- Thomas DeWitt Milling
Infobox Military Person
name=Thomas DeWitt Milling
born= 1887
died= death year and age|1960|1887
placeofbirth= Winfield,Louisiana
placeofdeath=Walter Reed Hospital
placeofburial=
caption=Thomas DeWitt Milling as a young officer
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=1909-1933 1942-1946
rank=
commands=
unit=
battles=World War I World War II
awards=Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Officer of the Order of the British Empire Officer of the Order of Leopold (BelgiumLegion d'Honneur (France)
relations=
laterwork=Thomas DeWitt Milling (
July 31 ,1887 -November 26 ,1960 ) was a pioneer of military aviation and a brigadier general in theU.S. Army Air Corps . He was the first rated pilot in the history of theUnited States Air Force .He received his flight training from the
Wright Brothers and was awardedFédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) pilot certificate No. 30 onJuly 6 ,1911 . Although Milling was not the first U.S. Army aviator, he was the first to be rated according to FAI rules and received Military Aviator Certificate No. 1 onJuly 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, the seat ofWinn Parish , and attended public schools in Franklin, the seat ofSt. Mary Parish . He was appointed acadet in theUnited States Military Academy onJune 15 ,1905 . He and graduated onJune 11 ,1909 , with the degree ofbachelor 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, datedApril 21 ,1911 , assigned Milling and 2d Lt.Henry H. Arnold to "aeronautical duty with the Signal Corps," and instructed them to "proceed toDayton, 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, and onMay 8 , after just one hour and fifty-four minutes of flying time, made his first solo flight. 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 theAeronautical 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 S. Kirtland , in operating the Wright airplane. The school officially opened onJuly 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 atFort 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 toNashua, New Hampshire toWorcester, Massachusetts toProvidence, 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 aWright 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. OnMay 2 ,1913 , he wwas recognized by General Order 39 as one of the original 24 military aviators, and onOctober 15 ,1913 , he and Chandler received the first badges awarded to wear on the uniform.Career assignments
Milling's instructor assignments included the Signals Corps Aviation School at
Augusta, Georgia ; training atTexas City ,Texas , in anticipation of war withMexico ; andSan Diego ,California , until July 1913. After duty with the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army inWashington, 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, atGalveston, Texas , and San Diego. In March 1916, he was again detailed to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer and promoted twice (to captainJuly 31 ,1916 and to lieutenant colonelAugust 5 ,1917 ). In August 1917, he was placed in charge of Air Service Training in Europe, and in October 1918 succeededBilly Mitchell as chief of the Air Service of theU.S. First Army ,American Expeditionary Force , and promoted tocolonel .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 theColorado National Guard inDenver, 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 toJuly 31 ,1933 , when he retired from active duty due to poor health.World War II service
During the
Second World War , Milling was recalled to active duty as a major onMarch 16 ,1942 to serve on the War Department Decorations Board in Washington, D.C., and was promoted to lieutenant colonelApril 27 , 1942, and to colonelSeptember 24 , 1942. In December 1942, he served as the air representative on theUnited 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 toJune 13 ,1940 .General Milling has been awarded a number of decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal;
Legion of Merit ; Most ExcellentOrder of the British Empire , degree of Honorary Officer; Officer of theOrder of Leopold (Belgian); FrenchLegion d'Honneur (Chevalier).Milling was also a member of the Early Birds, a celebrated group of fliers who soloed before
December 17 ,1916 .Additional sources
*Thomas DeWitt Milling Document Collection, Biographical Note; Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Archives
*Coffey, Thomas M., "H
*Nalty, Bernard C., editor, "Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force" (1997), ISBN 0-16-049009-XExternal links
*http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/preww1/cof-2.htm
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