William lendrum billy mitchell biography of william
William lendrum billy mitchell biography of william
Billy mitchell death.
Billy Mitchell
United States Army WWI general (1879–1936)
For other people named Billy Mitchell, see Billy Mitchell (disambiguation).
William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who had a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force.[1][2]
Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, commanded all American air combat units in that country.
After the war, he was appointed deputy director of the Air Service and began advocating for increased investment in air power, believing that this would prove vital in future wars. He argued particularly for the ability of bombers to sink battleships and organized a series of bombing runs against stationary ships designed to test the idea.
He antagonized many administrative leaders of the Army with his arguments and criticism and in 1925, his temporary appointment as a brigadier general was not renewed, and he reverted to hi