Evening star., 1941-06-29

, defense counsel Others in front
Henry Miller Photo.
and became the youngest officer in the
Spanish American War, the first Amer
lean officer under fire in the World War
and the first flying officer of the United
on April o. 1917. Through eminent
gallantry he won the Distinguished Serv-
ice Cross, Distinguished Service Medal
and CroiX de Guerre with five palms.
He was made Commander of the Legion
of Honor and Companion of the Order
of st. Michael and ST. George
His progress was such that he became
commander OF the Air Service Group
OF the American Expeditionary Force,
serving throughout the campaign in
France and leading the aviation of the
Army OF Occupation into Germany. In
1919 he was appointed director of mill
tary aeronautics; in 1920 chief OF train
ing and operations; and in 1921 assist
ant chief of the air service.
Gen. Mitchell expressed his convic-
ton on the f1yleaf of book called SKY
ways" 1t was dedicated to the authors
young son and daughter, who in their
lifetime will see aeronautics become the
greatest and principal means of national
defense" This belief was coupled with
advocacy of a cabinet department of
defense. embracing Army, Navy and Air
Force as equal and separate compo-
nents.
Controversy Intensified.
With zeal that with time grew en-
bittered and incorporate. Gen. Mitchell
preached to deaf ears all the lessons as
to the role of air power which have
startled the globe in the present war.
But ne was a prophet without honor
IN his own service. The controversy was
intensified rather than appeaSed when
eral former German warships off the
Virginia capes.
The destroyers we're sunk with ease,
but a light cruiser the Friedrichshafen,
and 26000-ton battleship, Aus Fries
land, remained af1oat after days of bomb
ing, though their decks were awash
almost ankle-deep. Finally, by accident.
it was claimed, an Army flyer dropped
a 600-pound bomb 100 feet from the
battleships starboard bow. 1t exploded
vessel went to the bottom. The cruiser
was then dispatched by the same means.
This experiment established, Gen. Nit
chell argued. that any battleship could
be sunk from the air. 1t proved just
the contrary, according to naval au-
thorities. And so the debate has ragged,
to this day.
In the early part of 1925, Gen. Mitchell
gave acrimonious testimony before
congressional committee as to the folly
of Army brass hats" in opposing ex-
tension of the air arm. Secretary of
War Weeks. in a letter to President
Coolidge. recommended that the dis
turber should not be reappointed as as
sistant chief of the air service. His name
was not submitted to the Senate Gen.
Mitchell reverted to his regular rank of
colonel and was buried" at the Air
Center in San Antonio.
Aroused by Shenandoah Wreck.
Smarting under this disgrace, he was
aroused to fury by the wreck of the
naval airship Shenandoah. with loss
of IA lives. Calling in reporters, he
issued a statement on September 5
making deadly charges, but also bristling
with recriminations so insubordinate
that many believed he had determined
to blazon his cause to the four corners
of the Nation by making himself
public martyr. This accident, he de-
clared, was a direct result of "incom-
petence, criminal negligence and almost
reasonable administration of national
defense by the War and Navy Depart
ments."
When threats of discipline answered
him from Washington, Gen. Mitchell
put out a second statement on Sep
tember 9, more unrestrained than the
first, in which he announced: What
I have said about the conditions of our
national defense hurts the bureaucrats
in Washington. 1t ought to hurt them,
because it is true" He added that
Our pilots know they are going to be
killed, if they stay in the service, in
the old flaming cofflns we are still flying"
On account of Gen. Mitchells World
War record, the court-martial returned
what it described as 'lenient' verdict.
He was merely stripped of rank, COM
mand and duty, with forfeiture of all
pay and allowances for five years.
President Coolidge approved the sem
tence, with some modification of the
forfeiture penalties, on the ground that
Gen. Mitchell's utterances could not
be construed otherwise than as breathing
defiance to his military superiors." Gen.
Mitchell resigned from the Army Feb
ruary /, 1926, retired to stock farm in
Virginia and died suddenly on February
10, 1896.