Class B Reclassification Board Court of Inquiry Proceedings (July 15, 1931)
A board of generals met in Washington, DC on September 25, 1930 and after reviewing the efficiency reports of 2nd Lieutenant Robert Wilson Stewart, issued the following statement:
The board examined the record of Second Lieutenant Robert W. Stewart, Air Corps, and after mature consideration of the character of service rendered by him and his suitability of fitness as an officer of the Army from the date of his first commission in the Army of the United States, or any circumstances connected therewith, to the present date, is of the opinion that he should not be retained in the service. The board therefore classifies him in class B.
Robert writes:
Because of bad efficiency reports received at Rockwell Field a reviewing board placed me in class B. Following are the procedures which are self explanatory.
A Court of Inquiry in the Case of 2nd Lieutenant Robert W. Stewart was held at the Headquarters for the 6th Corps Area at 1819 West Pershing Road in Chicago, Illinois on June 15, 1931.
Allegations
Allegations against him included the following from his efficiency reports:
On October 7, 1929, his Squadron Commander, 1st Lieutenant F. B. Valentine gave the following assessment:
This officer is ambitious, serious, sober, painstaking. Indications are that there is something to be wished for in his judgement and common sense, but there is nothing to substantiate such an assumption at present. Additional age may clarify the situation.
In the next assessment given on January 6, 1930, Lieutenant Valentine wrote:
This officer has been sick or on sick leave during the major portion of the present reporting period. There is no change in my general estimate of him since the last report.
The Commanding Officer, Major Carl Spatz [1], added:
Concurred in, except in my opinion this officer is not entitled to the rating of Excellent airplane pilot and should be rated as Satisfactory only.
On the next efficiency report, Lieutenant Valentine wrote on March 31, 1930:
This officer tries to do what is expected of him. His personality operates to make it difficult for others to cooperate with him. The writer believes this fact will develop into a material obstacle to this officer’s success. There is nothing at this time of a specific nature to report.
The CO, Major Spatz, once again added:
This officer does not measure up to the standard of other officers in the group of similar length of service. Unless a marked improvement is shown, it is believed his future value to the service will be limited.
His new Squadron Commander, 1st Lieutenant Charles H. Howard gave the following assessment in the next efficiency report on June 30, 1930:
His manner of performance of duty has not inspired confidence in his ability.
This officer is of a peculiar temperament and does not mix well with his fellow officers or have their respect and confidence. He exhibits no decided faults but has an unhappy faculty for doing things the wrong way. He has been taken to task verbally at least three times for minor infractions in the past two months.
Not of a temperament or of sufficient experience to warrant his assignment to civilian components or contacts.
Lieutenant Howard also gave unsatisfactory ratings to Bob in handling officers and men, attention to duty, judgment and common sense, and leadership.
Bob was notified of the negative efficiency reports and replied through formal communications:
I can find no officer in this squadron whose respect and confidence I have not got, excepting Lt. Howard.
In a written statement, 1st Lieutenant J. B. Valentine admitted:
In view of the fact that this officer was a constant source of difficulty because of his inability to cooperate with other officers every effort was made to find specific issues upon which to base cause for his separation from the service. As stated in the efficiency reports enumerated above no specific data was obtained.
My opinion in this matter is that 2nd Lt. Stewart, A. C., is unfitted by temperament for the military service. This statement is founded on nothing of an opprobrious nature because it is believed this officer made every effort to overcome these troubles.
Bob noted that there was:
No data furnished on which to base deposition.
No evidence of specific acts indicating lack of cooperation.
No evidence of temperament unfitted for military service.
Cross-Examination of Witnesses
The Court of Inquiry cross-examined 12 officers who had served with, trained with, and instructed Lieutenant Stewart as witnesses:
Lieutenant Howard Eugene Engler rated Bob in the top 20 out of 78 students at Chanute Field, and described him as “outstanding.” He noted that Bob was not only involved in student work, but was also the assistant to the E&R Officer with the boxing team and fencing team, and that he handled those teams very well. He also mentioned that Bob was the editor of the field paper, mixes well socially and officially, is an excellent pilot, is involved in post activities more than the average officer, and was liked by his classmates.
