The most famous and controversial figure in the history of American air power, William "Billy" Mitchell began his romance with aviation in 1916 when, at the age of 38, he took private flying lessons--graduating just in time to undertake the mobilization of America's nascent air forces in World War I.

A daring and tireless leader who rose to the rank of brigadier general, commanding all of America's aerial-combat units in France, and earning numerous decorations, Mitchell nonetheless managed to alienate most of his superiors--contradictory results that only grew more pronounced during his remarkable, and remarkably difficult, career.