[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 4, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4841-S4842]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SUNUNU (for himself, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Warner, and Mr. 
        Gregg):
  S. 2380. A bill to authorize the President to issue posthumously to 
the late William ``Billy'' Mitchell a commission as major general, 
United States Army; to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to honor one 
of the Nation's great military visionaries, the late William ``Billy'' 
Mitchell. My legislation would correct an injustice that has existed 
for almost eight decades by calling on the President to posthumously 
award Billy Mitchell a commission as major general in the United States 
Army.
  I would like to first recognize the support this measure has received 
from the Senator from Alaska, Mr. Stevens, the Chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Defense 
Appropriations, the Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, the Chairman of 
the Armed Services Committee, and the Senator from New Hampshire, Mr. 
Gregg, who is a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. And 
I would also like to commend my colleague in the House, Mr. Bass, who, 
with the support of House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter, 
steered identical legislation to unanimous passage in that chamber in 
the fall of last year. I am pleased to join my colleagues as we 
recognize the accomplishments of this important figure in our country's 
military history.
  Billy Mitchell joined the Army at age 18 in 1898. As he quickly rose 
in rank, he began to realize the incredible potential for air power in 
establishing military superiority. After World War I, Billy Mitchell 
became a brigadier general and deputy commander of the Air Service, and 
in this position he began pressing senior military officials and the 
White House for increased funding for the development of a formidable 
air force. In fact, he conducted a test for senior Army and Navy 
officials in the Chesapeake Bay in 1921 that bolstered his contention 
that air power represented the future of combat, while embarrassing 
many naysayers.
  Although Billy Mitchell was long on vision and foresight, he was 
short on tact. After the 1921 test, his relationship with his superiors 
deteriorated as his very public battle for Air Service funding had 
taken an increasingly bitter tone, and after an accident that took the 
lives of Navy sailors, Mitchell accused senior military leaders of 
``almost treasonable administration of the national defense.'' He was 
court-martialed for insubordination, found guilty, sentenced to 5 years 
loss of pay, and demoted to the rank of colonel. Yet to the surprise of 
no one, Billy Mitchell continued to be a strong and effective voice in 
support of air power after resigning his commission in 1926 until his 
untimely death 10 years later.
  Billy Mitchell sacrificed his career to help change the way our 
country defends itself and projects military force across the globe to 
protect and preserve freedom. We have seen over time--most recently 
during the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq--how important air 
power is in achieving our military objectives. Mitchell's 
prognostications many years ago about the future of air power has been 
proven correct many times over, and it is now time for our nation to 
recognize the enormous contribution Billy Mitchell has made to the 
citizens and soldiers of the United States of America. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bill to finally give the late Billy Mitchell 
the rank of major general, United States Army.

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