august august general world war best known commander position held august enlisted flying cadet aviation section served western squadron awarded actions fought german fighters shot hostilities ended participated occupation returning united_states flew reconnaissance missions border mexico mexican revolution commissioned attended later instructor responsible acceptance bombers built curtis test flew developed techniques mounting caliber machine guns wings aircraft early assistant military air france result observations german allied air operations early stages world war recommended significant changes equipment tactics july assumed command general command developed innovative command structures weapons tactics reflected orientation attack aviation new weapons tactics won greatest victory march june appointed commander came include fifth thirteenth april commander newly formed sac performance role criticized shifted commander position held october retirement air_force september early life born nova_scotia canada august summer vacation taken parents avoid humidity boston area oldest children carpenter wife née churchill grew massachusetts graduated later year entered mit pursued course civil engineering father left family quit mit took jobs surveyor mother died returned boston took job joined new_york civil engineer building bridge connecticut completed formed partnership high school classmate firm involved number projects including construction massachusetts bridge world war united_states entered world war april enlisted flying cadet aviation section june attended ground school mit june july received primary flight training field new_york commissioned lieutenant november departed france soon received flight training ended february assigned squadron squadron flew reconnaissance crashed takeoff march broke ankle hand earned nickname bust george injuries soon healed recorded mission june flew aircraft mission near september attacked german scouts observer shot credited aerial victory awarded second victory followed similar circumstances october flying near support offensive formation flying attacked german fighters time awarded presented january citation read extraordinary heroism action near france october officer gave proof bravery devotion duty attacked superior number aircraft accepted combat destroyed plane drove notwithstanding enemy returned attacked strong numbers continued mission enabled observer secure information great military value remained time allied occupation forces germany promoted captain march returned united_states june sent kelly field near san_antonio texas texas commander 8th squadron flew reconnaissance missions border mexico mexican revolution poor aircraft maintenance rough landing strips bad weather led squadron losing aircraft year wars applied number commissions offered war commissioned captain july hospital texas recovering aviation accident met nurse daughter mobile alabama contractor married mobile october twins warned doctor danger pregnancy strongly wished child couple living long_island new_york son born died soon afterward complications arranged infant cared neighbor nurse june married home town july november air detachment commander camp kentucky student near motor company new_york responsible acceptance bombers ordered curtis inspected aircraft test flew reduced rank captain lieutenant november common occurrence aftermath world war wartime army returned developed techniques mounting caliber machine guns wings promoted captain november daughter born june student field virginia advanced training school attended command kansas army advanced school officers taught handle large formations commanders staff officers officers including considered course largely irrelevant waste time nonetheless promotion ground oriented army returned instructor taught classes attack aviation particularly interested low level attacks means improving accuracy tactical problems low flying aircraft vulnerable ground fire technical problems solved aircraft struck bomb fragments interest attack aviation ultimately set apart strategic bombardment came dominate thinking reached pinnacle professional education september entered war college committees students studied number world war battles committee examined second battle lakes updated actual war plans study group working war plan orange write individual paper wrote proper composition air force benefit brought officers contact ground officers later work closely members class included worked committees graduation normally followed staff posting graduation june assistant major major general performed duties including translating article italian air power theorist english involved drafting legislation granted greater degree independence legislation prompted army create centralized air force level command headed aviator answering directly army chief staff lieutenant colonel chosen command selected assistant chief staff plans training role promoted temporary rank lieutenant colonel march major involved debate army general staff desire purchase bombers caught bureaucratic battle major general oscar chief control result transferred georgia june temporary rank major teach tactics young infantry officers promoted substantive rank major october assignment hardly choice officer september accepted offer command observation squadron mitchell field new_york world war chief production engineering section wright field ohio sent france early temporary rank lieutenant colonel air mission observe allied air operations early stages world war result observations recommended important changes equipment tactics including upgrading armament caliber caliber machine guns installing leak proof fuel tanks scathing comparisons upset officers resulted sent wright field january commander rank brigadier general promoted major general march commander fourth air force air defense training organization based san_francisco personally instructed pilots handle lockheed lightning hudson july received orders general dissatisfied performance air commander lieutenant general major general turned job offered choice major general chose reported brisbane july treated lecture approximately hour shortcomings air_force general particular felt understand air operations recognized needed establish good working relationship asked authority send people considered home superiors washington refused enthusiastically approved building good relationship meant getting past chief staff advised showdown early game clarify entire atmosphere civil pilot license taken issuing detailed instructions simply turf battle airmen ongoing battle independent air force long advocating point drew dot plain page paper told dot represents know air operations entire rest paper know backed henceforth let run interference follow invariably accept advice sent home australia found talented recently arrived brigadier generals reorganized command august appointed