Thomas D. Milling
Encyclopedia
Thomas DeWitt Milling was a pioneer of military aviation and a brigadier general
in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was the first rated pilot in the history of the United States Air Force
.
He received his flight training from the Wright Brothers
and was awarded Fédération 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.
Robert E. Milling and the former Ida Roberts in Winnfield
, Louisiana, the seat of Winn Parish, and attended public schools in Franklin
, the seat of St. Mary Parish
. He was appointed a cadet
in the United States Military Academy
on June 15, 1905. He and graduated on June 11, 1909, with the degree of bachelor of science
and commissioned a second lieutenant
, Cavalry
.
, Kansas
, in September 1909 but his tour of duty was cut short when War 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 to Dayton, 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 the National Museum of the United States Air Force
, Centenniel of Flight exhibition)
Milling began his training on May 3, 1911, under the tutelage of Wright instructor Cliff 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 to College Park, Maryland
, detailed to the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
to instruct the commander of the division flight school, Capt. Charles DeF. Chandler, who had only balloon experience, and his adjutant, 1st Lt. Roy S. 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 by Glenn Curtiss
, which the "Provisional Aero Company" flew at Fort 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 from Boston, Massachusetts to Nashua, New Hampshire
to Worcester, Massachusetts
to Providence, 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 a Wright 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 first Military 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 and Byron Q. Jones
were the first army aviators to perform a aerial combat reconnaissance mission.
; training at Texas City, Texas
, in anticipation of war with Mexico
; and San Diego, California
, until July 1913. After duty with the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army in Washington, 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, at Galveston, Texas
, and San Diego. In March 1916, he was again detailed to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer and promoted twice (to captain July 31, 1916, and to lieutenant colonel
August 5, 1917). In August 1917, he was placed in charge of Air Service Training in Europe, and in October 1918 succeeded Billy Mitchell as chief of the Air Service of the U.S. First Army
, American Expeditionary Force
, and promoted to colonel
.
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 the Command 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 the Colorado
National Guard
in Denver, Colorado
to serve as an Air Corps instructor. In September 1931, he served briefly at Rockwell Air Depot
, California, then was admitted to Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado, where he was a patient from October 1931 to July 31, 1933, when he retired from active duty due to poor health.
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 the United 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 at Walter Reed General Hospital
. Although Milling never actively served as a general officer, he was advanced on the retired list to the rank of brigadier general
, with his date of rank retroactive to June 13, 1940.
General Milling has been awarded a number of decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal
; Legion of Merit
; Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
, degree of Honorary Officer; Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium); French Legion d'Honneur
(Chevalier).
Milling was also a member of the Early Birds of Aviation
, a celebrated group of fliers who soloed before December 17, 1916.
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was the first rated pilot in the history of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
.
He received his flight training from the Wright Brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
and was awarded Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
(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.
Background and education
Milling was born to JudgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Robert E. Milling and the former Ida Roberts in Winnfield
Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
, Louisiana, the seat of Winn Parish, and attended public schools in Franklin
Franklin, Louisiana
Franklin is a city in and the parish seat of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,354 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, the seat of St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana
St. Mary Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Franklin. As of 2000, the population was 53,500.The Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of St. Mary Parish.-Geography:...
. He was appointed a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
on June 15, 1905. He and graduated on June 11, 1909, with the degree of bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and commissioned a second lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
.
Aviation pioneer
Milling reported to the 15th Cavalry at Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, in September 1909 but his tour of duty was cut short when War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
Special Order 95, dated April 21, 1911, assigned Milling and 2d Lt. Henry H. Arnold
Henry H. Arnold
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
to "aeronautical duty with the Signal Corps," and instructed them to "proceed to Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, 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 the National Museum of the United States Air Force
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
, Centenniel of Flight exhibition)
Milling began his training on May 3, 1911, under the tutelage of Wright instructor Cliff Turpin
James Clifford Turpin
James Clifford Turpin was a pioneer aviator with the Wright Exhibition Team.-Biography:He was born on May 6, 1886. He attended Purdue University, the first graduate to receive a pilot's license. Turpin joined the Wright Exhibition team in 1910, flying demonstrations across the country. The group...
