DOCSLIB.ORG

William Billy Mitchell (1879-1936) by Macalino Minjoot

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
William Billy Mitchell (1879-1936) by Macalino Minjoot Personality Profile 75 Brigadier General William Billy Mitchell (1879-1936) by Macalino Minjoot person in Wisconsin at his time “With us air people, the future of our nation is indissolubly and established what became bound up in the development of the Milwaukee Road railroad and air power.” the Marine Bank of Wisconsin. - Brigadier General William Mitchell Park and the shopping Billy Mitchell1 precinct of Mitchell Street were named in honor of Alexander. INTRODUCTION Mitchell and his siblings Brigadier General William Billy learned German, Italian and Mitchell was a man who saw the Spanish. He also spoke French as future of air power. A determined fluently as English. and intelligent soldier, he pushed Mitchell's father was elected authorities to the limits in order to Congress in 1891 and to to prove his point. His ‘radical’ the Senate in 1893. Important ideas included using fighter guests were often invited to the planes, instead of battle ships, Mitchell home and, the children and soldiers transported by air were encouraged to interact and not just through land. and converse with their parents' guests. Mitchell was allowed at EARLY LIFE the dinner table with important guests, and always found a way to William Billy Mitchell was participate in the conversations.3 born on 29th December 1879, in Nice, France to John Lendrum Mitchell graduated from Mitchell, a wealthy Wisconsin Columbian College of George senator and Harriet Michelle.2 Washington University in 1898. Mitchell was the eldest of his nine other siblings and came CAREER AND INTEREST IN from a distinguished family. His AVIATION grandfather Alexander Mitchell, In May 1898, Mitchell enlisted a Scotsman, was the wealthiest at age of 18 in the Army as a POINTER, JOUrnAL OF THE SinGApore ARMED ForCES VOL.42 NO.3 Personality Profile 76 private in Company M of the 1st In 1916, Mitchell was made On Sunday, 14th April, 1918, a Wisconsin Infantry Regiment Deputy Commander of the year after the US entered the war, when the Spanish-American War Aviation Section, Signal Corps. Mitchell declared that America broke out. He was commissioned The US Army felt that Mitchell, had finally put its first squadron and served in the Army Signal at the age of 38, was too old for into combat. His flair for combat leadership was subsequently Corps in Cuba, the Philippines and flying lessons. Hence, he was proven at the Battle of Saint- Alaska before becoming interested forced to seek private instruction 4 Mihiel when he co-ordinated a in aviation. at the Curtiss Aviation School in force of 1,481 British, French Newport News where he managed and Italian planes, to support Mitchell was sent to Alaska 8 to pick up this skill quickly. American ground forces. During in 1901 where he successfully his time in France, Mitchell proved built telegraph lines in remote WORLD WAR I a highly effective commander, areas. During this posting, he On 6th April, 1917, the US but his aggressive approach and began studying Otto Lilienthal's unwillingness to operate in the declared war on Germany and glider experiments. This reading, chain of command made him Mitchell, by then a Lieutenant combined with further research, numerous enemies. Colonel, headed towards France as led him to conclude in 1906 that an observer. He immediately went future conflicts would be fought For his performance in World to Paris and set up an office. In War One (WWI), Mitchell received in the air.5 Paris, he learned how to develop several awards which includes; the aerial combat strategies and Distinguished Service Cross, the In March 1912, Mitchell was planned large-scale air operations Distinguished Service Medal, the assigned to the Army General World War I Victory Medal with when working closely with the Staff in Washington in 1912 as eight campaign clasps and several Royal Flying Corps' General Sir a captain. At the age of 32, he foreign decorations. Hugh Trenchard. was the youngest out of the 21 officers selected to serve the POST WORLD WAR I In two weeks, he became General Staff. Mitchell returned to the US as the first American officer to a hero in 1919 and was appointed fly over the lines when he rode In 1913, Mitchell was sent to Assistant Chief of the US Army with a French pilot. Mitchell the Army Staff College and became Air Service. He was appalled at quickly earned a reputation as the only Signal Corps Officer on the how quickly the organisation he Army General Staff.6 As aviation a daring and tireless leader. had helped to build in war had was assigned to the Signal Corps, He was promoted to Brigadier disintegrated in peacetime. Mitchell was well placed to General and given command of further develop his interest.7 He all American air units in General AIR ADVOCATE John J. Pershing's American was chosen as temporary head of Mitchell was supposed to Expeditionary Force. Slowly, more the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal