september november general officer world war later united_states_air_force advocate doctrine strategic bombardment chief architects concept daylight precision bombing governed use war played key largely role strategic planning air operations united_states included drafting strategic air war plans plan europe obtaining base operations command structure global strategic air force forerunner precision air attack humane effective means achieving military success lifelong personal crusade eventually key american employment held combat commands war carrying plans doctrines helped draft pioneered strategic bombardment germany japan commander flying fortress combat wing europe commander force childhood born virginia september son lieutenant later colonel army surgeon considered members southern aristocracy georgia great great great grandfather served american revolution great great grandfather officer war great grandfather general georgia adjutant general grandfather graduated served officer 35th alabama engineer shortly birth family stationed beijing china philippines learned chinese spanish early age captain stationed fort georgia fort father firm sent live small family owned ranch new_mexico perceived lack discipline schooling learned shooting studied tutor education entered near tennessee acquired lifelong nickname biographers offer number explanations nickname likely facial features gave appearance developed fondness english literature senior rose cadet captain developed reputation combined excessive number acquired school temporarily jacksonville florida following fire led reduction cadet private partly result humiliation declined appointment attend member despite problems understanding differential twice attempting transfer school father permit overcame difficulties complex mathematics graduated bachelor science degree mechanical engineering participated varsity football walk substitute boxing awarded highest individual recognition membership attempted success find employment civil engineer california father stationed instead worked apprentice berkeley california advances aviation 1920s led undertake career engineering gain flying experience decided join personality family short stature slightly built worked athlete proficient tennis polo socially noted dancer acquired reputation unofficial poet fond gilbert sullivan shakespeare general described nervous high biographer noted incidents temper social situations correspondence secretary world war sgt described pleasant diplomatic aviation historian described forward looking sense humor stationed field virginia met wife rogers teacher texas married fathered children son tony born daughter son frequent long working hours nature severely stressed marriage world war remained married years death eldest son continued family military tradition graduating colonel united_states_air_force marrying daughter general career pursuit pilot february appointed flying cadet completed primary basic flying schools march field california advanced flight training pursuit flying kelly field texas graduated pilot training february commissioned second lieutenant received regular commission second lieutenant duty assignment field testing repaired aircraft june spent months temporary duty 6th field artillery fort maryland september returned field detached armament officer stationed involved minor accidents aircraft early forced parachute safety stalled test flight going spin found fault accident initially charged expense aircraft cost eventually written august transferred alabama assistant operations officer flying duties 54th school squadron support acts located july tour duty met captain instructor joined men flying demonstration team team performed cleveland ohio september worked captain chief bombardment section military interest shifted pursuits bombers friendship developed working relationship led george mentor patron disciple strategic promoted lieutenant october entered student comprehensive hour week course studying air tactics theory comprised half curriculum tactics services combined joint warfare armament gunnery logistics navigation staff duties photography combat orders defenses instructors captain george director strategy george classes half lecture half free discussion george assistant moon theories having students critically examine flaws alternative ideas debates continued classroom making members class majors captains including second lieutenant addition officers army officers service combat arms mexican captain marine_corps including future major generals classmates future generals test pilot aviation pioneer major corporal june certified enlisted military pilot graduated june invited instructor acts class acts instructors youngest history served faculty important air force section george major strategic bombing advocate lastly member group known bomber mafia acts instructors outspoken proponents doctrine daylight precision strategic bombardment advocates independent air_force students instructed general officers strategic advocates world war time permanent falling tried recruit china fly fighters government september lieutenant entered command kansas graduated june shortly promotion captain assigned office chief general working series assignments arnold assembled plan execute massive expansion duty july september assistant executive officer september november november created major officer charge november june chief operations planning branch foreign intelligence section july june promoted major march responsible setting strategic air intelligence analysis operations creating sections analysis foreign air forces doctrines analysis airfields worldwide including climate data preparation target selection major foreign powers work accomplished despite office felt analysis proper military intelligence development sources information analyses primitive assignment recruit number civilian economic experts recently commissioned military created contacts royal_air_force officers stationed washington enhance sources july went london england special observer attached military inner workings raf intelligence target german industrial infrastructure memoir stated exchange information received nearly ton material shipped united_states bomber july returned london recruited join air war plans division newly created air staff washington chief european branch strategic planning team bomber mafia members george chief col estimate president numbers aircraft personnel needed win war axis powers scope requested war plans division general staff responsibility plan designated information german targets arnold given george days write plan annex victory program plan strategic estimates involving entire military beginning august drew plan accordance strategic policies earlier year outlined agreement rainbow war plan group completed allotted days carefully rehearsed presentation army general staff forecast figures despite planning errors lack accurate information weather german economic commitment war percent units percent personnel ultimately mobilized accurately predicted time frame invasion europe allies place contribution plan based flaw observers assumed nazi economy working maximum capacity fact levels production error led numbers sorties bomb time required bombing decisive effect significant error planning omission long range fighter escorts bombers seriously impacted strategic bombing campaign later took place deeply regretted omission noted reflected best available information time fighter aircraft capabilities means available extend range seriously fighter air combat performance wrote failure issue proved major shortcomings lack knowledge capability radar create effective centralized early warning system contributed reliance self defense capabilities bombers argued ignorance radar long run radar factor making doctrine reasoned defenses strategic air attacks costly entirely suppressing concepts proved decisive world war essential creation united_states_air_force world war service planning duties following entry united_states world war received rapid series promotions lieutenant colonel january colonel march brigadier