Billy Mitchell: Evangelist of Airpower (Shapers of America)

Examines the life and achievements of Billy Mitchell, American general and early proponent of an independent American air force.

Roger G. Miller, Ph.D., and his wife, Chris Vidas, Esq., live in Alexandria, Virginia. They have two children, Travis Alexander and Sophia Marie.A native of San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Miller earned his bachelors and masters degrees in history at North Texas State University, Denton, Texas, and his doctorate in history at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. He served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Miller joined the Air Force History Program in 1980, and has been a historian at Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado, Randolph AFB, Universal City, Texas, Sembach, AB, Federal Republic of Germany, and on the Air Staff in the Pentagon. He joined the book writing program at Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C., in 1993. Dr. Miller is now a Senior Historian and Director of the Contract History Program. He was the U.S. Air Force representative on the History and Education Committee, National Centennial of Flight Commission from 1999 to 2003 and serves on the editorial board for H-War, an online professional discussion net sponsored by Michigan State University. A specialist in early military aviation history, air logistical history, and the history of air transport, Dr. Miller writes, lectures, teaches, presents papers, and appears on radio and television. His writings have been published in the Journal of American History, Military Affairs, Air Power History, Journal of Air Force Logistics, ITEA Journal of Test and Evaluation, Indiana Magazine of History, Prologue, and Camaraderie. Dr. Miller’s books include To Save a City: The Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949 published by Texas A&M University Press and Seeing Off the Bear: Anglo-American Airpower Cooperation During the Cold War by the Office of Air Force History. Among his historical studies for the Air Force History Program are A Prelude to War: The 1st Aero Squadron and the Mexican Punitive Expedition of 1916, Billy Mitchell: Stormy Petrel of the Air, and ‘Like a Thunderbolt’: The Lafayette Escadrille and the Advent of American Pursuit in World War I.