On February 19, 1936, Billy Mitchell, often considered the father of the United States Air Force, died in New York City. William Lendrum “Billy” Mitchell was born on December 29, 1879, in Nice, France. Mitchell was the son of a wealthy Wisconsin family with political connections. His grandfather had been the wealthiest man in Wisconsin during his lifetime and founded the Milwaukee Road railroad. After graduating from college at age 18, Mitchell enlisted and served in the Spanish-American War, where he joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps. As early as 1906, he was one of the first to predict that future wars would take place in the skies, as well as on the ground. Mitchell also saw the Wright Brothers fly and soon took flight lessons at the Curtiss Aviation School.