Benjamin D. Foulois taught himself to fly largely through correspondence with the Wright brothers in 1909. While many of his contemporaries died in plane crashes or quit flying, he continued as an operational pilot until World War I. He was then sent to France where as a brigadier general he was responsible for all Air Service support func tions. After the war, he served as an air attaché in Germany, commanded Mitchel Field in New York, and in 1931 was named chief of the Air Corps.
John F. Shiner's Foulois and the U.S. Army Air Corps, 1931-1935 (Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, 1984) is a solid treatment of the Air Corps chief and his times. Foulois came from a humble background and was physically unimpressive; worse, he lacked the charisma of his contemporary and chief rival within the air arm, Billy Mitchell. Nonetheless, Shiner argues that Foulois's steady perseverance in working to shift War Department views regarding the importance of airpower gradually paid off, resulting in the increased autonomy of the General Headquarters (GHQ) Air Force, formed in 1935. On the other hand, perhaps because of his humble origins, Foulois was not popular among his Army brethren. Moreover, the disastrous performance of the Air Corps in the "Air Mail Fiasco" of 1934 (which was probably more Foulois's fault than Shiner acknowledges) earned him the ill will of President Roosevelt. Looking for a scapegoat, Congress-also embarrassed by the miserable Air Corps performance-held hearings into the issue of aircraft procurement. Foulois was reprimanded for "misleading" Congress and violating the spirit of procurement laws. The Air Corps chief's relations with the Navy were also stormy during this period. But in truth, given the budget crunch during the bottom of the Depression, their inherently conflicting views regarding the role of airpower in war, and the poisoned atmosphere created by Mitchell, such difficulties were inevitable. Without friends in or out of the Army and his usefulness clearly limited, Foulois retired in December 1935, a bitter and lonely man.
Shiner depicts Foulois as a poor administrator and notes he was not a deep thinker and did little to foster the development of strategic airpower doctrine during his tenure. Nevertheless, this was the golden age for such development in the Air Corps, and Shiner credits Foulois with creating a climate that allowed such intellectual ferment to occur. Overall, this is a solid account of an important figure.
Foulois tells his story in From the Wright Brothers to the Astronauts (New York: McGrawHill, 1968) with the help of C. V. Glines. This is an exciting and enjoyable memoir that combines insightful details on the early years of American aviation and an explanation of Foulois's own conduct during World War I and his years as Air Corps chief with a clever wit. The most interesting aspect of this book, however, is the gusto with which Foulois attacks Billy Mitchell. Foulois reveals that the animosity between Mitchell and himself began in 1916 when he and the 1st Aero Squadron were sent to Mexico with John Pershing in a futile attempt to catch the bandit Pancho Villa. At the same time, the chief of the Signal Corps was forced from office due to financial improprieties, and Mitchell, who had not yet even flown an airplane, was temporarily placed in charge. The poor performance of the aviation unit in Mexico resulted in mutual finger pointing between Mitchell and Foulois, and the rift never healed. Mitchell's World War I memoirs-not published until 1960-apparently offended Foulois. (Mitchell refers to him as an incompetent "carpetbagger" who "no longer flew.") So Foulois decided to tell his side of the story at age 86 and "set the record straight." Mitchell is portrayed here as an inept braggart who was all talk and no action, a lousy pilot, and a prima donna who did more harm than good. The truth, as usual, is probably between the two extremes expressed by the two men. Pershing clearly had respect for both of them, but thought neither had the experience or maturity to run the Air Service; hence, he appointed Mason Patrick to lead the air arm and control its two main recalcitrants. Overall, Foulois delivers good pyrotechnics and an entertaining read.
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the US Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.
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