The Billy Mitchell Court-Martial
Courtroom sketches from aviation's Trial of the Century.
- By Rebecca Maksel
- Air & Space magazine, July 2009
“I am here to tell the truth,” Colonel Billy Mitchell told cheering American Legionnaires upon his arrival in Washington, D.C.
NASM (9A06569-P)
(Page 2 of 2)
Public opinion was for Mitchell, a dashing war hero and unreserved advocate of air power, and stacks of letters poured in. (Mitchell’s wife, Betty, would answer them during courtroom breaks.) Near Thanksgiving a group of Texas cowboys sent a live turkey for the colonel’s holiday dinner and, reported the Washington Herald, offered their services: “If the bunch of us could do any good by standing back of you with Winchesters while you are telling the court about the negligence in the Air Service, we would like to be called as witnesses or guards.”
But the public’s enthusiasm did little good. The defense called 41 witnesses in an attempt to prove that by speaking out, Mitchell hoped to correct the Air Service’s problems. The prosecution, on the other hand, didn’t care if Mitchell’s remarks were truthful or not. They were trying him for insubordination. Because of Mitchell’s high profile and public support, the generals let the defense present its evidence. But their view of Mitchell didn’t change.
In his concluding remarks, Major Allen Gullion, the judge advocate, took a swipe at Mitchell: “Is such a man a safe guide? Is he a constructive person or is he a loose talking imaginative megalomaniac?... Is this man a Moses, fitted to lead the people out of a wilderness?... Is he not rather the all too familiar charlatan and demagogue type...and except for a decided difference in poise and mental powers in Burr’s favor, like Aaron Burr?”
After more than seven weeks of testimony and 99 witnesses, the court-martial came to a close. In a secret ballot, the court sentenced Mitchell to a suspension from rank, command, and duty, with forfeiture of all pay for five years. “The Court is thus lenient because of the military record of the Accused during the World War,” the generals wrote.
Unwilling to accept the verdict, Mitchell resigned as an officer in the U.S. Army on February 1, 1926.
Rebecca Maksel is an Air & Space associate editor.
Comments (9)
I like reading your stories a lot. One unquie thing about this incident was that in 1942, Billy was cleared of the charges and posthumously promoted to Major General.
Posted by Joseph Randall on May 21,2009 | 09:23 PM
Can you give me all the info on what billy mitchell said about the bombing of pearl harbor, the time , the date, how it was going to happen. EDITORS' REPLY: We aren't able to conduct research for individual reader inquiries. Perhaps a reader can help you out.
Posted by dale trujillo on January 27,2010 | 05:09 PM
Mr Randall,
Mitchell was NOT cleared of the single charge of which he had been convicted (insubordination). The request was made in the 1950s by his son and the US Air Force would not clear him. Probably because it had been a fair trial and he really was guilty.
Posted by Gary Null on February 23,2010 | 07:10 PM
We have a member of my wife's family who has told us that a gentleman by the name of Hornstein was one of Mitchell's defense team of attorneys. This relative that is relating the story to us & has shown us photos and a letter addressed by Mitchell to him. We have not been able to validate this piece of information because we are unable to research the names of the Mitchell defense team. Unfortunately, this relative (a WW II combat pilot) is not in the best of health. We would love to have an opportunity to validate this information if it is at all possible and pass it on to the rest of the family.
Posted by tom mazzoli on September 8,2010 | 11:10 PM
With regard to the question about Mitchell's prediction of the attack Pearl Harbor, Mitchell said (in l925) that "one fine Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m." Japanese planes would attack Pearl Harbor. Although the attack began at 7:55 a.m., the first Japanese planes actually arrived at 7:30 but waited for the rest before beginning the attack. Mitchell also predicted the attack on Clark Field in the Phillipines, saying the Japanese would attack at 10:30 a.m. The Japanese actually did plan to attack at 10:30 but were delayed two hours by weather.
Posted by Stefan Schreier on June 8,2011 | 09:20 PM
Billy Mitchell was correct in his predictions of the sneak attack on Pearl Haarbor, December 7, 1941 by the Japanese, who were allegedly our "friends" at the time. Mitchell refused the order to "apologize" stating he would not apologize for telling the truth. Seems to me a young Major ram-rodded to hang him (Douglas MacArthur) ironic. Next time you're in DC admiring the beautiful cherry trees along the Tidal Basin; remember they were a gift from our "friends" the Japanese. Worse yet; our President FDR had word of the attack & said nothing. Politics as usual. It was also the Smithsonian who was against restoration of the "Enola Gay" the B-29 that dropped the first Atomic Bomb to end the war & save many American lives. That was the year I canceled my Smithsonian memberships. Looks like the Socialists are still running Smithsonian. Of course this won't see print because truth is not tollerated. Next year, real Americans will take our country back.
Posted by Howard Ballou on October 22,2011 | 02:08 PM
Oliver Stone's documentary The Untold History of the U.S., explains well why the nuclear bombing of Japan was unnecessary.
Here's what the generals of the time and other leading citizens said about it:
http://www.doug-long.com/quotes.htm
Posted by John Mitchell on January 6,2013 | 04:21 PM
Mr. Randall is just full of it, He knows just enough about General Billy Mitchell to be dangerous and doesn`t even realize what the mans action did for America`s future in air power.
Posted by ivey o hillis on March 4,2013 | 01:53 PM