Columbian College of George Washington University, but enlisted in the Army upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American War; however, he was quickly given a commission due to his father's influence and was transferred to the Signal Corps. A fantastic junior officer, Mitchell proved himself by taking on challenging tours in Cuba, the Philippines and Alaska, and was then reassigned to the General Staff, becoming its youngest member. It was here that his interest in aviation was begun, leading to him even taking private flying lessons at age 38.

Upon America's entrance to WWI, Mitchell was one of the first soldiers to arrive in France, serving under General J.J. "Black Jack" Pershing.  He met extensively with leaders from both Britain and France regarding their air power.  Quickly picking up on their tactics and organization, Mitchell spearheaded the Signal Corps' preparations to bring over their own air forces.  In spite of America's mediocre entrance into air warfare, Mitchell's reputation was greatly increased as a bold, fearless albeit sometimes reckless leader.  Even though it took months for the first American airplanes to arrive, Mitchell was promoted from lieutenant colonel to brigadier general, and given command of all American Air units stationed in France.  This new position allow him to plan and execute the air phase the Saint Mihiel offensive, where he commanded 1500 Allied aircraft.  He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, and several foreign decorations for his role as a combat airman, but he was rather outspoken regarding the use of air power, which alienated and offended most of his superiors who still believed ground warfare was the only and best way of fighting war.

Upon his return to America in 1919, Mitchell was given the position of deputy chief of the Air Service, allowing him to remain a brigadier general, in spite of him continuing to be unpopular with his superiors and peers in both the War Department and Navy Department.  He accused them, and rightly so, of being incredibly narrow minded and shortsighted regarding the use of air power.  His intellectual duel with the Navy finally are reached its zenith with the tests of 1921 and 1923, where Mitchell and his bombers sunk several battleships, both ones considered obsolete from our fleet, and once considered top of the line from the defeated German fleet.  This convinced Mitchell and many in the Navy Department that surface fleets were outdated and needed both air power and air defense. Mitchell continued to lock horns with those in the War Department, however, with his Army superiors regarding the airpower.  Because of this, he was demoted to his permanent rank of colonel in transferred to Texas.  Even though this was not uncommon at the time, it was still viewed by many of Mitchell supporters as a sort of punishment, even exile.  In spite of this, Mitchell refuse to remain silent, and when a Navy dirigible crashed and killed all 14 members of its crew, Mitchell was furious.  He sent a scalding statement accusing Army and Navy senior leadership of extreme incompetence and "almost treasonable administration of the national defense." This was the final straw for many in the Army.  Mitchell was court martialed and charged with insubordination, and after a trial in which everyone knew the predetermined outcome, he was suspended from active duty for five years without pay.  Instead, Mitchell resigned his commission, and traveled the country for the next decade promoting the use of air power, for both military and civilian uses.

Upon the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a pro-air power Navy man, Mitchell was given hope once again.  He thought perhaps Roosevelt would even appoint Mitchell as Assistant Secretary of War for Air Power or maybe even Secretary of Defense under a new, unified organization and military forces.  Unfortunately, FDR was never given the opportunity to allow Mitchell into the bureaucratic world of politics, since Mitchell died of complications caused from influenza in 1936.  However, his legacy lived on, raising America from 14^th in world air power to the global force it is today, and he has and inspired countless young airmen, including young Army officer Henry "Hap" Arnold, who would go on to become one of World War II's most influential air power advocates, and eventually becoming the Air Force's first ever Chief of Staff and 5-star general.

 Many would consider Mitchell to be reckless, unwise and even foolhardy; but history tends to remember him kindly, as an innovator, forward thinker and inspirational leader. He was a man who wasn't afraid to stick to his guns and stand up for what he believed was right. A patriot and trailblazer, Mitchell willing to sacrifice everything, even his career, to help his country become stronger.

References

Billy Mitchell. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/cc/mitch.html

Billy Mitchell. Notable Names Database. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nndb.com/people/344/000179804/

William "Billy" Mitchell Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.who2.com/bio/william-billy-mitchell