John W. Mitchell (United States Air Force)
John William Mitchell | |
---|---|
Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Navy Cross Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross (3) Bronze Star Medal Air Medal (10) |
John William Mitchell (June 14, 1914 – November 15, 1995)[1] was an officer of the United States Air Force, a flying ace[2] and the leader of Operation Vengeance, the mission to shoot down Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.[3] He served in World War II and the Korean War.
Early life
Mitchell was born in Enid, Mississippi to Noah Boothe Mitchell (1881–1967) and Lillian Dickinson Mitchell (1880–1921) on June 14, 1914. Mitchell was a valedictorian of his high school class. He graduated at Columbia University with a degree in Economics on 1934 and continued at the University of Chicago, where he obtained his diploma on 1939.[2]
Mitchell married Anne Lee Miller, during the weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Military career
Mitchell enlisted in the
World War II
Mitchell flew as a
After re-organizing, and training new recruits as well as possible, Mitchell and the members of the
Flying the
Operation Vengeance
Back in
Overnight at
At 08:20, the P-38s changed their heading for the first time, swinging slightly to the north. Half an hour later, when abreast of Vella Lavella, they made their second planned course change, again shifting a little more to the north. At 09:00, Mitchell made their last change, heading northeast, directly toward the coast of Bougainville, only 40 miles away. He also began the slow climb for altitude at this point. At 09:34 Doug Canning called out "Bogeys, eleven o'clock high." The P-38 pilots jettisoned their drop tanks and attacked. Holmes and Hine had trouble with their tanks; Lanphier, at least initially, headed for the escort flight, while Barber engaged the Japanese bombers. All the other P-38Gs followed their instructions to fly cover against the Zero fighters.[7]
Both
Post mission
After the mission, Mitchell served a tour with Headquarters Army Air Forces from June to December 1943. His total score in Guadalcanal was eight enemy planes destroyed. Then he was assigned to the
He next served the
Mitchell was credited with destroying a total of 11 enemy aircraft in aerial combat during World War II.
Post war
After
Korean War
Mitchell flew again in the
"Mitchell was madder than any colonel the pilot had ever seen"
Mitchell and Lt Gen. Glenn O. Barcus, the commanding general of Fifth Air Force, made a lot of personnel changes and even attempted to strip one pilot, Capt. Dolphin Overton, of his flying ace status.[2]
Post war
After serving in Korea, Mitchell served with the 28th Air Division at Hickam Air Force Base from June 1953 to July 1956. Mitchell's final assignment was as commander of the Detroit Air Defense Sector at Custer Air Force Station from July 1957 until his retirement from the Air Force on July 31, 1958.[1]
Mitchell flew 240 combat missions in World War II and Korean War, and was credited with 15 aerial victories together in the two wars.[11]
Later life
Mitchell died on November 15, 1995, in San Anselmo, California.
Aerial victory credits
Date | # | Type | Location | Aircraft flown | Unit Assigned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
October 9, 1942 | 1 | Mitsubishi F1M | Henderson Field, Solomon Islands | P-39 Airacobra |
339 FS, 347 FG |
October 23, 1942 | 1 | Mitsubishi A6M Zero | Tulagi, Solomon Islands | P-39 Airacobra | 339 FS, 347 FG |
November 7, 1942 | 1 | Nakajima A6M2-N | Santa Isabel Island , Solomon Islands |
P-39 Airacobra | 339 FS, 347 FG |
January 5, 1943 | 1 | Nakajima A6M2-N | Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands | P-38 Lightning |
339 FS, 347 FG |
January 27, 1943 | 2 | A6M Zero | Cape Esperance, Solomon Islands | P-38 Lightning | 339 FS, 347 FG |
January 29, 1943 | 1 | Nakajima Ki-27 | Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands | P-38 Lightning | 339 FS, 347 FG |
February 2, 1943 | 1 | Nakajima A6M2-N | Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands | P-38 Lightning | 339 FS, 347 FG |
June 26, 1945 | 1 | A6M Zero | Kiso, Japan | P-51 Mustang |
15 FG Hq |
July 16, 1945 | 2 | Kawanishi N1K | Tsu, Japan | P-51 Mustang | 21 FG Hq |
January 21, 1953 | 1 | MiG-15 | North Korea | F-86 Sabre |
51 FW Hq |
March 9, 1953 | 1 | MiG-15 | North Korea | F-86 Sabre | 51 FW Hq |
April 11, 1953 | 1 | MiG-15 | Uiju County, North Korea | F-86 Sabre | 51 FW Hq |
May 15, 1953 | 1 | MiG-15 | North Korea | F-86 Sabre | 51 FW Hq |
- SOURCES: Air Force Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II and Air Force Historical Study 81: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, Korean War, Freeman 1993
Awards and decorations
Mitchell's decorations include:
USAF Command Pilot
| ||
Distinguished Service Cross | ||
Navy Cross | Legion of Merit | oak leaf clusters
|
Bronze Star
|
Air Medal with 1 silver and 3 bronze oak leaf clusters |
Air Medal (second ribbon required for accouterment spacing) |
Army Commendation Medal | Air Force Presidential Unit Citation | Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 1 service star |
American Defense Service Medal | American Campaign Medal | campaign stars
|
World War II Victory Medal | Army of Occupation Medal with 'Japan' clasp |
National Defense Service Medal |
Korean Service Medal with 3 bronze campaign stars |
Air Force Longevity Service Award with 1 silver oak leaf cluster |
Armed Forces Reserve Medal |
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
|
United Nations Korea Medal
|
Republic of Korea War Service Medal |
Distinguished Service Cross
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Air Corps), {then Captain} John W. Mitchell, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in air actions against the enemy while serving as a Pilot with the 67th Fighter Squadron and later as Commander of the
Citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Major (Air Corps) John W. Mitchell, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the
References
- ^ a b c d e "Veteran Tributes". Veteran Tributes. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
- ^ a b c d e f "John W. Mitchell, led Admiral Yamamoto Mission, P-38 Lightning flier". Acepilots.com. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
- ^ "Death by P-38". HistoryNet.com. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
- ISBN 9780850522778. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ISBN 9780850522778. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- Air Force Magazine. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
- ^ "John W. Mitchell: Fighter Pilot and Ace". Pacific Wrecks. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
- ISBN 9780809485963. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ^ Tillman, Barrett (April 1, 2013). "The Mustangs of Iwo". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
- ISBN 9781472800565. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ^ "John W. Mitchell". Gathering of Eagles. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
- ^ a b "Valor awards for John William Mitchell". Retrieved 20 July 2020.
Bibliography
- ISBN 9780062448521.
- Glines, Carroll V. (1990). Attack on Yamamoto (Hardcover). Orion Books. ISBN 9780517577288.
- Molesworth, Carl (2012). Very Long Range P-51 Mustang Units of the Pacific War (Hardcover). Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781782005810.