General William Mitchell

A strong believer in air power as the key to national defense, William “Billy” Mitchell rose to the rank of general in the U.S. Army. Grandson of Alexander Mitchell, he advocated creation of a department of National Defense, developed the first system of air routes across the U.S. and demonstrated the superiority of air power over sea power. Court martialed for condemning U.S. unpreparedness in military aviation, Mitchell was later recognized by Congress for his “outstanding pioneer service and foresight in the field of American military aviation”. Milwaukee’s international airport carries his name.