2nd Lieutenant Arthur R. Maxwell, who was Bob’s roommate, rated Bob “well up in the top half,” and as a little above average. He mentioned that Bob was involved in lots of work outside school and does very well as an instructor in fencing. He observed good judgment and common sense. Regarding Bob’s flying abilities, Lieutenant Maxwell noted that Bob was an “excellent pilot,” and that he flew with him a lot and would “trust him under all circumstances.” He also mentioned that Bob was liked and popular among students and personnel. He continued by stating:
I have lived with him and I think some people find him hard to understand, but I have gotten along very well with him. He has been really a very conscientious student at the school. He has shown lots of initiative, came out and organized boxing, and fencing, and journalism classes among the enlisted men at the field, and created considerable enthusiasm in those subjects. He gets along very well socially, is well liked out in town as well as on the post.
2nd Lieutenant Lewis R. Parker, who had served with Bob in the same squadron at Rockwell Field, said of him:
I would rate him very high; I would say in the first quarter.
I would not hesitate to fly with him in close formation.
He described Bob as “liked and popular”. When asked by the prosecutor, “Do you believe that Lieutenant Stewart was in any way unjustly regarded with disfavor at Rockwell Field?”, Lieutenant Parker replied:
I believe he was. I do not know why, but I believe that there was some prejudice against him.
He also noted that the claim brought against Bob for delaying takeoff at United Air Port was false and the takeoff was not delayed.
Captain Thomas Voss, Captain, Bob’s instructor at the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute field and himself a pilot since 1908 stated:
I would like very much to have Lieutenant Stewart retained at Chanute Field as an instructor in the engineering schools, or were I in command of a tactical organization I would be very pleased to have him as Engineer Officer.
He continued to describe Bob as an “asset to a command”, and “decidedly above the average of pilots in the Air Corps.” Regarding Bob’s temperament, Captain Voss stated:
I would compare him most favorable. He is very studious, quiet, goes about his work in a methodical manner. He has done exceptionally well in his work while he has been a student at Chanute Field.
I consider Lt Stewart rather an exceptional young officer. Having only two years commissioned service he is a good pilot, he is a good student, and will become an excellent engineer officer. His training has been such as especially fits him for duty as an engineer officer, and I would be very pleased to have him in any organization that I might command at any time.
In his interactions with others, Captain Voss noted that Bob mixes well with fellow officers, and was quite popular, being “exceptionally well” liked by fellow officers and ladies of the post. He also noted that he knew Lieutenant Howard and felt he would not be sympathetic with a young officer’s mistakes.
Captain Walter Bender at Chanute Field described Bob as average, and stated, “I consider he mixes extremely well, and attends all social functions.” He continued to describe Bob as “Neat, soldierly at all times, very courteous,” and stated, “I consider him valuable to the service as an officer; his future value to be great.”
Captain Simon Jacobson described his experiences with Bob, stating:
We eat together at officer’s mess, and at times after meals we sit around a while and talk or play a game of pool.
1st Lieutenant W.C. Farnum at Chanute Field related his experiences with Lieutenant Stewart:
In searching for someone to help out as boxing coach, his name was submitted to me as being interested in boxing; I think he had competed in the Military Academy, or at some place. I interviewed him and asked him if he would be willing to assist Lieutenant Forrest who was the boxing coach, and he said he would. So I had him employed as Assistant Boxing Coach and he has been doing that ever since. I then became acquainted with him because he started the fencing class. I had the fencing coach from the University of Illinois come out to give the men and officers who cared to take them, fencing lessons. Lieutenant Stewart immediately started to show a great deal of interest in fencing and was one of the most active officers in fencing down there.
All his duties that he performed with me as Athletic Officer have been on his own time. He is not required to do it, and the work that he has done has been work that he has made for himself.
