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General William Mitchell (1879-1936)
The man behind the name, General William "Billy" Mitchell, for whom Milwaukee County's largest airport is named, was born to a prominent Milwaukee family on December 29, 1879. His father, John Lendrum Mitchell, eventually became a United States Senator for Wisconsin, and his grandfather, Alexander Mitchell, was a millionaire Milwaukee banker and railroad tycoon. When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Mitchell returned to Milwaukee from what is now George Washington University to enlist. He rose quickly through the ranks of the Signal Corps, and in 1912 he was appointed to the General Staff, the youngest person at that time to hold the position.

In 1916, with Europe on the verge of World War I, Mitchell recognized the increasing importance of aviation in war and learned to fly at his own expense. He was promoted to Major and named head of the Army's aviation section, then sent to Europe, where he became a leader in establishing a United States aviation force. As a Colonel and Chief of Air Service of the First Army, he commanded more than 1,500 British, French and American aircraft units at the Battle of St. Mihiel, the largest air force assembled to that date. He was then promoted to Brigadier General and made Chief of Air Service of the Group of Armies, the top aviation command.

Mitchell returned to the United States in 1919 as Director of Military Aeronautics and began promoting aviation, planning a strong air force and supporting the aircraft industry to put commercial aviation on a sound footing. His claims of air superiority over the sea led to a confrontation with the U.S. Navy, and in July 1921, during a test bombing of German warships, he proved his point when his men sank a battleship. His forceful promotion of his ideas led to a clash with traditional forces. In September 1925 he charged the administration with neglecting the national defense, and he was tried by court-martial and found guilty of insubordination. He resigned from the service on February 1, 1926, but carried his case to the people and continued his work until his death in February 1936. On March 17, 1941, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted to name the airport in his honor.
 

Military Aviation History

The 128th Air Refueling Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard is located on the East Ramp of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. The 128th transfers fuel to United States military and allied aircraft, provides aero-medical evacuation, and airlifts personnel and equipment to strategic locations. In service since 1947, the wing has served missions ranging from natural disasters to the Korean War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Restore Hope and Operation Deny Flight. It also serves the communities of Wisconsin and includes a 24/7 National Guard Reaction Force.

From the 1950s until 2008, the airport's South Ramp was home to the 440th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve. The 440th was deployed on strategic missions around the world, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as relief missions during national emergencies and natural disasters. In 2008 the base was closed as part of the federal Base Realignment and Closure Act and moved to Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. Milwaukee County's MKE Regional Business Park now stands in its place.
 

Visit the Mitchell Gallery of Flight

For more on MKE's history, visit the Mitchell Gallery of Flight, a free nonprofit aviation museum located pre-security in the main terminal. The museum is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.