Thomas DeWitt Milling (July 31, 1887 – November 26, 1960) was a pioneer of military aviation and a brigadier general in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Milling reported to the 15th Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in September 1909 but his tour of duty was cut short when War Department Special Order 95, dated April 21, 1911, assigned Milling and 2d Lt. Henry H. Arnold to "aeronautical duty with the Signal Corps," and instructed them to "proceed to Dayton, Ohio, for the purpose of undergoing a course of instruction in operating the Wright airplane."

All qualification certificates for airplane, airship, and balloon pilots were issued by the Aero Club of America, the only U.S. representative for the FAI."

(from the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Centenniel of Flight exhibition) Milling began his training on May 3, 1911, under the tutelage of Wright instructor Cliff Turpin.

Milling flew daily for six weeks, except in bad weather, mastering takeoffs, landings, turns, and rudimentary maneuvers.

The Army, in addition to the Wright biplane, had also purchased an aircraft manufactured by Glenn Curtiss, which the "Provisional Aero Company" flew at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, until a fatal crash in May, 1911 resulted in the banning of further flights there.

Only a few months after learning to fly, Milling entered and won the Tri-State Biplane Race against a field of experienced fliers.

On May 2, 1913, he was recognized by General Order 39 as one of the original 24 military aviators, and on October 15, 1913, he and Chandler received the first badges awarded to wear on the uniform.

In September 1931, he served briefly at Rockwell Air Depot, California, then was admitted to Fitzsimons General Hospital in Aurora, Colorado, where he was a patient from October 1931 to July 31, 1933, when he retired from active duty due to poor health.