The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-12
GEN. MEN0HER, once
AIR Chief AND FOE
OF MITCHELL, DEAD
Had Distinguished Army Career
and Led Rainbow Divi-
sion in France

washington, Aug. 12.-(P-Major
General Charles T. Menoher, former
chief of the army air corps, whose
break 10 years ago with Col. William
Mitchell precipitated a nation wide
uproar died late yesterday OF rreu-
monia.
General Menoher had been ill for
some time following his retirement in
1926. The end came in st. Elizabeth's
hospital here.
During the course of a long dis
tinguished army career he had served
as battle commander of the Rainbow
(Forty-second) division in France,
and bore therefrom not only the dis
tinguished service medal, but also the
decorations of France, Belgium and
Italy.
General Menoher is survived by his
widow, Mrs. Elizabeth P. Menoher, of
Washington, and three sons. He will
be buried in Arlington cemetery at a
date to be set later.
Led Rainbow Division
While the name Of Charles Thomas
Menoher was written imperishably in
to American military history as that
of the battle commander in France Of
the Rainbow (F~orty-second) division,
the officer was to know far more
vexing days after the war at home.
The trouble developed when as
chief of the Army air service he came
to an open break with his principal
assistant, Colonel William Mitchell,
then a brigadier general.
This clash, although temporarily
smoothed over by John w. Weeks,
then secretary of war, was the first
uproar of the air service controversy
which was to develop around Mitchell
and lead to his arraignment before an
Army court martial for a repetition Of
actions which had impelled Menoher
to demand that his subordinate be re-
lieved from duty as a disciplinary
measure.
General Menoher became head of
the air service and asked for duty
from France, and at a time when
there already was apparent a smould-
ering of the flame that later was to
kindC the fires of contention. At the
time of Menoher's appointment,
Secretary Weeks said he had been
selected because he was a man of
fine fighting record in France, a man
of good judgment and level head, and
a very capable executive"
He took charge of the air service
in January, 1919, and within a few
months came to an open break with
Mitchell, and asked of the secretary
of war the removal of the officer.
Shortly after this request had been
presented, Secretary Weeks on June
II, 1921, issued a formal statement in
which he said Menoher has with
drawn his recommendation for the
relief of Mitchell at the request" of
the Secretary of War.
Was Artillery Officer
The trouble continued and in Oct
ober he rendered his resignation from
that position and asked for duty with
with troops.
Assigned to command the Hawaiian
department, he again cane into con-
flict with Mitchell's views. The gen.
eral himself. however, refrained con-
~sistently from public discussion of his
differences with his former subordin-
ate.
General Menoher wa born in Phil
adelphia, Penn, March 20, 1862. He
was graduated from VIEWPOINT in
1886, from the Artillery School in 1894
and from the War College in 1907.
Most Of his Army service was with
the artillery and it included active
duty in both the Spanish American
war and the Philippine instruction.
At the entrance of the United
States into the World war, he was an
artillery colonel, but was sent to
France as a brigadier general, later
to be promoted to the rank of major
general and assigned to command
the Rainbow division when Major
General William A. Mann, its organ
izer as chief of the Militia Bureau and
its first commanding officer, was UNI
able to endure the physical strain of
the active battle days of the division
in France.