have the post-war assignment of Corps, predecessor of the modern American pilots arrived and they Director of Air Service after the United States (US) Air Force. piloted French planes. leadership he portrayed in WWI. POINTER, JOUrnAL OF THE SinGApore ARMED ForCES VOL.42 NO.3 Personality Profile 77 However, Major General Charles Army generals—a special corps German battleships, he would be T. Menoher, an artilleryman of mechanics, troop-carrying able to prove his assertions. who had commanded the 42nd aircraft, a civilian pilot pool ‘Rainbow’ Division in France, for wartime availability, long- Among those he alienated was was appointed Director instead, range bombers capable of flying Assistant Secretary of the Navy, on the recommendation of his the Atlantic and armor-piercing Franklin D. Roosevelt. Failing classmate General Pershing, to bombs. Convinced that bombers to achieve his goals, Mitchell maintain operational control of could sink battleships, he argued became increasingly outspoken aviation by the ground forces.10 that aviation should be the US's and attacked his superiors in the This appointment surprised many first line of defence. He encouraged US Army, as well as the leadership who felt that Mitchell was more the development of bombsight, of the US Navy and White House suited for that position. ski-equipped aircraft, engine for failing to understand the superchargers, aerial torpedoes importance of military aviation. Mitchell was able to retain and the concept of Airborne, his wartime rank of Brigadier an idea that allowed troops to PROJECT B General. A relentless advocate parachute from airplanes to land In February 1921, Mitchell for aviation, he encouraged US in the amidst of a battlefield. He was anxious to test his theories Army Air Force pilots to challenge ordered the establishment of aerial of destruction of ships by aerial records, as well as promoted forest-fire and border patrols and bombing. Reluctantly, both races, and ordered aircraft to aid followed that with a mass flight to Secretary of War, Newton Baker and in fighting forest fires. Convinced Alaska, a transcontinental air race Secretary of the Navy, Josephus that air power would become the and a flight around the perimeter Daniels agreed to a series of joint driving force of war in the future, of the US. He also encouraged Army Army-Navy exercises to be held he pressed for the creation of an pilots to set speed, endurance and that summer in which captured independent Air Force. altitude records at all cost in order ships could be used as targets. to keep aviation in the news. However, Mitchell the war hero Mitchell believed that he could soon became known as Mitchell With each success, Mitchell succeed in ‘wartime conditions’, the Agitator. Mitchell's vocal became more determined that the and that a thousand bombers support of air power brought him nation’s money should be spent could be built for the price of one into conflict with the US Navy on aircraft and not on expensive battleship, making aviation a more 11 as he felt that the importance of battleships. He stepped on the economical defence force. egos of Army generals and Navy an Air Force would make Navies’ admirals with his fiery way of battleships increasingly obsolete. Dubbed Project B, the exercises words and boasted that Army He tried to prove that airplanes were moved forward to June and planes could sink any battleship could actually accomplish the July 1921 under a set of rules of afloat under any conditions of war. things he had said. He then engagement that greatly favored Dynamic and impulsive, Mitchell the survivability of the ships. proposed a number of daring sought out the American press innovations for the Air Service and announced that if he were In the early tests, Mitchell's that stunned the non-flying given permission to bomb captured aircraft sank a captured German POINTER, JOUrnAL OF THE SinGApore ARMED ForCES VOL.42 NO.3 Personality Profile 78 destroyer and light cruiser. From March, his term of Assistant Chief LATER LIFE 20th – 21st July, they attacked the ended and he was exiled to San Mitchell wrote more than 60 German battleship Ostfriesland.12 Antonio, Texas with the rank of articles, several newspaper series However, Mitchell violated the Colonel, to oversee air operations. and five books, never deviating rules of engagement by sinking from his appeal for public the battleship. In addition, the COURT MARTIAL circumstances of the exercises were understanding of the promise and Later that year, following the not under ‘wartime conditions’ the potential of air power. He loss of the US Navy airship USS as all of the target vessels made his last public appearance Shenandoah, Mitchell issued a were stationary and effectively on 11th February, 1935, when he statement accusing the military's defenseless at that point of time.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • B-25 Mitchell
