Evening star., 1925-05-31
Gen. Fechet. New Chief
of Air Service, Early
|. Student of Aviation
Regarded by Authorizes as
Logical Successor to Posi-
tion Vacated by Gen.
Mitchell, Native OF Texas.

Though Gen. James Edmund Fechet
is brand.new official as chief of the
Air Service in succession to Col. Viii
liam Mitchell, now en- route to Texas,
it is only eight months since the gen
eral, then Col. Fechet, was chief of
Fechet lived in a pretty home in Nc.
Kinley street, Chevy Chase. Mrs.
Fechet. and the two girls. Catherine.
who is IA, and Mary, who is II, were
right in the thick of things in that
active suburb. Gen. Fechet has re.
Gently been the supreme officer of the
Air Service in Texas, and this is his
native State. Gen. Fechet could pos.
sibly not be able to say just when
the fascinating problem of flying be-
gan to engage his thought, and the
desire TO do so TO inf1ame his am.
oition. He was born near Fort Ring
gold, Tex, the son of French and
Scotch parents, in 1877, Just when the
Lone Star State was emerging from
the miseries of the Civil War and the
reconstruction period, and when Cot
ton crops and plantation problems en-
gagged the serious thoughts of parents
and growing boys. But he was of
martial mind and after completing the
regular course in the grammar and
nigh school, he entered the Army Serv-
Ice School of the South and gradu-
ated in 1904
Gen. Fechet has since then devoted
mind and energy to the questions
which have impressed themselves on
the Army and he was among the
nrst TO specialize in aeronautics, and
to such purpose that when a recent
chief n ir i
OF his post the retiring chief Gen.
Patrick, and all those consulted
promptly named the present official as
the logical man TO appoint. Fifteen
or more years ago Gen. Fechet, then
a minor officer, was stationed at
Spokane, Wash, and here he met and
married his charming wife. Mrs.
Fechet was Miss Catherine Luhn.
daughter Of Maj. G.. l.. Luhn, then
attached to the 4th Infantry, of which
young Fechet also was a member.
Mrs. Fechet has all the charm and
ease Of manner which is inherent in
the daughters of the West and she
has always been conspicuously one
of the most successful hostesses in
the Army set. She is a homekeeper
OF marked characteristic, and when
her husband was called back to
Washington and the pleasant resi-
able during her former stay was not
available she and the general set
about building a house after their
ideals. This is to be at 3101 Garfield
street, and work on it grows so rap
idly that II now seems entirely prob
able that the coming Autumn will see
the family happily established under
its own vine and fig tree. Meantime
the Fechets have rented a house at
3506 Garfield street apd they keep a
vigilant eye on the progress of their
own home. Catherine and Mary Fechet
are attending the John Eaton School,
which is adjacent, and they will con
tinue in the public school until it is
time TO think about college. Both
girls are glad to be back in Wash
ington, where they lived during their
formative years and where they have
many young friends. Their stay in
Texas was too brief to permit them
to make many friends there. Mrs.
Fechet makes a charming member of
the Army group of women which is
powerful and interesting branch of
official society.