December 2019

Though William L. Mitchell was born in Nice, France on December 29, 1879, he was buried at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is because his parents were John L. Mitchell, a prominent Wisconsin senator, and Harriet Danforth (Becker). He was raised in what is now West Allis, a suburb of Milwaukee.

After college, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private, but he quickly gained his commission as an officer and joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Considered one of the first Wisconsinites to actually observe the Wright Brothers flight demonstrations at Fort Myer, he pursued a pilot license, training at the Curtiss Aviation School in Virginia.

During World War I, Billy Mitchell was one of the most famous fliers. According to Wikipedia, he was recognized as “one of the top American combat airmen”, earning “the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the World War I Victory Medal with eight campaign clasps, and several foreign decorations.”

Billy Mitchell was the assistant chief of the Army’s Air Service. During that time, he began pushing for an independent Air Force, believing air power to be vital for future war endeavors. His efforts are way he’s thought of as the father of the U.S. Air Force. He is also recognized as being the first person to have a military aircraft named after him, the North American B-25 Mitchell.

Here are some interesting links to learn more about why Billy Mitchell was given a court martial and why many of his accolades were received posthumous.
Did Billy Mitchell predict Pearl Harbor? Yes – read more HERE!
Why is Billy Mitchell considered the father of the U.S. Air Force if it was President Harry S. Truman who created the branch on July 26, 1947? Because he was a crusader for air power.