Mason Patrick and the Fight for Air Service Independence

x, 186, [4] pages. Illustrations. Notes. Tabular Data. Bibliography. Index. In this assessment of Mason Patrick's aviation career, Robert P. White credits Patrick, and not his controversial deputy, Billy Mitchell, with ensuring the survival of the Air Service at a time when it faced critical internal and external pressures. He functioned as the true leader of the Air Service, expertly maneuvering behind the scenes and in selected public forums to ultimately ensure the creation of the Air Corps. Robert P. White (born August 24, 1963) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who last served as commander of Fort Hood, Texas, and as the 61st Commanding General of III Armored Corps. Over 90,000 soldiers were under his command. From September 2019 to September 2020, he also served as commander of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR). Mason Mathews Patrick (December 13, 1863 January 29, 1942) was a general officer in the United States Army who led the United States Army Air Service during and after World War I and became the first Chief of the Army Air Corps when it was created on July 2, 1926. He was born and educated in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and at age 18 entered U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he finished second in his class. Early in his career, he served as chief engineer for the Army of Cuban Pacification and 1st U.S. Army Engineers on the U.S.-Mexico border. He served in France during World War I and was appointed Chief of Air Service by General Pershing in May 1918. In 1926, Patrick drafted and proposed the Air Corps Act (44 Stat. 780) to the Military Affairs Committee of the Congress. The act created the United States Army Air Corps from the existing Air Service. Patrick served as commander of the Air Corps until his retirement in 1927. In May 1918, Patrick was appointed by his classmate General John J. Pershing to command the combined Air Service, and subsequently promoted to temporary major general in June. Patrick replaced general Benjamin Foulois as commander, as Pershing had felt staff planning under Foulois had been inefficient, with considerable internal friction as well as conflict between its members and those of Pershing's General Staff. Considerable house-cleaning of the existing staff resulted from Patrick's appointment, bringing in experienced staff officers to administrate, and tightening up lines of communication. Patrick oversaw the organization of 28 air squadrons for the battle, with the French, British, and Italians contributing additional units to bring the total force numbers to 701 pursuit planes, 366 observation planes, 323 day bombers, and 91 night bombers. The 1,481 total aircraft made it the largest air operation of the war. Patrick remained with the Air Service until June 1919. Patrick was again appointed Chief of the Air Service on October 5, 1921 with the permanent rank of major general. Under Patrick's direction, the Air Service established experimental facilities at Wright Field, Ohio, and a large training facility at San Antonio, Texas. It was here in 1922 that he learned how to fly, receiving the rating of Junior Airplane Pilot at the age of 59 years. This was a requirement of his position as Chief of the Air Service, as Air Service officers holding command positions were required by the National Defense Act of 1920 to be rated pilots. At this time Patrick began having an increasingly difficult time managing his Assistant Chief of Air Service, Billy Mitchell. Patrick made it clear to Mitchell that although he would accept Mitchell's expertise as counsel, all decisions would be made by Patrick. Mitchell, however, began fervently pushing his personal agenda for air power independence by breaking chain of command and speaking directly with the press. Patrick assigned him to an inspection tour of Europe with Alfred V. Verville and Lt. Clayton Bissell that lasted over the winter of 192122. At this time Patrick displayed a concern for militar.…