William Lacy Kenly

Biography

William Lacy Kenly was among the earliest senior officers to embrace military aviation, pairing a solid grounding in artillery with the emerging demands of the air service during World War I. As the first chief of the Army Air Service for the American Expeditionary Forces, he guided pilots, mechanics, and ground personnel through rapid expansion and the forging of new doctrine under unfamiliar skies.

After the war he continued to champion air power, advising military planners and encouraging professional education for aviators, so that the United States would be prepared for any future challenge; his grave at Arlington is a quiet tribute to a general who soared beyond tradition.