    Airpower Classics Artwork by Zaur Eylanbekov B-25 Mitchell On April 18, 1942, Army Air Forces Lt. Col. James “Pappy” Gunn’s fabled 75 mm cannon. The Mitchell H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, leading a force of 16 B-25B was never the fastest, most maneuverable, or medium bombers and crews, took off from the best-looking medium bomber. However, it grew to aircraft carrier USS Hornet and bombed Tokyo be the most heavily armed and was more versatile and other targets. It was the first time US aircraft than any—even the German Junkers Ju 88. had struck at Japan, and the raid immortalized both Doolittle and the B-25 Mitchell. The North Noted for its excellent handling characteristics, the American Aviation bomber went on to become a B-25 performed remarkably well in many roles, workhorse in every theater of World War II. including medium- and low-altitude bomber, close air support, photo reconnaissance, anti- North American proposed the new Model NA-62, submarine warfare, patrol, and—when occasion derived from a series of earlier prototypes, in a demanded—tactical fighter. Later it was used as 1939 competition. The Army bought it right off a pilot and navigator trainer, and became much the drawing board, ordering 184 of the airplanes. beloved in that role. In peacetime, it served as an The clean, lean lines of the B-25 delivered good executive transport, firefighter, camera airplane, performance and facilitated both mass produc- test vehicle, and crop duster. The last B-25 train- tion and maintenance. Built in 10 major models, ers remained in service at Reese AFB, Tex., until with numerous variants, the B-25 was particularly finally retiring in January 1959—nearly 17 years adaptable to field modifications.
    [Show full text]
  • Cincinnati's Doolittle Raider at War
    Queen City Heritage Thomas C. Griffin, a resident of Cincinnati for over forty years, participated in the first bombing raid on Japan in World War II, the now leg- endary Doolittle raid. (CHS Photograph Collection) Winter 1992 Navigating from Shangri-La Navigating from Shangri- La: Cincinnati's Doolittle Raider at War Kevin C. McHugh served as Cincinnati's oral historian for "one of America's biggest gambles"5 of World War II, the now legendary Doolittle Raid on Japan. A soft-spoken man, Mr. Griffin Over a half century ago on April 18, 1942, characteristically downplays his part in the first bombing the Cincinnati Enquirer reported: "Washington, April 18 raid on Japan: "[It] just caught the fancy of the American — (AP) — The War and Navy Departments had no confir- people. A lot of people had a lot worse assignments."6 mation immediately on the Japanese announcement of the Nevertheless, he has shared his wartime experiences with bombing of Tokyo."1 Questions had been raised when Cincinnati and the country, both in speaking engagements Tokyo radio, monitored by UPI in San Francisco, had sud- and in print. In 1962 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary denly gone off the air and then had interrupted program- of the historic mission, the Cincinnati Enquirer highlight- ming for a news "flash": ed Mr. Griffin's recollections in an article that began, Enemy bombers appeared over Tokyo for the "Bomber Strike from Carrier Recalled."7 For the fiftieth first time since the outbreak of the current war of Greater anniversary in 1992, the Cincinnati Post shared his adven- East Asia.
    [Show full text]
  • Descriptive Pamphlet
    NATIONAL ARCHIVES MICROFILM PUBLICATIONS PAMPHLET DESCRIBING M990 NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON: 1975 GERALD R. FORD President of the United States ARTHUR F. SAMPSON Administrator of General Services JAMES B. RHOADS Archivist of the United States The records reproduced in the microfilm publication are from Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I), 1917-23 Record Group 120 GORRELL'S HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES AIR SERVICE, 1917-1919 On the 58 rolls of this microfilm publication are reproduced 282 bound volumes of historical narratives, reports, photographs, and other records that document administrative, technical, and tactical activities of the Air Service in the American Expedi- tionary Forces. These records—originals, carbon copies, and transcribed copies—are part of Records of the American Expedi- tionary Forces (World War I), 1917-23, Record Group 120. The American Expeditionary Forces Air Service When Maj. Gen. John J. Pershing departed for France in May 1917 to command the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), his staff included an aviation officer because, by that period of World War I, aviation had proved its utility as a means of war. Despite several reorganizations, changes in personnel, and redistributions of authority, the AEF maintained an air service until its demobi- lization and return to the United States during the summer of 1919. The AEF Air Service was ultimately responsible to the commander in chief of the expeditionary forces for the organization, train- ing, supply, and employment of AEF aviation units that included observation balloons as well as airplanes. The evolution of the AEF Air Service organization can be traced in AEF General Orders, No.
