Letters From Grandpa #485

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 485

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will deal with the way society is consistently wrong and constantly rejects those heroes who try to save it. Jesus, of course, is the prime example of this truth. Or consider John the Baptist who was the greatest prophet ever born of a woman. He was beheaded. Stephen was the first Christian martyr and just before they killed him he challenged the Sanhedrin “Was there ever a prophet your father’s did not persecute?” (Acts 7:52) Jesus Himself criticized his own generation for building tombs for the prophets whom their forefathers killed (Luke 11:47) The Bible tells us that Jeremiah was imprisoned and history tells us that Isaiah was sawed in two. Don’t follow the crowd for if your goal is to please men you cannot be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10).

• Today’s letter will deal with the rejection of a famous aviator named Billy Mitchell:
• Mitchell lived long before you were born and enlisted in the infantry in 1898.
• In 1901 he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the regular army.
• In 1915 he was assigned to the aviation section of the Signal Corps.
• In May 1918 he became an air officer and was the first American to fly over enemy lines.
• In September 1918 he commanded 1,500 French and American airplanes in a mass bombing.
• Mitchell did not believe that W.W. I would “end all wars”, and predicted that the next war would be primarily fought in the air. He wrote in November 1918 “The day has passed when armies on the ground or navies on the sea can be the arbiter of a nation's destiny in war. The main power of defense and the power of initiative against an enemy has passed to the air.”
• He angered both politicians and military leaders, however, by pointing out that you could build a thousand airplanes for the cost of one battleship. Even the ship builders saw him as a threat.
• Conventional wisdom was that such tiny airplanes would be as helpless in destroying a battleship as a sparrow would be in attacking a castle.
• A test was therefore ordered to take place on July 20, 1921. Mitchell was challenged to sink an ex-German battleship named the Ostfriesland with his tiny airplanes made of wood and fabric.
• Between 12:18 and 12:31 four bombs hit in rapid succession close alongside the Ostfriesland. Incredibly, the ship went down within 22 minutes after the first bomb was dropped.
• Mitchell’s strategy was not to attack the ship where it was protected by massive steel plates, but to explode bombs under the water line and attack the ship where it was vulnerable.
• Mitchell continued to emphasize air power and predicted that some day planes would be big enough to have cannons and carry soldiers with parachutes. This only angered his enemies.
• He also predicted that someday Japan could attack the Hawaiian Islands with airplanes.
• When no one responded to his pleas, Mitchell went so far as to accuse those in power of an "almost treasonable administration of the national defense."
• He made so many powerful enemies in his crusade for an independent air force that in October 1925, under the direct order of President Calvin Coolidge, he was charged with eight violations of the 96th article of war.
• His court-martial trial began in early November and lasted for seven weeks. On December 17, 1925, they found him "guilty of all specifications and of the charge". The court therefore suspended him from active duty for five years without pay.
• Mitchell resigned in humiliation on February 1, 1926.
• Mitchell, the broken hearted hero, died February 19, 1936 at the age of 56. He predicted, however, that someday his enemies would some day regret not listening to him.
• That day came on December 7, 1941 when Japan attack Pearl Harbor with 353 airplanes. Of the eight U.S. battleships at Pearl Harbor all were damaged and four were sunk.
• On that fateful day the Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti- aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. More than 180 US aircraft were also destroyed. Further, a total of 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded.
• Our first airplane to bomb Japan was the North American B-25. In honor of a disgraced and humiliated hero this twin engined bomber was named the “Mitchell B-25”.
• In 1941 the main airport in Mitchell's hometown of Milwaukee was renamed General Mitchell Field. That airport also houses the Mitchell Gallery of Flight Museum.
• In 1944 the United States Navy named a troop transport as the USS General William Mitchell.
• In 1956, Mitchell's son petitioned the Air Force to overturn Mitchell’s court-martial, which they did in 1957. The board stated, “The conclusion is inescapable in the board's opinion that Mitchell was tried for his views rather than a violation of Article 96.”
• In 1946 Congress awarded him posthumously a Congressional Gold Medal.
• The Civil Air Patrol also offers the Billy Mitchell Award to outstanding cadets. The Air Force honors this award by promoting such cadets to the advanced grade of E-3, Airman First Class.
• Etc.

The cynic said: “One thing we learn from history is that people do not learn from history”. As in the day of Jesus, “We build tombs for the prophets, and decorate the graves of the righteous” (Matthew 23:29). Hopefully, you will prove the cynic wrong and be willing to stand alone for truth, even if it is not popular! Please consider:

• The majority of people have always been wrong! The way that leads to life is small and narrow and only a few will find it! (Matthew 7:14).
• When Noah built his ark only a few were saved (1 Peter 3:20).
• When Jesus comes again it will be like it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:36-42).
• At that time may Jesus say to you: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” (Matthew 25:21)

I love you, please don’t follow the crowd!

Grandpa Boyce