I had a fencing coach who was transferred in April, and he recommended that I appoint an officer to take his place as fencing coach after he left. My opinion was that the man he recommended was not suitable for the job, so I asked Lieutenant Stewart if he would take it. He said he would be glad to. I said: 'You are already Assistant Boxing Coach.' He said, 'I can do both.' I thought he could and I gave him the job, and he did both. He has done both jobs very well.
As an example, he came to me and said the University of Chicago is having some fencing bouts. The Illinois State Fencing League was having fencing bouts with the University of Chicago. He said; 'These boys of ours have been working hard to learn fencing, and I think we ought to give them a chance to compete.' I said, 'Well, I do not know if we have enough funds to justify sending a team up there to represent us.' He said, 'I will take the team up and I will bear all the expenses myself if you will authorize me to do it.' I said, 'If you feel that way about it, go ahead, but how are you going to get them up there?' He said, 'Well, I will take my own car, and I will put them up at the YMCA and pay all their bills, their expenses, and pay the entrance fees.' I said, 'I think we can pay the entrance fees, and I will offer to reimburse you.'
I guess it makes no difference that I did reimburse him. He took the men up there and he made a very creditable showing. I was there myself, acting as a judge, and the authorities from the University of Chicago, under whom the bouts were conducted, came to me and thanked me very much for bringing my team up. I said: 'I did not bring the team. Lieutenant Stewart is responsible for their coming up.'
Then later, the next week, we had some more bouts. These first bouts were for novices. The next were the Junior Foils. Lt. Stewart said he would like to take them up for those bouts but he could not go himself because he was ordered away on a cross country flight. He said if I would authorize the trip he would turn over his car and let the men go up and represent the Post at this second phase of the meeting, which they did, and they came out very well in that contest also.
After he became coach we had in the neighborhood of thirty-five or forty men coming out every afternoon and evening whereas before that we had in the neighborhood of ten or twelve.
If I can speak just my personal opinion it seems a shame that an officer like Lieutenant Stewart should ever come up before a Class B Board. I can’t understand it. I know a whole lot more ought to be here than he does.
Lieutenant James W. Brown described Bob as a little above average, and stated:
He is very active in athletics, sir. He is very easy to cooperate with, and such things as that, sir. All of his duties he takes care of well. He does his work well.
He noted that Bob served as the Assistant Boxing Coach on base, held a class in journalism, served as the editor of the weekly newsletter on base, and was the coach of the fencing team. He described him as a good pilot, stating, “I will fly with him anytime,” which he acknowledged as the highest compliment that can be given to a fellow pilot. Lieutenant Brown noted that he believed Bob was discriminated against by the Commanding Officer. He continued in describing Bob to the prosecutor of the improvements he noted in Bob while at Chanute Field:
I think he has improved quite a great deal, sir, in the fact that he mixes better. At Rockwell Field he was referred to something of what you might call a 'lone wolf.' He was a great deal by himself. But in the last nine months especially he has had a great improvement and has become very well liked and very popular with others.
The way I look at it sir, is that Lt Stewart having practically no military training except what he got in the flying school did not understand at first what it was all about, but as soon as he got on to the military life he did very well, sir. He improved a great deal.
I never heard anyone say anything against him at all.
Francis M. Ziegler rated Bob within the first quarter of officers and noted that he mixes with other officers better than average. Regarding his flying abilities, he stated:
I have not flown with Lieutenant Stewart since we were students at Kelly Field together, but I considered him an excellent pilot there.
He continued saying:
I would not hesitate to fly with him under any conditions at any time.
I trained with Lieutenant Stewart at Kelly Field. We were students there four months, and I am sure that he was considered among the best students there as a cadet in the attack section.
He continued describing Bob, stating:
And at Rantoul he has taken an interest in Post activities, a voluntary interest in Post activities. I was a member of the fencing class which Lieutenant Stewart organized and instructed, and I also know that he coached boxing. Both of these activities were taken up voluntarily by Lieutenant Stewart, and he had splendid classes in them.
Richard C. Lindsay rated Bob within the upper 20 officers and described him as popular, stating:
I would fly with him as readily as I would with any pilot in the Air Corps.