    [Show full text]
  • Beneficial Bombing
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln University of Nebraska Press -- Sample Books and Chapters University of Nebraska Press Fall 2010 Beneficial Bombing Mark Clodfelter Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/unpresssamples Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Clodfelter, Mark, "Beneficial Bombing" (2010). University of Nebraska Press -- Sample Books and Chapters. 37. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/unpresssamples/37 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Nebraska Press at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Nebraska Press -- Sample Books and Chapters by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. runninghead 1 2 3 4 ( ##& 5 6 7 8 )'#(! 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 i Buy the Book Benecial Bombing—Clodfelter Roger Buchholz, designer Studies in War, Society, and the Military general editors Peter Maslowski University of Nebraska–Lincoln David Graff Kansas State University Reina Pennington Norwich University editorial board D’Ann Campbell Director of Government and Foundation Relations, U.S. Coast Guard Foundation Mark A. Clodfelter National War College Brooks D. Simpson Arizona State University Roger J. Spiller George C. Marshall Professor of Military History U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (retired) Timothy H. E. Travers University of Calgary Arthur Waldron Lauder Professor of International Relations University of Pennsylvania Buy the Book FM3-Title page Recto Use page pdf as supplied.
    [Show full text]
  • Jimmy Doolittle E Commander Behind the Legend
    THE 17 DREW PER PA S Jimmy Doolittle e Commander behind the Legend Benjamin W. Bishop Lieutenant Colonel, USAF Air University Steven L. Kwast, Lieutenant General, Commander and President School of Advanced Air and Space Studies Thomas D. McCarthy, Colonel, Commandant and Dean AIR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ADVANCED AIR AND SPACE STUDIES Jimmy Doolittle The Commander behind the Legend Benjamin W. Bishop Lieutenant Colonel, USAF Drew Paper No. 17 Air University Press Air Force Research Institute Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama Project Editor Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jerry Gantt Bishop, Benjamin W., 1975– Copy Editor Jimmy Doolittle, the commander behind the legend / Tammi K. Dacus Benjamin W. Bishop, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF. pages cm. — (Drew paper, ISSN 1941-3785 ; no. 17) Cover Art, Book Design, and Illustrations Includes bibliographical references. Daniel Armstrong ISBN 978-1-58566-245-6 Composition and Prepress Production 1. Doolittle, James Harold, 1896-1993—Military leadership. Michele D. Harrell 2. Generals—United States—Biography. 3. Command of Print Preparation and Distribution troops—Case studies. 4. United States. Army Air Forces. Air Diane Clark Force, 8th. 5. World War, 1939-1945—Aerial operations, Amer- ican. I. Title. UG626.2.D66B57 2014 940.54’4973092—dc23 2014035210 AIR FORCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AIR UNIVERSITY PRESS Published by Air University Press in February 2015 ISBN: 978-1-58566-245-6 Director and Publisher ISSN: 1941-3785 Allen G. Peck Editor in Chief Oreste M. Johnson Managing Editor Demorah Hayes
    [Show full text]
  • By John T. Correll
    The Billy Mitchell Court-Martial By John T. Correll 62 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2012 In the Army’s view, the issue was The Billy Mitchell insubordination, not the val idity of Court-Martial Mitchell’s claims. y 1925, Billy Mitchell had grade of colonel. It was an important alienated almost everybody job in a significant command, but in the War Department and Mitchell felt he had been demoted and Navy Department, to say sent to the boondocks. The airmen in nothing of President Calvin Texas still called him “General.” BCoolidge. Strident in his advocacy of Two Navy aircraft mishaps soon airpower, Mitchell did not hesitate to caused Mitchell’s temper to boil over lash out when he disagreed with his in even more spectacular fashion than superiors, which was often. “The Gen- usual. The worst of the accidents was eral Staff knows as much about the air the breakup of the Navy dirigible as a hog does about skating,” he said. Shenandoah over Ava, Ohio, Sept. William Mitchell (no middle name) 3. The airship was on a publicity came to fame as the combat leader junket, due to pass over 27 cities at of American air forces in France in times announced in advance to please World War I. He was promoted to the politicians and their constituents. Over temporary grade of brigadier general Ohio, Shenandoah ran into a line squall and kept his star after the war because of intense thunderstorms but did not of his assignment as assistant chief of divert around it, remaining on course the Army Air Service.
