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James Fechet
James Edmond Fechet (August 21, 1877 – February 10, 1948) was a major general in the United States Army and the Chief of Air Corps 1927–1931. Men he had selected and worked with both on his staff and in other top Air Corps positions became key leaders of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II.
Born at Fort Ringgold, Texas, in 1877, to Edmond G. Fechet, his military experience began with his youth as an Army Infantry officer's son living at various frontier stations in the West. He left the University of Nebraska in 1898 in his third year as a mechanical engineering student to serve as an enlisted man in the Spanish–American War. Wounded seriously at San Juan Hill in Cuba, Fechet recovered and applied for a commission. Serving as a sergeant in Troop D, 6th Cavalry, in the Philippines, Fechet was commissioned in December 1900 with date if rank from July 1, and for the next six years served in many cavalry assignments, including service in Hawaii, against the insurgents in the Philippines, and on the Punitive Expedition into Mexico. In 1912, as a captain in the 4th Cavalry, Fechet was assigned to duty at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
On April 10, 1907, while stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, as a first lieutenant with the 9th Cavalry, Fechet married Catherine Luhn, daughter of retired Major Gerhard L. Luhn and sister of the depot adjutant, Captain William L. Luhn of the 10th Cavalry.
When the United States entered World War I, Fechet was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel in the Signal Corps was assigned to the expanding Aviation Section on August 5, 1917 and served successively as commander of the Signal Corps Aviation School at Belleville, Illinois in 1917; commander of the Aviation School at Arcadia, Florida, in 1918; and Air Officer, Southern Department at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 13 May 1919 – 1 Oct 1920. He received further wartime promotion to colonel in March 1918. Fechet was promoted to permanent major and lieutenant colonel, Cavalry, on 1 July 1920 when the Army Reorganization Act took effect, and formally transferred in grade to the Air Service, now a combatant arm of the line by act of Congress, on August 6, which made him 7th in seniority among officers in the branch.
Except for 10 months as the commandant of the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, Fechet spent the years from 1920 - 1931 in the Office of the Chief of Air Service/Chief of Air Corps. He was Assistant Chief of Air Service/Air Corps for more than 2½ years before becoming Chief of Air Corps in December 1927. He retired from the Army on December 10, 1931.
In March 1942, 44 years after he had served as a sergeant in the Spanish–American War, the retired Air Corps Chief was recalled to help standardize the criteria for promotions and decorations in the various Air Force commands worldwide. He was director of the Promotion Board at Army Air Forces Headquarters with additional duty as president of the Pilot Allocation Board, Procurement Board and Decorations Board. For his services in this role he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General James Edmond Fechet (ASN: 0-1139), United States Army Air Forces, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Director of the Promotion Board at Army Air Forces Headquarters with additional duty as president of the Pilot Allocation Board, Procurement Board and Decorations Board from March 1942 to April 1946. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Fechet and his dedicated contributions in the service of his country reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.
Fechet retired for the second time nearly five years later, on December 31, 1946. He died in Walter Reed Hospital February 10, 1948, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
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James Fechet
James Edmond Fechet (August 21, 1877 – February 10, 1948) was a major general in the United States Army and the Chief of Air Corps 1927–1931. Men he had selected and worked with both on his staff and in other top Air Corps positions became key leaders of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II.
Born at Fort Ringgold, Texas, in 1877, to Edmond G. Fechet, his military experience began with his youth as an Army Infantry officer's son living at various frontier stations in the West. He left the University of Nebraska in 1898 in his third year as a mechanical engineering student to serve as an enlisted man in the Spanish–American War. Wounded seriously at San Juan Hill in Cuba, Fechet recovered and applied for a commission. Serving as a sergeant in Troop D, 6th Cavalry, in the Philippines, Fechet was commissioned in December 1900 with date if rank from July 1, and for the next six years served in many cavalry assignments, including service in Hawaii, against the insurgents in the Philippines, and on the Punitive Expedition into Mexico. In 1912, as a captain in the 4th Cavalry, Fechet was assigned to duty at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
On April 10, 1907, while stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, as a first lieutenant with the 9th Cavalry, Fechet married Catherine Luhn, daughter of retired Major Gerhard L. Luhn and sister of the depot adjutant, Captain William L. Luhn of the 10th Cavalry.
When the United States entered World War I, Fechet was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel in the Signal Corps was assigned to the expanding Aviation Section on August 5, 1917 and served successively as commander of the Signal Corps Aviation School at Belleville, Illinois in 1917; commander of the Aviation School at Arcadia, Florida, in 1918; and Air Officer, Southern Department at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, 13 May 1919 – 1 Oct 1920. He received further wartime promotion to colonel in March 1918. Fechet was promoted to permanent major and lieutenant colonel, Cavalry, on 1 July 1920 when the Army Reorganization Act took effect, and formally transferred in grade to the Air Service, now a combatant arm of the line by act of Congress, on August 6, which made him 7th in seniority among officers in the branch.
Except for 10 months as the commandant of the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, Fechet spent the years from 1920 - 1931 in the Office of the Chief of Air Service/Chief of Air Corps. He was Assistant Chief of Air Service/Air Corps for more than 2½ years before becoming Chief of Air Corps in December 1927. He retired from the Army on December 10, 1931.
In March 1942, 44 years after he had served as a sergeant in the Spanish–American War, the retired Air Corps Chief was recalled to help standardize the criteria for promotions and decorations in the various Air Force commands worldwide. He was director of the Promotion Board at Army Air Forces Headquarters with additional duty as president of the Pilot Allocation Board, Procurement Board and Decorations Board. For his services in this role he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General James Edmond Fechet (ASN: 0-1139), United States Army Air Forces, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Director of the Promotion Board at Army Air Forces Headquarters with additional duty as president of the Pilot Allocation Board, Procurement Board and Decorations Board from March 1942 to April 1946. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Fechet and his dedicated contributions in the service of his country reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.
Fechet retired for the second time nearly five years later, on December 31, 1946. He died in Walter Reed Hospital February 10, 1948, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
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