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Thomas DeWitt Milling | |
|---|---|
 Thomas DeWitt Milling as a colonel | |
| Born | (1887-07-31)July 31, 1887 Winnfield, Louisiana |
| Died | November 26, 1960(1960-11-26) (aged 73) Walter Reed Hospital |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1909–1933 1942–1946 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Battles / wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Officer of the Order of the British Empire Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium) Legion d'Honneur (France) |
Thomas DeWitt Milling (July 31, 1887 – November 26, 1960) was a pioneer of military aviation and abrigadier general in theU.S. Army Air Corps. He was the firstrated pilot in the history of theUnited States Air Force.
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He received his flight training from theWright Brothers and was awardedFédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) pilot certificate No. 30 on July 6, 1911. Although Milling was not the first U.S. Army aviator, he was the first to receive Military Aviator Certificate No. 1 on July 5, 1912. Milling also received the first badge awarded to an American military aviator in October 1913.
Milling was born toJudge Robert E. Milling and the former Ida Roberts inWinnfield, Louisiana, the seat ofWinn Parish, and attended public schools inFranklin, the seat ofSt. Mary Parish. He was appointed acadet in theUnited States Military Academy on June 15, 1905. He graduated on June 11, 1909, with the degree ofBachelor of Science and commissioned asecond lieutenant,Cavalry.
Milling reported to the 15th Cavalry atFort Leavenworth,Kansas, in September 1909 but his tour of duty was cut short whenWar Department Special Order 95, dated April 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 theNational Museum of the United States Air Force, Centenniel of Flight exhibition)
Milling began his training on May 3, 1911, under the tutelage of Wright instructorCliff Turpin. However the next day Orville Wright took an interest in Milling and went up with him. On May 8, after just one hour and fifty-four minutes of flying time, Wright authorized Milling to go up alone, and he made his first solo flight. Milling landed in an unorthodox downward spiral, alarming onlookers that included Wright, Turpin, and Arnold, but appeared in control the entire time, and the Wrights included a modified maneuver in future instruction. 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 toCollege Park, Maryland, detailed to theAeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps to instruct the commander of the division flight school, CaptainCharles DeForest Chandler, who had only balloon experience, and his adjutant, 1st Lt.Roy C. Kirtland, in operating the Wright airplane. The school officially opened on July 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 byGlenn 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 fromBoston, 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 B 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 firstMilitary Aviator rating authorized by the War Department. On May 2, 1913, he was recognized by General Order 39 as one of the original 24 military aviators, and on October 15, 1913, he and Chandler received the first badges awarded to wear on the uniform.
In 1915, he andByron Q. Jones were the first army aviators to perform an aerial combat reconnaissance mission.[1]
Milling's instructor assignments included the Signals Corps Aviation School atAugusta, 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 August 1914, Milling accompanied the U.S. Relief Commission to Europe to assist in the repatriation of Americans stranded in war-torn Europe. In March 1916, he was again detailed to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer and promoted twice (to captain July 31, 1916, and tolieutenant colonel August 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 theCommand 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 theColoradoNational Guard inDenver, Colorado to serve as an Air Corps instructor. In September 1931, he served briefly atRockwell Air Depot, California, then was admitted toFitzsimons General Hospital inAurora, Colorado, where he was a patient from October 1931 to July 31, 1933, when he retired from active duty due to poor health.
DuringWorld War II, Milling was recalled to active duty as amajor on March 16, 1942, to serve on the War Department Decorations Board in Washington, D.C., and was promoted to lieutenant colonel April 27, 1942, and to colonel September 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 atWalter Reed General Hospital on November 26, 1960.[2] Although Milling never actively served as a general officer, he was advanced on the retired list to the rank ofbrigadier general, with his date of rank retroactive to June 13, 1940.
General Milling has been awarded a number of decorations, including theDistinguished Service Medal;Legion of Merit; Most ExcellentOrder of the British Empire, degree of Honorary Officer; Officer of theOrder of Leopold (Belgium); FrenchLegion d'Honneur (Chevalier).
Milling was also a member of theEarly Birds of Aviation, a celebrated group of fliers who soloed before December 17, 1916.