    [Show full text]
  • The Birth of American Airpower in World War I Commemorating the 100Th Anniversary of the US Entry Into the “Great War” Dr
    The Birth of American Airpower in World War I Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the US Entry into the “Great War” Dr. Bert Frandsen* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed or implied in the Journal are those of the authors and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of the Department of Defense, Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Air University, or other agencies or departments of the US government. This article may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. If it is reproduced, the Air and Space Power Journal requests a courtesy line. lthough the Wright Brothers invented the airplane, the birth of American air- power did not take place until the United States entered the First World War. When Congress declared war on 6 April 1917, the American air arm was Anothing more than a small branch of the Signal Corps, and it was far behind the air forces of the warring European nations. The “Great War,” then in its third year, had *Portions of this article have been previously published by the author who has written extensively on American airpower in World War I. The article, in whole, has not been previously published. 60 | Air & Space Power Journal The Birth of American Airpower in World War I nothing more than a small branch of the Signal Corps, and it was far behind the air forces of the warring European nations. The “Great War,” then in its third year, had witnessed the development of large air services with specialized aircraft for the missions of observation, bombardment, and pursuit.
    [Show full text]
  • Brigadier General Billy Mitchell's Stamp
    CHAPTER 3 Artist’s rendering of P-51B Mustangs in aerial combat Tomas Picka/Shutterstock The Evolution of the Early Air Force Chapter Outline LESSON 1 The Army Air Corps LESSON 2 Airpower in World War II LESSON 3 Signifi cant Aircraft of World War II Allied Air power was decisive in the war in Western Europe…. ‘‘In the air, its victory was complete. At sea, its contribution, combined with naval power, brought an end to the enemy’s greatest naval threat—the U-boat; on land, it helped turn the tide overwhelmingly in favor of Allied ground forces. The United States Strategic Bombing Survey, 1945’’ LESSON 1 The Army Air Corps FTER WORLD WAR I Brigadier General William Quick Write “Billy” Mitchell wanted to fi nd a way to get A military leaders and the US Congress to pay attention to his calls for an independent air service. He’d seen how airpower helped turn the war in the The Army, Navy, and Allies’ favor. This included the major role of aircraft Congress were reluctant to create an equal branch in the Battle of Saint Mihiel in 1918. of the military dedicated Airpower was emerging as an offensive weapon to airpower. After reading the story about Brigadier and a powerful defensive tool. Mitchell thought General Billy Mitchell, the Army Air Service ought to be under its own explain how he drew command. But the Army, Navy, and Congress saw attention to airpower’s potential. things differently. To them, airpower was auxiliary— functioning as a branch of another military organization—to the Army’s ground forces.
    [Show full text]
  • Creating the Air Force, 1924 Introduction Questions for Discussion
    1 Creating the Air Force, 1924 Introduction In this July 1924 letter to aviation pioneer and publisher Lester D. Gardner, Brigadier General William “Billy” Mitchell prophesied the coming tide of Japanese militarism. Concerned about Japan’s growing military power in the skies, Mitchell argued exhaustively for the creation a branch of the US military separate from the Army and Navy and dedicated to the air. “With the development of our methods,” he wrote, “we can absolutely dominate sea areas practically anywhere. It is the only sure method of national defense that we have at the present time where we could dominate.” Following World War I, the US military scaled back its focus on the development of a formidable air force. Without a dedicated US air force, and facing the prowess and strength of Japanese aviation, Mitchell foresaw destruction as the outcome of any future American military intervention in Japan. Of the US Navy, Mitchell wrote: “if they went anywhere near Japan they never would come back: the Japanese air force would destroy them at once.” Mitchell’s outspoken criticism of his superiors earned him a demotion to colonel the year after this letter was written, and he was forced into an early retirement following a court martial conviction stemming from his accusations against military leadership. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, brought to life the threat Mitchell had warned of two decades earlier. Mitchell, however, did not live to see his predictions come true. He died on February 19, 1936. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, however, Mitchell was posthumously promoted to major general, and in 1946 he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in recognition of his tremendous foresight concerning the development of America’s aviation forces.
