General Billy Mitchell was considered the "father of the U.S. Air Force" but lived his life vainly trying to convince others of the importance of air power.
Between WW1 and WW2 he widely championed the development of aircraft for use in war at both the military and media levels. Unpopular with some of his superiors as a troublemaker and for being disobedient, he was ultimately court-martialed for "conduct of a nature to bring discredit to the military service". Despite being a popular and effective leader in the first World War, he was found guilty and forced to resign in 1926.
He lived out the remainder of his life writing and pushing for a larger role of aircraft in military operations until his dead in 1936. Mitchell died too early to see how true his predictions on the importance of aircraft were in World War 2.
http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1996/June%201996/0696billy.aspx
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