00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page i Contents A CENTURY OF AIR POWER LEADERSHIP Past, Present, and Future Proceedings of a Symposium Sponsored by The George Bush School of Government and Public Service and The Air Force History and Museums Program with support from The George Bush Presidential Library Foundation and Texas A&M University October 29–31, 2003 College Station, Texas Edited by Jacob Neufeld 2007 i 00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page ii Leadership Note Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the symposium participants, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Air Force History and Museums Program, the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other U.S. Government agency. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A century of air power leadership, past, present, and future : proceedings of a symposium / sponsored by the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, and the Air Force History and Museums Program; edited by Jacob Neufeld. p. cm. “October 29–31, 2003, College Station, Texas” Includes index. 1. Aeronautics, Military--United States--History. 2. United States Air Force--History. 3. Air power--United States--History. I. Neufeld, Jacob. II. Texas A&M University. George Bush School of Government and Public Service. III. Air Force History and Museums Program (U.S.) UG633.C38 2007 358.4’030973--dc22 2007011466 ii 00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page iii Contents Preface rville and Wilbur Wright first flew from the sands of Kill Devil Hill near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903. In 1999, to mark the first Ocentury of manned, powered flight, Congress created the Centennial of Flight Commission to coordinate national commemoration activities and to act as an international information resource. To manage its own participation in commemorative events around the world, the United States Air Force estab- lished a Centennial of Flight Office in 2001. The Air Force History and Muse- ums Program, through its own activities, played a significant part in those events. Recognizing that the centennial of flight celebration offered the public a golden opportunity to better appreciate air and space power history and the innovations and adaptations that have enabled aviation to transform the world, the George Bush School of Government and Public Service and the Air Force History and Museums Program jointly sponsored a symposium, A Century of Air Power Leadership: Past, Present, and Future. The symposium was held on October 29–31, 2003, in the Leonore and Walter Annenberg Presidential Con- ference Center at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the grounds of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The Wright brothers brought to their great achievement—the development of a new technology—extraordinary inventiveness and diligence that still inspire America’s commitment to aviation excellence. Aircraft changed the nat- ural order of things, while the effective use of air power added a third dimen- sion to war. The advances that took us from the Wright brothers’ biplane to Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s lunar lander occurred at blinding speed. No technical innovation has altered human affairs more rapidly, widely, or signif- icantly than the science of flight. United States Air Force leadership in air and space has been essential to victory in war during the last century. Today, air and space operations offer unprecedented global reach, power, and vigilance in support of worldwide joint operations around the clock. The symposium explored aspects of military leadership over the past 100 years, highlighting factors that encouraged success or inhibited innovation. Among the crucial issues discussed were problems in doctrinal, technological, and weapons innovation and differences among air power leaders. Although focusing on the past, the symposium proceeded from the proposition that air and space power leadership had revolutionary effects on strategy and security. This book is intended to help readers who are interested in the impact of lead- iii 00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page iv Air Power Leadership ership on military affairs. As the symposium and the book make abundantly clear, the role of the individual in the saga of air power has far outweighed any other single factor, including technology. The symposium featured presentations by distinguished airmen, scholars, and public figures. All shared their knowledge and insights on key events, issues, and lessons before a diverse audience. Former President George H. W. Bush, Dr. James G. Roche, Secretary of the Air Force, and Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force Chief of Staff, were keynote speakers. Few American leaders can match President George H. W. Bush in dealing with the transformation of American air power. Before a crowd of 400 atten- dees, he spoke of what his World