Major-General (later demoted, see below) William Mitchell
In 1898, at the age of 18, Mitchell enlisted as a private in the First Wisconsin Infantry. The Spanish American War had broken out and he served on the staff of General Fitzhugh Lee, and in the Philippines Insurrection in 1899 with General MacArthur. In 1901 - 1903 he was given the task of completing the telegraph lines in Alaska. Thereafter, he devoted himself to developing the Army's first radio and automobile equipment. In 1904, when only 24, he became an Instructor at the Staff College at Fort Leavenworth.
After a distinguished career, and graduating himself at the Army Staff College, in 1917 when war was declared by the U.S.A., he went to Paris and joined General Petain. Thereafter, he held all positions in the U.S. Air Service until he commanded all the American air forces in Europe.
After the war, he became an outspoken critic of U.S. military policy and as a result was demoted to his permanent rank of Colonel. However, in the Second World War he became an even more charismatic airman, but that is not relevant here.