. 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 to College Park, Maryland
College Park Airport
College Park Airport is a public airport located in the City of College Park, in Prince Georges County, Maryland, USA. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport.-History:...
, detailed to the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps was the world's first heavier-than-air military aviation organization and the progenitor of the United States Air Force. A component of the U.S...
to instruct the commander of the division flight school, Capt. Charles DeF. Chandler, who had only balloon experience, and his adjutant, 1st Lt. Roy S. 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 by Glenn Curtiss
Glenn Curtiss
Glenn Hammond Curtiss was an American aviation pioneer and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle then motorcycle builder and racer, later also manufacturing engines for airships as early as 1906...
, which the "Provisional Aero Company" flew at Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 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 from Boston, Massachusetts to Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
to Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
to Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and back to Boston, a total of 175 miles, the cross-country race was the longest of its era. Milling flew it in a Wright B Flyer
Wright Model B
|-See also:-References:* * * * * * -External links:* *...
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 first Military Aviator rating
U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Ratings
U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in "regular and frequent flight", The standard by which flight status has been defined in law, executive orders, and regulations...
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 and Byron Q. Jones
Byron Q. Jones
Byron Quinby Jones was a pioneer aviator. In 1915 he set two flight duration records, one for aviator alone with a flight time of eight hours and fifty-three minutes on January 15th, and one for aviator and two passengers with a flight time of seven hours and five minutes on March 12th, both in...
were the first army aviators to perform a aerial combat reconnaissance mission.
Career assignments
Milling's instructor assignments included the Signals Corps Aviation School at Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
; training at Texas City, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, in anticipation of war with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
; and San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, until July 1913. After duty with the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, 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, at Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, and San Diego. In March 1916, he was again detailed to the Office of the Chief Signal Officer and promoted twice (to captain July 31, 1916, and to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
August 5, 1917). In August 1917, he was placed in charge of Air Service Training in Europe, and in October 1918 succeeded Billy Mitchell as chief of the Air Service of the U.S. First Army
U.S. First Army
The First United States Army is a field army of the United States Army. It now serves a mobilization, readiness and training command.- Establishment and World War I :...
, American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
, and promoted to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
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
Air Corps Tactical School
The Air Corps Tactical School, also known as ACTS and "the Tactical School", was a military professional development school for officers of the United States Army Air Service and United States Army Air Corps, the first such school in the world. Created in 1920 at Langley Field, Virginia, it...
, Langley Field, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(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
McCook Field
McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917-1927...
, Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, completing the course in August 1926.
Milling then attended the Command 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 the Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
to serve as an Air Corps instructor. In September 1931, he served briefly at Rockwell Air Depot
Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field was an Army air base located in Coronado, California, near San Diego. It shared the area known as North Island with Naval Air Station North Island from 1912 to 1935. Its functions were eventually moved to March Field so that the naval air station could take over the whole area...
, California, then was admitted to Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado, where he was a patient from October 1931 to July 31, 1933, when he retired from active duty due to poor health.
World War II service
During the Second World War, Milling was recalled to active duty as a majorMajor (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
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 the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
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 at Walter Reed General Hospital
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
. Although Milling never actively served as a general officer, he was advanced on the retired list to the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, with his date of rank retroactive to June 13, 1940.
General Milling has been awarded a number of decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
; Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
; Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, degree of Honorary Officer; Officer of the Order of Leopold (Belgium); French Legion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(Chevalier).
Milling was also a member of the Early Birds of Aviation
Early Birds of Aviation
The Early Birds of Aviation is an organization devoted to the history of early pilots. The organization was started in 1928 and ultimately accepted a membership of 598. Membership was limited to those who piloted a glider, gas balloon, or airplane, prior to December 17, 1916. The cutoff date was...
, a celebrated group of fliers who soloed before December 17, 1916.
Additional sources
- Thomas DeWitt Milling Document Collection, Biographical Note; Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Archives
- Coffey, Thomas M., Hap: the Story of the U.S. Air Force and the Man Who Built It, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, Viking Press (1982)
- Nalty, Bernard C., editor, Winged Shield, Winged Sword: A History of the United States Air Force (1997), ISBN 0-16-049009-X
External links
- http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/preww1/cof-2.htm