Evening star., 1936-02-20
BILLY MITCHELL
DIES SUDDENLY
Ousted Former Assistant
Air Corps Chief Succumbs
in New York.
BY the Associated Press.

tCl o0y LAC Wdo ots
Ill since his appearance here early
last December at congressional COM
mittee's inquiry on patents, Gen.
Mitchell entered the hospital January
% for what his doctor said was
merely rest"
He had come here from his family
home near Warrenton, Va. where he
had recovered from heart seizure.
Influenza complicated his illness,
but DR.. Samuel Lambert. jr., his physi-
clan, said the war hero was not on the
hospitals danger list.
Dir. Lambert was with him when he
died He said Gen. Mitchell apparently
had been much improved during the
last week.
Berated Policies.
The first American officer to fly
over the enemy's lines in the World
War, Mitchell emerged from the con-
f1ict critical of the policies of the War
and Navy Departments on aviation
defense.
His criticism, sharpened by four
years as assistant to the Chief of the
Air Service in Washington, brought
his court martial after he returned to
the service and was stationed as a
colonel at the Armys flying school in
San Antonio, Tex.
His suspension from the service, fol-
lowed by his own resignation. intensi-
fed his critical attitude toward the
Governments air preparedness policy.
On the lecture platform, in pamph-
lets and magazine articles, he contin-
ued his thrusts. AS late as 1881 he said
American aviation was not the equal
of European aviation in speed, carry
ing capacity or armament.
A year later he asserted in a maya
zine article that war between the
United States and Japan was newt
able.
Accuses Elliott Roosevelt.
His assertion in 1884 that private
aircraft companies were sitting i'm
provements IN plane mechanism and
designs for profit motives was carried
into the congressional committee in
quiry last December. There he re-
peated the charges and accused Elliott
Roosevelt, son of the President, of
having been an employe of power
full lobby" he charged dictated the
Nations aviation policy. Roosevelt de-
MED the charge.
Shortly before his fatal Illness a
House committee attempted unsuc-
cessfully to have Mitchell restored to
the rolls at retirement pay.
Holder of decorations from six gov
ernments, Mitchell climaxed a long
military career with his World War
service.
He was regarded as 'the bad boy Of
aviation" by higher governmental
forces. because of his open criticism
OF the War and Navy Departments.
His five-year suspension sentence was
upheld by President Coolidge but was
modified by allowance of half pay.
But Mitchell, not wishing to be held
in such status. resigned his commits
| sion January %, 1926, and announced
he would go on lecture tour to show
that the United States had inadequate
air defenses.
Son of Senator.
The son of United States Senator
John Lebrun and Harriet Danforth
Mitchell, Mitchell was born December
20, 1879, at Nice. France He attended
Racine College (Wis.) and was grad
uated as a bachelor of arts from
George Washington University in
1899.
Gen. Mitchell early showed he was
destined for great things in martial
sense. Six days after he enlisted as q
Wisconsin infantry private, May ID,
1898, he was made a second lieutenant
and signal officer. In January of the
following year he got his first lieuten-
ants commission and was honorably
discharged April II, 1899.
That same day he was commits
stoned lieutenant in the regular
Army and was promoted through all
grades to lieutenant colonel on May
Is, 1917. August S, 1917, he was given
the temporary rank of colonel and on
October l, 1918, he was given the tenn
porary rank of brigadier general Of
the air service in charge of all air
craft in the A. E. F.
But the World War was not his only
military experience. He was on the
staff of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee in Cuba
and participated in the Philippine
campaign in 1899. In 1903 he COM
pleted the construction of the Alaskan
telegraph system and early in 1914
he was in Europe as a military OBJ
server, going to the front with the
French air forces.
Tired of "Desk Aviation"
He has listed on his service record
activity in eight French and English
operations against the enemy.
Mitchell was named assistant to the
chief of the air service July 16 1920,
but after four years in Washington ~
a desk aviator" he reverted to the
rank of colonel and was assigned to
the 9Th Corps Area, at San Antonio.
He was hailed before a court OF his
fellow officers in Washington on Oc-
tober %, 1925 at the direction of
President Coolidge, charged with vio-
lating good order and military disci-
pline" in criticizing the administra-
ton of national defense in connection
with the disaster to the naval dirigible
Shenandoah.
At that time, he had reverted to his
permanent rank of colonel from the
grade of brigadier general, which he
held temporarily while acting as as
sistant chief of the Air Corps.
More than a month earlier, at Fort
Sam Houston, he precipitated the
storm by issuing public statement
charging that serious aeronautical
disasters in the United States were
"the direct result of the incompetency,
criminal negligence and almost trea-
sonable administration of the national
defense by the Navy and War Depart
ments." .-..
Deliberate Charges.
He prefaced his lengthy written at
tack with these words:
"This statement is given out pub