William “Billy” Mitchell (1879-1937) was a pioneering US Army aviator and officer who foresaw the crucial role of air power in modern warfare. Despite facing opposition, he advocated for an independent Air Force and the use of aircraft as strategic weapons. His visionary ideas laid the groundwork for the creation of the US Air Force and transformed Military Strategy.

Mitchell’s belief in air power as a separate and essential branch of the military was ahead of his time, and his advocacy for military aviation as a key component of national defense has had a lasting impact.

It will take up too much space listing all the points Billy Mitchell foresaw, some of his notable predictions that came to fruition later in the 20th century include:

1. The importance of air power as a separate and essential branch of the military.
2. The use of aircraft as strategic weapons.
3. The need for an independent air force.
4. The role of air power in winning wars, as demonstrated in World War II.
5. The use of air power for reconnaissance, surveillance, and close air support.
6. The importance of air superiority in military operations.
7. The development of long-range bombers capable of carrying large payloads.
8. The use of air power for strategic bombing of enemy infrastructure and industrial centers.
9. The importance of air power in joint military operations.
10. The need for air power to defend against potential threats from the air.

These ideas and predictions helped shape Modern Military Strategy and the role of Air Power in Warfare.

After Billy Mitchell’s death, the US military and government took several steps to recognize his Contributions and Visionary Ideas.

1. Posthumous Promotion: Mitchell was posthumously promoted to the rank of General in 1954, 17 years after his death.
2. National Memorial: The Billy Mitchell Monument was dedicated in 1957 at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington State.
3. Military Awards: Mitchell was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1925 and the Medal of Freedom in 1946, both posthumously.
4. Military Bases: Several military bases and facilities have been named in his honor, including Fort Mitchell in Texas, Mitchell Field in Wisconsin, and Mitchell Hall at the US Air Force Academy.
5. Military Doctrine: Mitchell’s Ideas about the importance of Air Power in Modern Warfare have been incorporated into US Military Doctrine, and his Vision of an independent Air Force became a reality with the creation of the US Air Force in 1947.
6. National Aviation Hall of Fame: Mitchell was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1966, in recognition of his contributions to the development of Military Aviation.

These actions demonstrate the impact of Mitchell’s ideas and his enduring legacy in the field of military aviation.

Billy Mitchell’s role in preparing America for World War 2 cannot be overstated. Not only was he right about a restructure of the US Military, which eventually came about. By throwing himself on his proverbial sword by provoking a Court-Martial in 1926, Billy Mitchell raised awareness of America’s woeful inadequacies in Air Power.

The Court-Martial saw an august body of who’s-who in the top US Military brass. The youngest of the 13 judges was Major General Douglas MacArthur, who later described the order to sit on Mitchell’s court-martial as “one of the most distasteful orders I ever received.”

Of the thirteen judges, Charles Pelot Summerall, William S. Graves, Robert L. Howze, MacArthur, Benjamin A. Poore, Fred W. Sladen, Ewing E. Booth, Albert J. Bowley, George Irwin, Edward K. King, Frank R. McCoy, Edwin B. Winans, and Blanton Winship, none had aviation experience and three Summerall, who was the president of the court, Sladen, and Bowley were removed by defense challenges for bias. The case was then presided over by Major General Robert Lee Howze.

The witness list was also fairly impressive. Among those who testified for Mitchell were Eddie Rickenbacker, Hap Arnold, Carl Spaatz, Ira Eaker, Robert Olds (father of the “Warrior King of the Air” General Robin Olds), Thomas George Lanphier Sr. and Fiorello La Guardia. The trial attracted significant interest, and public opinion supported Mitchell. The chief prosecutors were Major Allen W. Gullion, Lieutenant Joseph L. McMullen, and Colonel Sherman Moreland.

After this Court-Martial, where Billy Mitchell was found guilty, things did start to happen. It was enough advancement that America had something to fight back with after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. It is hard to imagine how bad America would have been situated, if Billy Mitchell had not raised awareness. It is hard to speculate in what-ifs. But there is a possibility that America and the Free World could have lost World War 2. The consequences of that are too ghastly to contemplate.

What can we learn from the story of Aviator Billy Mitchell?

Nowadays the question is almost: Are we allowed to learn anything from the story of Billy Mitchell? And I would say, yes! If we are brave enough. The story of Billy Mitchell has a great deal to teach each and every American.

First of all, Billy Mitchell’s story is a story of Bravery and Caring for America and the American People. Sure, he was ambitious and could be abrasive. And he definitely rubbed some people the wrong way. But his Vision was uncannily accurate. He foresaw that Air Power would soon dictate the Battlefield and threaten hole nations. He foresaw the use of Paratroopers. He also foresaw the jet engine and airplanes breaking the sound barrier. He even foresaw the ambush on Pearl Harbor from the Air by Japan down to details on which targets would be hit. Less than two decades down the road he would be proven right. Unfortunately Billy Mitchell would pass away February 19, 1936 at the age of 56, nearly six years before the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii December 7, 1941.

Second, Billy Mitchell never gave in. He kept fighting, even if it meant be demoted. In the end he courageously got himself court-martialed, simply to be able to Alarm to the American People. It may have saved the Republic. During the height of World War 2, America had upwards of 105 Aircraft Carriers of various types, which must be said to be a total vindication of Billy Mitchells visionary pleas two decades earlier.

The Hollywood Movie ‘The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell’

The 1955 Hollywood Movie ‘The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell’, where none other than Gary Cooper plays the main role, is slightly inaccurate when it comes to the sequence of events in the bombing of captured German World War I battleship, Ostfriesland. The sabotage by the Navy was even worse than the movie depicts.

But the Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell is unusually accurate. The dialogue is direct quotes from the Court Transcripts, and is very well played. Not only do you get masterful acting by one of Hollywood’s greatest actors ever, but you will learn how this disgraceful Court-Martial was conducted.

Enjoy!

MOVIE: ‘The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell’

Two Documentaries on Billy Mitchell

If you are interested in learning even more about this remarkable Visionary Pioneering Aviator, I enclose two Documentaries. The first one is Dronescapes brilliant Documentary on Billy Mitchell, titled ‘Court Martialed For Being Right! Colonel Billy Mitchell, The Father Of The United States Air Force’, and the second is a rundown of Billy Mitchell’s career and Court-Martial by Ward Carroll.

Ward Carroll spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an F-14 Radar Intercept Officer, much of the time serving aboard aircraft carriers deployed to hot spots around the world. After he retired at the rank of Commander, he was the editor of Military.com and a few other military sites, which allowed him to stay in touch with the Pentagon and the troops, including those at war.

He’s the author the bestselling Punk Trilogy that deals with life in an F-14 squadron stationed both at sea and ashore.

Enjoy!

DOCUMENTARY 1: ‘Court Martialed For Being Right! Colonel Billy Mitchell, The Father Of The United States Air Force’

DOCUMENTARY 2: ‘Aviation Legend Billy Mitchell: Martyr or Malcontent?’