I would like to serve with him, sir. I have found him very interesting.
Major A. L. Sneed, who had served as the Commanding Officer at Rockwell Field from November 17, 1928 to September 9, 1930 described Bob stating:
He appeared to be somewhat timid, lacked aggressiveness. Of doubtful military value.
He did not compare favorably in respect to initiative, and leadership.
It would perhaps be difficult for an energetic, aggressive officer to cooperate with him.
He also noted that Bob was elected by fellow officers as Secretary-Treasurer of the Officers Club at Rockwell Field.
1st Lieutenant William L. Scott, who had known Bob at Rockwell Field, stated:
Lt. Stewart in my opinion was peculiar, in that he did not mix with the other officers of the squadron, many of them men that he had trained with and had known for some time. In fact he had no confidant that I knew.
Herbert W. Anderson, the Secretary of the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute Field, stated:
I have known Lt Stewart intimately since the middle of October, 1930, at which time I reported to Chanute Field, shortly after which time I was assigned to duty as Secretary of the Air Corps Technical School. In that capacity I have had a great deal of contact with Lt Stewart both professionally and personally. He has during the last several months come under my notice aside from the classification case perhaps more than any other student officer, all in a favorable manner. As Secretary of the School I am the custodian of the school records. Reference to these records shows that Lieutenant Stewart will graduate from the Maintenance Engineering course of the Air Corps Technical School as a fully qualified Maintenance Engineer, receiving his diploma on June 19, 1931.
His work in the Air Corps Technical School has been consistently satisfactory, without a single failure in any of his subjects. There have been in this year’s class eighty student officers. A check on the length of service of these officers shows that it averages about three and a half years. A check on Let Stewart’s service shows that he accepted his commission June 17,1929, and he has today two days less than two years service. As a young Air Corps Officer I would compare him amongst the eighty officers of three and a half years’ service, as standing well in the upper half, both from his characteristics as an officer and a gentleman, his professional attainments, his ability, his energy, his unusual initiative, and from a scholastic standpoint, because of the fact that he has successfully participated in and carried on, led four Post activities, and has as consistently maintained a satisfactory scholastic standing. All of these Post activities are not ordinarily demanded of a student officer.
Lieutenant Stewart has been outstanding in the class of student officers from his participation in Post activities and from his active participation in those activities. He does efficiently what is expected of him. He mixes well. He has, to my personal knowledge, attended every Post function held in the last six months; plays pool after mess daily with ten or twelve fellow officers; and as a participant in Post functions he is in demand. In addition he is a favorite among the ladies of the Post, both of the younger set and of the older married set.
Speaking still in the capacity of Secretary, I wish to tell the Court that within the last week two of the older married ladies of Chanute Field have come to my office knowing that I was acting as counsel in this case, and asked for the privilege of appearing before the Court to testify in Lieutenant Stewart’s behalf, stating that he has been unusually kind and thoughtful in personal and social contacts, and that they, together with others, wish to do all that they can for him.
Lieutenant Stewart has, to the best of my knowledge, the confidence, officially and personally, of all of his associates, including myself. He is, perhaps, one of the easiest officers of Chanute Field to cooperate with through his willingness and desire to enter in and carry on any activity of interest to his friends, himself, or to the command. In all of the contacts with which I have had anything to do with Lieutenant Stewart he has displayed good judgment and common sense. His outstanding personal characteristics are sincerity, intensity of purpose, reliability, his ability to remember once shown, and his concentration. It appears to me that Lieutenant Stewart is quiet and reserved, but upon becoming really acquainted he opens up and tends to become warmly enthusiastic, and once he makes a friend his loyalty is unusual.
From the point of view of my office, he has very good ability in handling officers and men. He has handled the School of Journalism, starting with about eight, and numbering now about twenty, entirely on his own, with no supervision on my part from my desk. His quality of leadership is unquestioned since he does habitually start something with officers or men, and invariably the number of men, or number of officers participating increases. From my personal knowledge of Lieutenant Stewart I should be very glad to have him in my command at any time in the future. It is my belief that Lieutenant Stewart has the required qualifications for duty with civilian components of the military service.
