General Mitchell Research Paper

Purpose: To provide information about General William Mitchell and his advocation for the creation of an independent air force.

2. Facts:

a. During World War I, General Mitchell demonstrated the importance of air superiority. The Battle of St. Mihiel exemplified this concept. During this battle, Allied forces massed their air power and sent waves of planes to destroy German ground power. Mitchell was attached to the assaulting force and emerged as the first American Army aviator to cross enemy lines. This status earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Legion of Honor, and a promotion to Brigadier General. This promotion enabled Mitchell control over all American air combat units in France. These successes legitimized Mitchell’s world view on air superiority.

b. General Mitchell supported the creation of an independent air force throughout his entire career. To advance this goal, Mitchell promoted the Army Air Service by sending them on border patrols, forest fire patrols, and aerial mapping missions. He believed that this would demonstrate the value of aviation. To further his ambitions, Mitchell wrote a

In 1921, General Mitchell conducted a series of bombing tests to demonstrate the advantage of air power over naval targets. The House Naval Affairs Committee originally disapproved these tests; however, Mitchell publicly announced his claims. Mitchell’s audacity convinced the House of Representatives to approve the tests. The Navy restricted Mitchell’s air assets to a brigade, limited the payload size, and imposed long durations between bombing runs. Mitchell and his brigade destroyed a German battleship during the tests by pressing harder than the Navy allowed. Afterwards, the Joint Army Navy Board produced an evaluation which critiqued the tactical realism. Mitchell countered by leaking his own report that extolled the value of air power over sea craft. This friction led Mitchell into frustration with higher