"Under the Influence and Acting with Prejudice": Allegations Against Maj. Lewis H. Brereton at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, 1929-1930‪.‬

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lewis Hyde Brereton was a 1911 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who found his way into the U.S. Army, joined the Coast Artillery Corps, transferred to the Signal Corps, learned to fly, and became a pioneer military aviator. Of the first military pilots to earn the newly created Military Aviator badge in 1913, he was number ten in order of qualification. During World War I, Brereton commanded the 12th Aero Squadron and later the 1st Observation Wing in France, earned the Distinguished Service Cross in combat, and served as Brig. Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell's Chief of Operations during the Meuse-Argonne campaign. After the war, Brereton continued to hold important positions, first as Chief of Operations in Air Service headquarters, then as commander of the 3rd Attack Group and subsequently the 2nd Bombardment Group, two of the Air Service's three combat organizations, the 1st Pursuit Group being the third. As of the advent of the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1926, its leaders had to have viewed Lewis Brereton as one of the service's most capable officers and a future leader of great potential. (1)