Commendation received from the Commanding Officer of Chanute Field on June 11, 1931
Forced Landing of a LB-7 Biplane Bomber
Yet another allegation brought up against Lieutenant Stewart during the Court of Inquiry was regarding a forced landing at West Haven, California on June 27, 1930. The report of the crew chief on the amount of gasoline taken on to resume flight indicated barely enough to complete the journey, which might have led to a second forced landing, with serious results. The crew chief noted that Bob’s reason for not taking on more gasoline was given as being on account of the high price of fifty cents per gallon. Such economy was not regarded as particularly good judgment by the crew chief.
During the
Court of Inquiry, prosecutors questioned Bob about the forced landing of the
Keystone LB-7 Bomber he was flying with 4 other crew members aboard during his
time stationed at Rockwell Field:
Q Lieutenant
Stewart, will you tell the Court briefly the circumstances concerning a forced
landing of a bombing airplane, mentioned in the deposition of Lieutenant
Howard?
A On a flight to
Crissy Field from Rockwell Field of bombers, over the mountains one of my
motors cut out suddenly. For a half hour I flew the ship on one motor, flying
lower and lower, leaving the formation gradually. Finally, the other motor cut
out altogether.
It
was not only a great physical strain, but a great mental strain. I had with me
two inexperienced men in the front of the ship, as well as an inexperienced
reserve Officer and an inexperienced Crew Chief. By inexperienced I mean he did
not know the ship. There are w??ole ??? in the lower part of the ship that you
have to work when the gasoline pumps fail to function properly. These men did
not know where the pumps were. I had to show them where they were. You can’t
talk in a ship; you merely have to point? and? motion.
It
was not only hard to show them what to do but how to do it and to do it
rapidly. Not only that but the concern of the men with me was very nerve
wracking especially when this last motor cut out just above the ground? where
there was a 40-mile gale blowing.
I
brought the bomber down safely. The country over which we had been flying was
mountainous country with no place to land. There entered a question of judgment
whether to leave the ship to tell these men to get out. It takes the man in the
front part of the ship approximately three minutes to get out.
Q You mean by “leaving the ship”
jumping out with parachutes.
A Jumping out
with parachutes. They have to climb out in the back of the ship in the pilot’s
cockpit, go out on the wing, and pull the parachute to escape the tail section.
After
landing I asked the crew chief to look the ship over and tell me what it needed
and I would wire back to Rockwell for it.
Now,
there was no hurry about this. It was Saturday and the depot was closed until
Monday. I waited for the crew chief to check the ship over and give me a list.
I asked him to look at the list and see if it was all okay. Yes. By that time
an automobile from one of the neighboring ranches just a few miles away came
up, and I went over there and made a long distance call, sending the wire
including this list the crew chief had given me.
Over
there at the farmhouse there were gathered all the laborers from the field, and
there was a lot of talk. They were asking me all sorts of questions and I was
trying to make the long distance phone call, and I was distracted, as a result
of which I made that error in the pumps.
Q Lieutenant
Stewart, what was your personal reaction, your nervous reaction after you
brought the bomber down?
A Naturally I was
very nervous. It was quite an experience and very nerve wracking, to say the
least. It is not as bad if you have a small plan and only yourself to depend
on, but the lives of several men were at stake as well as many thousands of
dollars worth of aeroplane, and it was very nerve wracking.
Q What was the type of aeroplane you
had?
A A bomber, L-B-7.
A Keystone LB-7 Bomber [1]
Q What at that
time was the price, as far as you know, the cost to the Government of the L-B-7
bomber?
A I believe around $80,000, I am not
sure.
Q You felt then
that you had through the exercise of good judgment, instead of bailing out and
having your men jump out with parachutes, that you had possibly saved the lives
of all the men, brought them down in good country, and had saved the Government
and $80,000 airplane?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you
consider afterwards that sending a telegram asking for water pumps for an
air-cooled engine was a great sin when you compare that with what you had done?
