William Mitchell
William "Billy" Mitchell became the head of the American air service during WWI (at least in France), and became an early proponent of making a distinctive air force military branch. He saw the potential of a long distance air force which could both respond quickly and do long-distance bombing. He wanted to be in charge of the air service. He was zealous and outspoken, and antagonized others.
Born in Nice, France; father was US representative and senator from Wisconsin.[1]
Fought in Spanish-American War, etc. 1916 appointed head of Army Aviation, U.S. Signal Corps.[1]
"In 1917, Mitchell was already in France studying the production of military aircraft, when the U.S. declared war on Germany. He was promoted to the war-time rank of Brig. Gen. and given command of all of the American aerial combat units in France."[1]
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| Names | William Mitchell; Billy Mitchell |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 1879-12-29 |
| Death date | 1936-02-11 |
| Countries | FR, US |
| Locations | |
| Occupations | military officer |
| Tech areas | |
| Affiliations | U.S. Army Signal Corps, U.S. Army |
| Wikidata id | Q863201 |
