The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Page #4

I don't know

how headquarters

is reacting to this.

Public opinion may be

running very high.

Reporters running

all over the place...

covering the funeral

and asking questions.

Better let me

get a confirmation

from Washington...

before you take off.

May I ask

the general's permission

to withdraw my request, sir?

You mean you don't want me

to get a confirmation?

No, sir.

Whatever you say.

Thank you, sir.

???? [ Radio:

"Tea for Two" ]

Heard the news? Those planes

making the nonstop to Mexico

are reported lost.

[ Tuning Frequencies ]

Where'd you get that?

My gunny says he heard it

over the radio.

How does he know they're lost?

He didn't know.

That's all he told me.

Wait a minute.

[ Tuning Continues ]

[ Announcer ]

We interrupt

this broadcast...

to bring you

a news bulletin.

In the greatest disaster

in aviation history,

six planes en route from

San Diego to Fort Huachuca

have crashed.

The flight was composed

of members of the famous

Billy Mitchell squadron...

which, in 1921,

bombed and sank

the battleshipOstfriesland.

Ground parties

have been dispatched...

to the rugged

mountain area near

the Mexican border...

to search for

possible survivors.

We now return you

to our program.

???? [ Orchestra ]

I've asked you gentlemen

of the press to come here...

because I want to

make a statement.

Flying is a very

dangerous business,

and a normal

amount of accidents

are to be expected.

But these

recent disasters...

of theShenandoah...

and the planes of the army

of the Mexican flight...

are outside the range

of normal accidents.

I would not be keeping faith

with my dead comrades...

if I kept quiet

any longer.

These--

These accidents...

are the direct result of--

of incompetence,

criminal negligence...

and the almost

treasonable administration

of our national defense...

by the navy...

and the war department.

That is my statement.

Well, that's

sure somethin'.

Is this off the cuff?

You want us to print it?

It's a statement

for publication.

Baby, is this gonna

blow some brass tops off.

Would you mind

initialing that?

Colonel, my editor's

an ex-army man.

He may call you

to verify this.

Do you mind?

No.

I don't know anything about

army procedure, Colonel,

but couldn't you

be court-martialed for this?

That's exactly

what I want.

Colonel Mitchell?

Major.

By order of

the secretary of war,

you've been placed

in arrest, sir.

I've been ordered to

serve on you the charge sheet

and court-martial papers.

Thank you.

I'm instructed to tell you

that you're restricted

to the Washington area.

You will remember at all times

that you are in arrest

and deport yourself accordingly.

I understand, Major.

Report to the office

of the adjutant general

by noon tomorrow,

where your quarters

will be.

Is that all?

Yes, sir.

Now that that's over,

will you gentlemen join me

in a cup of coffee?

Thank you, sir.

I really don't quite--

That's okay, Major.

Carry on.

Mitchell.

Good morning,

General Guthrie.

I don't suppose

it's occurred to you

to resign.

Resign under fire?

Not a chance, sir.

I must say

I'm sorry, Mitchell.

Sorry for the army.

Good afternoon,

Colonel Mitchell.

Hello.

I'll send it

right up.

Welcome back. It's good

to see you again, sir.

Thank you, Phil.

Can I have

my old room?

It's ready for you, sir.

Excuse me.

You're Col. Mitchell,

aren't you?

Yes.

I'm Lt. Col. White.

I've been appointed

your defense counsel

by the judge advocate general.

I'm glad to see you.

Come up to my room.

We can talk there.

Fine.

I assume, sir,

that you've been served.

Got them right here.

I don't think there'll

be much for you to do.

It's an open-and-shut case.

Is it?

Oh, yes, I'm guilty.

Definitely.

You'll plead guilty?

No, I guess I'll have to

plead not guilty

if I want my day in court.

You mean, you, uh--

you did it

deliberately?

I had to make somebody

listen to me.

You chose the hard way,

Colonel.

I know it,

and I haven't

got a chance,

but I want to

go through with it

anyway.

Sound crazy,

don't I?

No, sir.

No, I, uh,

I think I understand.

Have the members

of the court

been announced?

Just came through.

I saw General Guthrie

downstairs.

So did I.

What does he

have to do with it?

He's been appointed

the president of the court.

Who are

the other members?

[ Chuckles ]

A regular who's who

of the army.

"Maj. Gen. George L. Irwin,

Gen. Slade, Gen. Graves,

Gen. Ford.,

Gen. Douglas MacArthur,

Gen. Bolling."

There's not

a flying officer

among them.

Sir, have you considered

taking on a civilian counsel?

You're entitled to one,

you know.

Could use

the heavy artillery, huh?

Well, honestly, sir,

I don't think we can afford

to overlook any possibility.

Big name?

The biggest possible.

I've never had to go

outside the army before.

Why, Col. Mitchell!

It's so good to see you

again, sir.

You look as well

as ever, Mrs. Sturges.

Is Congressman Reid in?

Yes, he is.

Go right in.

Thank you.

Hello, Frank.

Billy! It's about time

you showed up.

Well, you finally did it.

You kicked 'em

where it really hurts.

I'm proud of you.

I hope you're here

for the reason I think.

Gonna let me handle this?

You're stuck with me.

I've been

counting on it.

Been preparing since you

got in your jam. I'm ready

to go to court tomorrow.

Let's see what section

they've thrown at you.

I thought so.

Article 96,

the catch-all clause.

Covers everything

from kicking a horse

to kissing a sergeant.

"Conduct prejudicial to

the good of the service,"

my eye!

This is the way

I see it.

We won't wait for the

court-martial to start in on us.

We'll open up on them first.

We'll call a press conference,

we'll issue a statement,

blast the navy out of the water.

Then we'll take on

the general staff

of the army--

No, Frank, no.

What's the matter?

I don't like it.

I don't want it.

I won't fight that way.

This is what

you've been fighting for

all these years--

a chance to get recognition

for the air service,

to tell the people about

the importance of air power.

You haven't changed

your mind about that,

have you?

No, I haven't.

I want a new air program

and a new air service.

But I don't want

to wreck the army to get it,

or the navy either.

I don't understand you, Billy.

In a fight like this,

it's all or nothing.

[ Sighs ]

I don't see it that way.

I see.

You want to kick

the army in the pants,

but do it politely.

All I want is a chance to tell

the whole tragic story...

of this country's

air defense.

All I want

is my day in court.

And that's exactly

what you'll get--

one day, with Gen. James Guthrie

as president of the court.

Have you heard

about Guthrie?

What do you think I do

around Washington,

warm a chair?

What can I do?

Challenge him for prejudice

and kick him off the court.

I'll not be a party to anything

that casts aspersions

on the integrity of an officer.

[ Scoffs ]

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