War II combat experiences meant to him and candidly assessed the leadership challenges ahead. Secretary Roche and Gen- eral Jumper discussed the implications of air and space power for America’s national security and, in tackling tough, politically charged issues, demon- strated those qualities of leadership we most admire. Keith Ferris, renowned as “the dean of Air Force art,” presented a mar- velously illustrated seventy-five-year history of the Air Force based on his life as a military “brat” and his long career as an artist. Taken together, the essays in this book constitute an introduction to the his- tory of air and space power leadership, beginning with an exploration of the significance of Billy Mitchell. A session chaired by Dr. Roger G. Miller addressed issues that arose from Mitchell’s quest for air independence, and the roles played by his contemporaries—Mason M. Patrick and Benjamin D. Foulois. Dr. James J. Cooke, Dr. Robert P. White, and Maj. John Beaulieu pro- vided texture and context for the Mitchell legend with new and dynamic his- torical interpretations. In the session on World War II air power, Dr. David R. Mets delivered a masterful lecture on the leadership qualities of Gen. Carl A. Spaatz; Dr. George M. Watson, Jr., covered the wartime contributions of Assistant Secre- tary of War for Air Robert A. Lovett; and Herman S. Wolk described Gen. George C. Kenney’s leadership in the Pacific theater, stressing the comman- der’s organizational genius in the face of a determined adversary. Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, director of the Air National Guard, gave a moving presenta- tion on the Tuskegee Airmen and their leadership legacy. General James drew from his family history to give a candid assessment of the challenges African- American airmen faced during the twentieth century. Dr. Roger Beaumont in his paper, “Interpersonal Conflict Among Air Power Leaders,” analyzed the relationships within a small coterie of fledgling airmen. Dr. Wayne Thompson chaired the air and space power session on Gulf Wars I and II. Participating were the director of the Air Force History and Museums Program, C. R. Anderegg, and Dr. Perry Jamieson. Lt. Gen. Daniel P. Leaf, vice commander of Air Force Space Command, was unable to attend the sym- posium but produced a video detailing his wartime service and leadership phi- iv 00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page v Preface losophy. Few American military leaders can match this group’s recent experi- ence in grappling with the difficult and perplexing challenges to America’s air and space forces. Rod Thornton, deputy director of the George Bush Library Foundation, chaired the Aggie leadership roundtable. Gen. Patrick K. Gamble, USAF (Retired); Lt. Gen. Randolph House, USA (Retired); and Maj. Gen. Jay D. Blume, Jr., USAF (Retired) provided educational and inspirational discussions on the leadership questions facing Aggies in the future. The symposium hon- ored another Aggie, Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, who established the founda- tion of our current space and missile capabilities. As an Air Force senior his- torian at the time, I was privileged to speak about General Schriever’s out- standing leadership and career. Dr. Everett Carl Dolman presented an exceptionally well-balanced treat- ment of strategic space power, developing the subject of space geopolitics, or as he termed it, astropolitics, and providing a glimpse into the leadership of the future. The symposium on which this book is based was a singular event. Unfor- tunately, it was not possible to replicate entirely the fruitful discussions that took place over three days or to capture the debate that occurred during breaks at the Annenberg Conference Center and the College Station Hilton. This book could not have been completed without the generosity of the symposium’s contributors. Debts in the realm of ideas can never be repaid. Dick Chilcoat, dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, and his team of professionals accomplished miracles to ensure that the symposium, A Century of Air Power Leadership: Past, Present, and Future, and the Thunderbirds’ aerial demonstration went off seamlessly. From the Air Force History Support Office, the principal point of contact was Maj. Corvin J. Connolly. Jacob Neufeld Director, Air Force Historical Studies Office August 2006 v 00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page vi Leadership vi 00TitlePageEtc.qxd 5/14/2008 4:24 PM Page vii Contents Contents Preface . .iii Keynote Address Introduction Dr. Arnold Vedlitz . .1 The Honorable James G. Roche . .3 Q&A . .11 Panel I Billy Mitchell, Mason Patrick et al Dr. Roger G. Miller, Chair . .25 Billy Mitchell: Air War Fighter Dr. James J. Cooke . .27 Mason Patrick: A Foundation of Air Force Independence Dr. Robert P. White . .31 The Douglas World Cruisers, 1924 Maj. John Beaulieu, USAF . .43 Panel II The Second World War Gen. Carl A. Spaatz: A 21st Century Air Leadership Model Dr.