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Billy Mitchell's Impact On Airpower And Leadership

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THE IMPACT ON AIRPOWER AND LEADERSHIP

OF

BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM L MITCHELL

While General William “Billy” Mitchell is known as one of the most controversial figures in the history of air power, the United States Air Force would arguably not have existed if it were not for him. The purpose of this background paper is to analyse the impact on airpower and leadership of Billy Mitchell. This paper will outline information on his early life, his role in World War I, his visions for airpower, his court martial, and finally the legacy he left behind.

Born in Nice, France in 1879, Mitchell was the son of a Wisconsin senator and the grandson of a wealthy railroad owner. He joined the Army as a private during the Spanish-American war and was able to quickly climb the ranks into officership due to his father’s influence. He eventually oversaw telegraph lines in Alaska where he began to understand the importance of airpower. Being fortunate enough to witness Wilbur and Orville fly the world’s successful aircraft, Mitchell took initiative to take flying lessons, leading him on the track to become one of the first few experts in military aviation. …show more content…

Having seen and fought in the trenches, Mitchell realized that there had to be a better place to fight. That place was in the air. He quickly climbed the ranks and began to be well known for his zealous and tireless leadership style. Influenced by the ideas of British General Hugh “Boom” Trenchard, head of the Royal Flying Corps, Mitchell planned and lead one of the first coordinated air-ground offensives in history. This earned him the temporary rank of Brigadier General, and he eventually ended the war as Chief of Air

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