general august january assisted george walker presenting organizational plan maintaining army world war dividing army autonomous branches reorganization adopted march creation march transferred strategy war department general staff served member representative request assigned july officer charge air section headquarters simultaneously deputy theater air officer major general commander duties mold opinion use guided little indication succeeded flew combat gain hand experience daylight precision bombing attacking yard france august mission developed hands spent days recovering effects august recalled headquarters head planning team revision air strategy plan light ongoing crises war completing days navy rejected plan outright participate writing accept presidential advisor recommended roosevelt follow unofficially returned england ironically tasked large portion strategic bomber force support combat wing commander europe december received combat command 3rd bombardment wing originally wings 3rd england planned martin unit mission supporting eighth heavy bomber operations bombing luftwaffe fighter airfields wing aircraft units assigned january shifted command 1st component flew mission new command day bomb submarine saint france saw hand effectiveness german bomber shot later month january mission france pilot flew killed action plane nearly shot commanded 1st wing critical months force inexperienced groups struggled prove combat doctrines developed approved use defensive combat box formation detailed mission aircraft bombing lead bomber designed improve bombing accuracy recognized flaws daylight precision bombardment theory radar early warning lack long range escort fighters deep penetration raids bombers costly achieve strategic goals means air superiority attained german industry fragile fixed proved mobile factors later influenced planning similar daylight raids japan march headed committee raf commanders draw plan despite fact altered target system priorities outlined changed overall goal offensive knocking germany war preparing invasion europe approved designation german aircraft industry important target destruction priority wrote final draft plan personally participate later strategic bombing operations germany instrumental setting motion plans policies led near total destruction german war industry continued fly combat missions rate group commanders final mission antwerp date approved plan june noting signs fatigue stress decided replace command 1st wing veteran commander brigadier general retained staff officer air chief staff supreme commander headquarters august named deputy commander oversaw planning operation tidal wave low level bombing oil romania august recommended approval mission washington task captured arnold accompanied quadrant conference august personally president roosevelt strategic bombing point operations planning october general appointed chief combined chief plans located headquarters immediately impact planning strategic air attacks japan draft outline strategic bombing declared invasion home islands means defeating japan successfully argued invasion bombing sea blockade japan failed surrender accompanied president roosevelt joint chiefs aboard uss iowa conference november appointed deputy chief air staff december working directly arnold main responsibility developing operational plans succeeded gaining key decisions diversion general schedule moved forward year secure bases operations entirely independent control pacific theater commanders reporting directly drew tactical doctrine table organization equipment commanded arnold personally including use staff twentieth addition duties chief staff april arnold heart attack acted facto commander commander august arnold commander despite senior leaders superb staff officer temperament combat commander aware legendary deputy commander general doubtful accomplish task given setting effective air campaign brief period aircraft obtained commitment arnold relieve months tenure threatened start replacement air staff support concept daylight precision bombing instead advocating massive destruction japanese cities tactic promoted planning circles early november fire raids japan rapidly gaining widespread acceptance leaders including arnold defeat japan invasion mounted satisfy perception american public wanted revenge bloody years war opposed tactic morally militarily unnecessary arrived october start host command problems worst continued problems delivery aircraft high altitude formation flying primitive airfield conditions lack air service command logistical support repair depots total absence target intelligence internal resistance daylight operations sole combat wing subordinates lobbied removal rank dealing commanders theater furthermore soon prohibited flying combat missions command possibly limited knowledge atomic bomb perception knew existence ultra high altitude daylight raids japanese aircraft industry began november operation san_antonio despite high losses combat crews arnold hampered bad weather jet stream winds result appeared pressured arnold results subjected command intensive measures caused resentment time commanders china strongly recommending removal theater soon possible making superior rank available command january visited headquarters abruptly relieved command replacing offered option commanding transitioned guam deputy friends subordinate england declined offer command problems relief main reasons persistence daylight precision attacks reluctance night view attacks perception public relations effort unsatisfactory preparing american public attacks left guam january unknown time precision daylight attacks succeeded japan immediate inefficient aircraft engine industry later terms actual destruction caused final raid command immediate legacy command creation conjunction effective air sea rescue system saved half crews downed sea impact strategic doctrine outlined alternate strategy defeating japan precision bombing basis believed succeeded november need area bombing atomic bomb find fault strategy premise fire bombing necessary japan defeated invasion home islands historian concluded case presented powerful arnold changing strategy especially taking account deep american people strategic bombing sorts consequence historian biographer concluded sacrificed command force later career principle idea precision area bombing moral effective strategy dismissal argues pivotal event doctrine air_force moved strategy bombing civilian populations led increasing dependence potentially devastating doctrine nuclear warfare lasted decades took somewhat different stance arguing despite campaign japan american air commanders world war placed emphasis precision bombing avoiding civilian casualties use precision guided weapons gulf war wrote demonstrated continued adherence precision bombing doctrine significant progress ideal envisioned theory precision air attack life particularly authored books air strategy air war plan defeated hitler strategic air war japan strategic air war germany japan memoir continued study modern weapons systems advocate strategic defense initiative spirit bomber main focus promoting technical advances precision guided weapons precision bombing practical desirable military strategy retirement following removal command guam request received training assignment february command 38th flying training wing williams field arizona june transferred old mentor lieutenant general commanding florida september january field massachusetts july august took early retirement loss hearing disability retiring rank brigadier general december held positions vice president peru airline vice president recall military recalled active duty july air_force chief staff assigned chief military assistance program headquarters acting senior program manager advisor september promoted major general april appointed senior air_force representative secretary defense washington retired second time worked general_electric head subsidiary netherlands retired south_carolina died november heart failure preparing leave lecture canada interred military honors
Haywood S. Hansell