36 Facts About Mason Patrick

Mason Mathews Patrick was a general officer in the United States Army who led the United States Army Air Service during and after World War I and became the first Chief of the Army Air Corps when it was created on July 2,1926.

Mason Patrick was born and educated in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and at age 18 entered US Military Academy at West Point, where he finished second in his class.

Mason Patrick served in France during World War I and was appointed Chief of Air Service by General Pershing in May 1918.

Mason Patrick served as commander of the Air Corps until his retirement in 1927.

Mason Patrick died in Washington, DC, on January 29,1942.

Mason Mathews Patrick was born in Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, on December 13,1863, to Alfred Spicer Patrick and Virginia Patrick.

Mason Patrick's father was a surgeon in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

In Lewisburg, Mason Patrick attended local public and private schools and on graduation taught for two years at his former high school.

Mason Patrick excelled at West Point in mathematics and engineering, and he was reported to have spoken excellent French.

Pershing and Mason Patrick held the top two posts in their senior class, being first and second captains of the Corps of Cadets, respectively.

On graduation, Mason Patrick's high standing allowed him to choose a career in engineering.

Mason Patrick was commissioned a second lieutenant of Engineers on June 12,1886.

Mason Patrick returned to West Point as an instructor in 1892, spending the next three years teaching engineering.

Mason Patrick was involved in Mississippi River improvements from 1897 to 1901, and after two years in the office of the Chief of Engineers, he again returned to the West Point faculty in 1903.

Mason Patrick was the chief engineer for the Army of Cuban Pacification from 1907 to 1909 and then worked on river and harbor projects in Virginia and Michigan.

Mason Patrick was a member of a board directing the raising of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor.

Mason Patrick was promoted to brigadier general on August 5,1917.

In May 1918, Patrick was appointed by his old classmate General John J Pershing to command the combined Air Service, and subsequently promoted to temporary major general in June.

Mason Patrick replaced general Benjamin Foulois as commander, as Pershing had felt staff planning under Foulois had been inefficient, with considerable internal friction as well as conflict between its members and those of Pershing's General Staff.

Considerable house-cleaning of the existing staff resulted from Mason Patrick's appointment, bringing in experienced staff officers to administrate, and tightening up lines of communication.

The situation at Air Service headquarters was described as "a tangled mess" before Mason Patrick was brought in.

Mason Patrick oversaw the organization of 28 air squadrons for the battle, with the French, British, and Italians contributing additional units to bring the total force numbers to 701 pursuit planes, 366 observation planes, 323 day bombers, and 91 night bombers.

Mason Patrick remained with the Air Service until June 1919, returning then to the US and to various engineering duties, including Assistant Chief of Engineers in 1920.

Mason Patrick was again appointed Chief of the Air Service on October 5,1921 with the permanent rank of major general.

Mason Patrick made it clear to Mitchell that although he would accept Mitchell's expertise as counsel, all decisions would be made by Mason Patrick.

William A Moffett at the start of the naval arms limitation conference, Patrick used the opportunity to assign him to an inspection tour of Europe with Alfred V Verville and Lt.

Around this time Mason Patrick displayed a concern for military vulnerabilities in the Pacific, and again sent Mitchell on an inspection tour, this time a survey of the Pacific and the East.

In 1924, Mason Patrick hand-picked Henry "Hap" Arnold, despite a mutual dislike, to head the Air Service's Information Division, working closely with Billy Mitchell, Assistant Chief of Air Service.

When Mitchell was later court-martialed for accusing Army and Navy leaders of an "almost treasonable administration of the national defense" for investing in battleships instead of aircraft carriers as he so wished, Arnold and other high-ranking officers on Mason Patrick's staff, including Carl Spaatz, and Ira Eaker were warned that they would jeopardize their careers should they vocally support Mitchell, but they testified on his behalf anyway.

In February 1926, Secretary of War Dwight F Davis ordered Patrick to find and discipline the culprits.

Mason Patrick was already aware of the activity and chose Arnold to set an example.

Mason Patrick gave Arnold the choice of resignation or a general court-martial, but when Arnold chose the latter, Patrick decided to avoid another public fiasco and instead transferred him to Ft.

Mason Patrick's proposal was met with criticism and the service that was created, though retaining the name of Air Corps, would not achieve the independence he envisioned until the creation of the United States Air Force in 1947.

Mason Patrick remained in Washington, DC and was an advisor to Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D Roosevelt.

Mason Patrick was the Public Utilities Commissioner for the District of Columbia from 1929 to 1933.

Mason Patrick died at Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington, DC, on January 29,1942 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on January 31,1942.