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WW I pilot, Asst. to General Billy Mitchell

Major General Clayton Bissell was born July 29, 1896 in Kane, Pennsylvania. He was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Aviation Section, Signal Reserve, January 12, 1918. After Aviation Training and during WWI He served in the Overseas Ferry Service before he was ordered to duty with the 148th Aero Squadron (1918).

He served with that unit and with the 41st Aero Squadron until the armistice. He was credited officially with destroying five enemy planes and driving one down out of control; these six victories qualify him as an ace. He commanded the 639th Aero Squadron with the American Forces in Germany (1919).

After the war he served in numerous positions in the U.S. and attended Air Service Field Officer's School. In January 1924, he was detailed as advanced agent for the round-the-world flight in British Columbia, Alaska, the Aleutians, Greenland, Labrador, Newfoundland and the Maritime Provinces.

On return to Washington, he was transferred to serve as secretary of the Air Service Board (1924). Between October and December 1925, he served as assistant defense counsel for Mitchell during his court martial.

After the completion of training, he was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, as intelligence and operations officer of the 18th Pursuit Group, becoming commanding officer in October 1937. In July 1939, he became a member of the War Plans Division of the War Department General Staff at Washington, remaining on this duty until the beginning of World War II.

In 1942, he was assigned as principal aviation officer on Major General Stilwell's staff in China; commanding general of the 10th Air Force in India and Burma. After many assignments in the U.S. he became military attached to Great Britain (1946-1948).

He was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, with station at Wiesbaden, Germany, where he remained until he returned to the United States in April 1950, for an assignment to Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C.

His awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal.

He retired November 1, 1950 and died January 1, 1973 in Murfreesboro, Tennesssee.