    [Show full text]
  • Captain Eddie Rickenbacker Lead
    Volume 15 Number 007 The Last Full Measure – Captain Eddie Rickenbacker Lead: For 400 years service men and women have fought to carve out and defend freedom and the civilization we know as America. This series on A Moment in Time is devoted to the memory of those warriors, whose devotion gave, in the words of Lincoln at Gettysburg, the last full measure. Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts. Content: His racing exploits earned him the name "Fast Eddie." He participated in the 1912, 1914 1915 and 1916 Indianapolis 500 and ended up years later buying the racetrack and running it until 1945. Yet, it was in the air that Edward Vernon Rickenbacker revealed true genius, courage, and skill. Born the third child of eight to William and Elizabeth Rickenbacker of Columbus, Ohio in 1890, he revealed a daring spirit from almost the beginning. His years as a racecar driver gave him a lucrative income and also brought him into contact with pilots of those newfangled air machines. An intensely patriotic man, Rickenbacker changed the spelling of his name during World War I removing the Germanic "h," and substituting a second old-fashioned Anglicized "k." Soon after the war began, he volunteered for service. At first he was assigned as a driver to Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, but then he was asked to apply his mechanics skills to the car of Col. Billy Mitchell, Chief of the U.S. Army Air Service. Soon he was training for air combat and soon after being assigned to the famed 94th Aero Squadron, on April 6, 1918, he brought down his first enemy airplane.
    [Show full text]
  • From Crop Duster to Airline; the Origins of Delta Air Lines to World War II
    Roots: From Crop Duster to Airline; The Origins of Delta Air Lines to World War II by James John Hoogerwerf A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Auburn, Alabama December 13, 2010 Keywords: Delta Laboratory, Huff Daland, Delta Air Lines, B. R. Coad, Harold R. Harris, C.E. Woolman Copyright 2010 by James John Hoogerwerf Approved by William F. Trimble, Chair, Professor of History James R. Hansen, Professor of History Alan D. Meyer, Assistant Professor of History Tiffany A. Thomas, Assistant Professor of History Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of Dr. W. David Lewis Distinguished University Professor of History Auburn University (1931-2007) ii Abstract Delta Air Lines (Delta) is one of the great surviving legacy airlines of the first century of flight. In the annals of American aviation history its origins are unique. Delta’s beginning can be traced to the arrival of the boll weevil from Mexico into Texas in 1892. Unlike other national airlines that were nurtured on mail subsidies, Delta evolved from experiments using airplanes to counter the cotton weevil scourge from the air. The iconic book on the subject is Delta: The History of an Airline authored by two eminent Auburn University history professors, W. David Lewis and Wesley Phillips Newton. This dissertation explores more closely the circumstances and people involved in Delta’s early years up to World War II. It is chronologically organized and written in a narrative style. It argues Delta’s development was the result of a decades-long incremental and evolutionary process and not the calculated result of a grand design or the special insight of any one person.
    [Show full text]
  • William “Billy” Mitchell's Air Power
    William “Billy” Mitchell’s Air Power Compiled from the published and unpublished writings and commentaries of William Mitchell by LT COL JOHNNY R. JONES, USAF Airpower Research Institute College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 36112-5532 September 1997 DISCLAIMER Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Air University, the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency. Cleared for public release: distribution unlimited. ii Contents Page DISCLAIMER . ii FOREWORD . v ABOUT THE AUTHOR . vii PREFACE . ix INTRODUCTION . xi The Essence of Air Power . 1 Fundamental Truths of Air Power . 5 The Aeronautical Era . 15 Air Power and the Air Force . 19 Air Power and Control of the Air . 25 Airmen in Air Power . 29 Air Power and Armies and Navies . 35 Air Power and Armies . 36 Air Power and Navies . 38 Training and Education for Air Power . 41 Air Power Functions . 43 Conclusion . 45 Notes . 47 iii Foreword In the fall of 1996, the Department of the Air Force published its vision for the twenty-first century Air Force. The vision, entitled Global Engagement, presented a new strategy to guide the Air Force in meeting the many challenges of the first quarter of the twenty-first century. It is a vision “of air and space power and covers all aspects of our Air Force—people, capabilities, and support structures.” 1 Global Engagement “is the first step in the Air Force’s back-to-the-present approach to long-range planning.”2 As the Air Force charts its course into the twenty-first century, valuable insight is gained by examining the beginnings of that course—the initial vector that has steered air power from its birth at the beginning of this century and will now carry air and space power into the next.
    [Show full text]