commander walker commander composed royal_australian_air_force raaf personnel moved separate brigadier general arrived september replaced air vice marshal chief staff took newly created brought conflict chief air staff raaf air vice marshal felt opportunity lost administration raaf preferred command regarded jones happy leave arrangements way normal structure air force creating advanced new headquarters authority change assignments aircraft forward area fast changing weather enemy action overtake orders drawn australia promoted lieutenant general october experience world war great deal respect japanese fighters decided conserve bombers concentrate attaining air superiority new_guinea switched bombers attacking night fighter escorts provided low priority simply afford replace losses costly daylight missions needed effective long range fighter hoped lockheed lightning fit bill ones delivered plagued technical problems teach pilots extend range aircraft promising theater war strategic bomber bombers day range reach japan australia typical strategic targets theater oil set clash attack aviator walker bomber advocate long standing tactic attacking shipping called large formations high altitude bombers sufficient mass theory went bombers ship walls bombs effective range ship anti aircraft fire theoretical mass required orders magnitude greater available dozen bombers owing small number aircraft theater difficulties keeping results generally ineffective operations incurred heavy casualties walker resisted proposals bombers conduct attacks low level bombs armed ordered walker try couple months data gained effectiveness weeks later discovered walker discontinued use november arranged demonstration attack ship sunk port target practice attack walker took boat wreck inspect damage expected bombs dropped hit stationary wreck detonated bombs struck water bomb fragments torn holes sides ship walker reluctantly conceded point weeks later walker shot leading daylight raid attack ordered conducted night addition trying different types ordnance experimented modifications aircraft major modified havoc light bombers installing machine guns imp gal fuel tanks added aircraft range successful attempt create longer range attack aircraft thing mitchell medium bomber operate commerce destroyer proved somewhat difficult resulting aircraft obviously nose heavy despite adding lead ballast tail vibrations caused firing machine guns pop skin aircraft tail guns belly turrets removed little use aircraft flying low adopted innovative tactics february raaf began experimenting skip bombing anti shipping technique british germans flying dozen feet sea targets aircraft release bombs surface water explode target ship similar technique mast height bombing bombers approach target low altitude feet miles hour drop mast height feet yards target release bombs yards aiming directly ship techniques mutually exclusive bomber drop bombs launching second mast height battle sea demonstrated effectiveness low level attacks shipping form employed air transport started september troops australia port later campaign landed australian troops year later american landed enabling australian 7th division flown ultimate challenge integrate air power strategy described process way step advancement bomber line gain maintain air control far enemy territory longest range fighters reach air blockade positions section coast want order stop getting supplies reinforcements bombers work defensive system taking artillery positions stores areas finally comes air cover escorting amphibious expedition landing beach minute blasting smoking enemy beach defenses maintenance fighters overhead surface forces secured emergency supplies needed drop parachute ground troops transport field ready fast possible supplement boat supply cargo carrying necessary evacuate wounded sick bring reinforcements hurry transport field fighter field finally arrive time forward june appointed commander came include fifth thirteenth created 1st 2nd control air operations forward areas specific mission departure doctrine enthusiastic innovation washington like objections converted air task forces bombardment wings promoted general march hoped boeing assigned based airfields near darwin destroy japanese staff washington war strategic bombing survey concluded far productive operation saw based china bomb steel plants japan oil critical japanese war effort steel war crimes accusation march battle sea general ordered allied patrol boats aircraft attack japanese rescue vessels survivors sunken vessels life swimming floating sea later justified grounds rescued servicemen rapidly landed military destination promptly returned active service orders violated banned killing survivors circumstances post war career april commander newly formed sac encouraged secretary join political battle surrounding establishment independent united_states_air_force separately men gave promotional speeches country result sac efficiency suffered publicly presented medal honor family second highest scoring fighter pilot killed action left day day operations sac hands deputy commander reason lack focus sac assignment representative appeared time potentially important assignment january replaced major general serving officially deputy actually command cross training program implemented early teach bomber crew members tasks goal reduce bomber contingent officers morale suffered result major general responsible reporting readiness american secretary defense heard unhappy airmen sac poor state readiness initiated investigation selected perform inquiry told found sac knew job said cross training program seriously interfered training primary mission spoke crowd maine telling likely attacked soviet_union soon atomic bombs washington group senators including complained speech previous ones vein saying matters foreign policy left president secretary state leaders united_states_air_force controversy embroiled concerned impressed expensive performing aircraft preferring boeing upgraded version instead credibility appreciate context june air_force chief staff general met report poor state sac following meeting recommended replace quickly agreed choosing lieutenant general curtis man prefer lead strategic bombing arm case war ussr leader sac commander position held october retirement air_force september retirement retirement lived florida appeared host anthology series flight died august books wrote books air campaigns led world war major work general personal history air war led wrote saga ace aces described careers prominent airmen command family survived children granddaughter rose rank colonel daughter julia earned english chapel hill married fighter pilot world war later korea eventually retired rank lieutenant colonel awards career spanned years awarded oak leaf cluster oak leaf cluster silver star medal bronze star medal purple heart foreign decorations
George Kenney