Kenneth Walker (general)

Kenneth Walker
Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker
Birth name	Kenneth Newton Walker
Nickname(s)	Ken
Born	(1898-07-17)17 July 1898 Los Cerillos, New Mexico Territory
Died	5 January 1943(1943-01-05) (aged 44) Rabaul, New Britain
Places of Burial (markers only)	Arlington National Cemetery Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Aviation Section, Signal Corps United States Army Air Service United States Army Air Corps United States Army Air Forces
Years of service	1917–1943
Rank	Brigadier General
Service number	0-12510
Commands held	V Bomber Command 18th Pursuit Group 9th Bombardment Squadron 11th Bombardment Squadron
Battles/wars	World War II Kokoda Track campaign Battle of Buna-Gona Battle of Wau  †
Awards	Medal of Honor Silver Star Legion of Merit Purple Heart

Brigadier General Kenneth Newton Walker (17 July 1898 – 5 January 1943) was a United States Army aviator and a United States Army Air Forces general who exerted a significant influence on the development of airpower doctrine. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor in World War II.

Walker joined the United States Army in 1917, after the American entry into World War I. He trained as an aviator and became a flying instructor. In 1920, after the end of the war, he received a commission in the Regular Army. After service in various capacities, Walker graduated from the Air Corps Tactical School in 1929, and then served as an instructor there. He supported the creation of a separate air organization that is not subordinate to other military branches. He was a forceful advocate of the efficacy of strategic bombardment, publishing articles on the subject and becoming part of a clique known as the "Bomber Mafia" that argued for the primacy of bombardment over other forms of military aviation. He advanced the notion that fighters could not prevent a bombing attack. He participated in the Air Corps Tactical School's development of the doctrine of industrial web theory, which called for precision attacks against carefully selected critical industrial targets. Shortly before the United States entered World War II, Walker became one of four officers assigned to the Air War Plans Division, which was tasked with developing a production requirements plan for the war in the air. Together, these officers devised the AWPD-1 plan, a blueprint for the imminent air war against Germany that called for the creation of an enormous air force to win the war through strategic bombardment.

In 1942, Walker was promoted to brigadier general and transferred to the Southwest Pacific, where he became Commanding General, V Bomber Command, Fifth Air Force. The Southwest Pacific contained few strategic targets, relegating the bombers to the role of interdicting supply lines and supporting the ground forces. This resulted in a doctrinal clash between Walker and Lieutenant General George C. Kenney, an attack aviator, over the proper method of employing bombers. Walker frequently flew combat missions over New Guinea, for which he received the Silver Star. On 5 January 1943, he was shot down and killed leading a daylight bombing raid over Rabaul, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.