A No, sir.
The Telegrams
sent by Lieutenant Stewart
Q Lieutenant
Stewart, a remark in one of the depositions stated that you bought only enough
fuel, gasoline, to get back to San Diego, and the remark involved your judgment
in doing that. What have you to say?
A I had about fifteen minutes or
twenty minutes over, sir.
Q A twenty minute reserve?
A Yes, sir.
Q How long was the flight in hours?
A The flight was
approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes, not very long. The country was
level after we left the mountains during the latter part of the flight, so that
a plane could be set down any place, and there was no excuse for further
expenditures for gasoline.
Q You apparently bought a 25 percent
reserve.
A Approximately, yes, sir.
Q Is that customary?
A Under the conditions, yes, sir.
Q If you skimped in buying gasoline,
why did you do so?
A That is hardly
skimping on gasoline. I knew my country very well. I knew where I was going.
The weather was perfect. One could land any place the latter part of the
journey. The country was level and there was no danger involved there.
Q That answers the question.
Regarding this incident the cross-examination asked him:
Q After this
accident to your ship, when it had been repaired, did you take the ship and the
men to Rockwell Field?
A Yes, sir.
Q Did you get there all right?
A Yes, sir.
Q No trouble at all?
A No trouble at all.
Q You had gasoline to spare when you
got there?
A Yes, sir, after I got there.
Q Lieutenant Stewart, do you feel that while at Rockwell Field at certain times, certain periods of your service there, that you were regarded with disfavor unjustly by any officer at Rockwell Field?
A Yes, Sir.
Q By whom?
A I believe it originally started with Major Spatz. We took a flight to Los Angeles to open Mills Field. Congressman James went along. The officer who was our Group Historian was not along and Major Spatz asked me to write up an account of the affair, which I did. I submitted it to him within the next few days, and he appointed me the Group Historian. That position necessitated writing back to Washington for all the back history of the 95th Pursuit Squadron, the 11th Bombardment Group, and the 7th Bombardment Group, unites represented at the field there. Naturally, it took some time for the letter to go back to Washington, and for them to get this information and send it back. In fact, some of that information is just getting there now, according to the officer who has that position.
Major Spatz seemed to think I was neglecting my duty as Group Historian. I had several other post jobs at that time. It seemed to me that he tried to make an example of me, and worked through the younger Commanding Officers, meaning Lieutenants Valentine and Howard. Personally I have nothing against any of them. I seemed to get along well with them, but I had to do all the cooperating from that time on.
Q Lieutenant Stewart, do you feel that in this connection you were discriminated against?
A I believe I was, sir.
Q With relation to the treatment of other officers?
A Yes, sir.
Q Lieutenant Stewart, do you feel that you were misunderstood at Rockwell Field?
A Yes, sir, because I did not mix as much with the officers in Rockwell Field as I do here.
Q To what do you attribute the fact that you did not mix?
A I was going to school at the time over in San Diego, using all the spare time I could to further educate myself as an army officer, taking these law courses and courses of similar nature, and I was not on the field much. I did not go on their parties, many parties. Wherever their parties occurred over a weekend I was usually present, but on afternoon parties and parties like that I was usually in school.
Lt. Anderson acted as my counsel and did an excellent job. The board did not concur in any of the bad reports except that National Guard and Reserve Officer’s duty should not be given me. However, two superior reports have been given me for National Guard duty and the Reserve Officers at the camps claim that both camps excelled any camps that they had attended. They selected me when many other officers were available.
All allegations against him were “Not concurred in” by the Court and were dismissed, excepting the statement “Not of sufficient experience to warrant his assignment to civilian components or contacts,” since Bob had only been an officer in the Army Air Corps for less than a year when the negative efficiency reports were given and was only two years in at the time of the Court of Inquiry.
[1] Major
Carl Andrew Spatz became a General and was the Chief of Staff of the USAF in
1947.
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_LB-6#/media/File:KeystoneLB7oak_(4477474236).jpg
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