Billy Mitchell: Founder of Our Air Force and Prophet Without Honor

Billy Mitchell: Founder of Our Air Force and Prophet Without HonorAs early as 1920, US Army General Billy Mitchell began sounding alarm bells about an inevitable Japanese invasion from sea based aircraft. Through the press and in person he lobbied naval brass about Americas woefully unprepared defensive air power but his talk of dogfights over the Pacific with superior planes was laughed at and dismissed by all. Mitchell's vision of a US Air Arm would have meant massive, costly upgrades to the nations dated flying

As early as 1920, US Army General Billy Mitchell began sounding alarm bells about an inevitable Japanese invasion from sea-based aircraft. Through the press and in person he lobbied naval brass about AmericaÕs woefully unprepared defensive air power but his talk of dogfights over the Pacific with superior planes was laughed at and dismissed by all. Mitchell's vision of a US ÔAir ArmÕ would have meant massive, costly upgrades to the nationÕs dated flying machines owned by private firms holding patents on aircraft machinery. Old guard soldiers, like John J. Pershing, dismissed as delusional ravings MitchellÕs belief that a battleship could be destroyed by a bomber. MitchellÕs outspoken press conferences about an airplane trust supported by corrupt government officials led to his court-martial for insubordination in 1925. He died in 1936, a man ahead of his times Ð and hated for it.