William L. Kenly

Picture - William L. Kenly

William Lacy Kenly (1864-1928) was a Major General in the United States Army. During World War I, he was a leader of a progenitor of the United States Air Force, the United States Army Air Service. Graduate of West Point, 12 june 1898 in Field Artillery.

On September 3, 1917, Kenly, who was a Brigadier General at the time, became the first Chief of Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in France, effectively taking control away from the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. Previously a field artillery commander, he did not have experience leading an air force and Billy Mitchell wielded a large amount of influence in the AEF's operational decisions. Kenly was replaced a short time later by Brig. Gen. Benjamin Foulois.

Picture - William L. Kenly as painted by Pietro Pezzati

Kenly then returned to the United States to become Director of Military Aeronautics from May 20, 1918 to August 28, 1918. During this period, he was the titular head of the newly-established United States Army Air Service.

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Source: WikiPedia