Thomas D . Milling Thomas DeWitt Milling ( July 31 , 1887 – November 26 , 1960 ) was a pioneer of military aviation and a brigadier general in the U . S . Army Air Corps . He was the first rated pilot in the history of the United States Air Force . He received his flight training from the Wright Brothers and was awarded Fédération Aéronautique Internationale ( FAI ) pilot certificate No . 30 on July 6 , 1911 . Although Milling was not the first U . S . Army aviator , he was the first to receive Military Aviator Certificate No . 1 on July 5 , 1912 . Milling also received the first badge awarded to an American military aviator in October 1913 . Background and education . Milling was born to Judge Robert E . Milling and the former Ida Roberts in Winnfield , Louisiana , the seat of Winn Parish , and attended public schools in Franklin , the seat of St . Mary Parish . He was appointed a cadet in the United States Military Academy on June 15 , 1905 . He and graduated on June 11 , 1909 , with the degree of bachelor of science and commissioned a second lieutenant , Cavalry . Aviation pioneer . Milling reported to the 15th Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , in September 1909 but his tour of duty was cut short when War Department Special Order 95 , dated April 21 , 1911 , assigned Milling and 2d Lt . Henry H . Arnold to " aeronautical duty with the Signal Corps , " and instructed them to " proceed to Dayton , Ohio , for the purpose of undergoing a course of instruction in operating the Wright airplane . " " " Up to this time the Army had no prescribed tests for qualification as an airplane pilot . Now it adopted the FAI regulations and required all army fliers to pass these tests in order to be rated as pilots . All qualification certificates for airplane , airship , and balloon pilots were issued by the Aero Club of America , the only U . S . representative for the FAI . " " ( from the National Museum of the United States Air Force , Centenniel of Flight exhibition ) Milling began his training on May 3 , 1911 , under the tutelage of Wright instructor Cliff Turpin . However the next day Orville Wright took an interest in Milling and went up with him . On May 8 , after just one hour and fifty - four minutes of flying time , Wright authorized Milling to go up alone , and he made his first solo flight . Milling landed in an unorthodox downward spiral , alarming onlookers that included Wright , Turpin , and Arnold , but appeared in control the entire time , and the Wrights included a modified maneuver in future instruction . Milling flew daily for six weeks , except in bad weather , mastering takeoffs , landings , turns , and rudimentary maneuvers . After completing their training , Milling and Arnold reported to College Park , Maryland , detailed to the Aeronautical Division , U . S . Signal Corps to instruct the commander of the division flight school , Capt . Charles DeF . Chandler , who had only balloon experience , and his adjutant , 1st Lt . Roy C . Kirtland , in operating the Wright airplane . The school officially opened on July 3 , 1911 , and taught ten students , including two members of the National Guard . The Army , in addition to the Wright biplane , had also purchased an aircraft manufactured by Glenn Curtiss , which the " Provisional Aero Company " flew at Fort Sam Houston , Texas , until a fatal crash in May , 1911 resulted in the banning of further flights there . The company relocated to College Park , where Milling became the only aviator able to master the significantly different flight controls of each type . Only a few months after learning to fly , Milling entered and won the Tri - State Biplane Race against a field of experienced fliers . Flying a course that went from Boston , Massachusetts to Nashua , New Hampshire to Worcester , Massachusetts to Providence , Rhode Island and back to Boston , a total of 175 miles , the cross - country race was the longest of its era . Milling flew it in a Wright B Flyer without the use of a compass . It was also his first night flight , with several large bonfires providing guidance to the landing field . On July 5 , 1912 , Milling , along with Arnold and Chandler , received the first Military Aviator rating authorized by the War Department . On May 2 , 1913 , he was recognized by General Order 39 as one of the original 24 military aviators , and on October 15 , 1913 , he and Chandler received the first badges awarded to wear on the uniform . In 1915 , he and Byron Q . Jones were the first army aviators to perform an aerial combat reconnaissance mission . Career assignments . Milling ' s instructor assignments included the Signals Corps Aviation School at Augusta , Georgia ; training at Texas City , Texas , in anticipation of war with Mexico ; and San Diego , California , until July 1913 . After duty with the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army in Washington , D . C . , from July to November 1913 , Milling was sent to Europe as an observer . On July 23 , 1914 , Milling was promoted to first lieutenant and served again as a flying instructor , at Galveston , Texas , and San Diego . In August 1914 , Milling accompanied the U . S . Relief Commission to Europe to assist in the repatriation of Americans stranded in war - torn Europe . In March 1916 , he was again detailed to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer and promoted twice ( to captain July 31 , 1916 , and to lieutenant colonel August 5 , 1917 ) . In August 1917 , he was placed in charge of Air Service Training in Europe , and in October 1918 succeeded Billy Mitchell as chief of the Air Service of the U . S . First Army , American Expeditionary Force , and promoted to colonel . Milling returned from France in January 1919 and served in a variety of assignments for the next seven years : assistant chief , Training and Operations Group , including president of a board to determine all aerial laws , rules and regulations , ( January 1919 to June 1920 ) ; officer in charge , Air Service Field Officers ' School , Langley Field , Virginia ( July 1920 to June 1922 ) ; assistant commandant , Air Service Tactical School , Langley Field ( June 1922 to January 1925 ) ; operations officer , Second Bombardment Wing , Langley Field ( January to June 1925 ) ; and Air Service Engineering School , McCook Field , Dayton , Ohio , completing the course in August 1926 . Milling then attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth . Graduating in June 1927 , he was assigned to the War Plans Section , Office of Chief of the Air Corps in Washington , D . C . , where his duties were mainly administrative in connection with war planning and legislation . In June 1930 , Milling was sent to the Colorado National Guard in Denver , Colorado to serve as an Air Corps instructor . In September 1931 , he served briefly at Rockwell Air Depot , California , then was admitted to Fitzsimmons General Hospital , Denver , Colorado , where he was a patient from October 1931 to July 31 , 1933 , when he retired from active duty due to poor health . World War II service . During World War II , Milling was recalled to active duty as a major on March 16 , 1942 , to serve on the War Department Decorations Board in Washington , D . C . , and was promoted to lieutenant colonel April 27 , 1942 , and to colonel September 24 , 1942 . In December 1942 , he served as the air representative on the United States Congress Joint Intelligence Sub - Committee and later was a member of the Joint Intelligence Staff in the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff , Intelligence , until December 1943 , when he returned to the War Department Decorations Board , serving until March 1946 . Milling again retired on July 24 , 1946 . He died at Walter Reed General Hospital . Although Milling never actively served as a general officer , he was advanced on the retired list to the rank of brigadier general , with his date of rank retroactive to June 13 , 1940 . General Milling has been awarded a number of decorations , including the Distinguished Service Medal ; Legion of Merit ; Most Excellent Order of the British Empire , degree of Honorary Officer ; Officer of the Order of Leopold ( Belgium ) ; French Legion d ' Honneur ( Chevalier ) . Milling was also a member of the Early Birds of Aviation , a celebrated group of fliers who soloed before December 17 , 1916 .