William Benson could see no useful role for fleet aviation, while Franklin Roosevelt supported the institutions needed to develop it. William Moffett built naval aviation through administrative and political work, and William Sims explored future operations through wargaming. Mitchell antagonized all four by dismissing the surface fleet, submarines, and carriers. He also claimed credit for pushing aerial-torpedo development that the Navy had already begun. Their common opposition arose despite profound differences over aviation itself. The resulting suspicion contributed to the later Revolt of the Admirals and resistance to transferring naval aviation to the Air Force.
Notable Point · 1:15:40-1:21:52
Navy aviation advocates unite against Mitchell's program
William Benson, Franklin Roosevelt, William Moffett, and William Sims disagreed about much of naval aviation, yet Mitchell's attacks on the surface fleet and carriers gave them common cause.