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MITCHELL, Anthony Baird - Date of
birth
1 December 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio -
Hometown
Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-659391 -
Rank
Captain -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
854th Bombardment Squadron,
491st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
18 September 1944 - Place of
death
Northeast of Udenhout, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| O | 8 | 6 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Osborne Mitchell (father)
Nellie (Foster) Mitchell (mother)
James E. Mitchell (brother)
Jane T. Mitchell (sister)
Suzanne B. Mitchell (sister)
Sara J. (Aiken) Mitchell (wife)
Anthony B. Mitchell II (son)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-40210 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: I'll Be Seeing You
Destination: Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Mission: Supply drop
Macr: 10211
More information
Anthony B. Mitchell attended Washington and Jefferson College and graduated from Cornell University School of Engineering.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army at fort Hayes, Ohio on 27 September 1941 and was sent overseas in May 1944.
The airplane was hit by 20 mm flak and a small fire started on the right wing. With only seconds in which to work, Capt Hunter, considered one of the best pilots in the group, picked his spot and started to bring the B-24 in on its belly. At less then 50 feet, however, the right inboard engine burst into flames. The right wing dropped and it was too low when the plane hit. The instant was captured by a camera in another aircraft. The plane then slid on the ground, crashed into a haystack and exploded. It came to rest in a field about three fourths of a mile northeast of a train overpass near the town of Udenhout.
Because of the low altitude, no one was able to bail out. Nine crew members were killed. One man survived, evaded capture and was kept hidden until the twon was liberated by Canadian troops.
In Poland, Ohio a football stadium was named after him because he was a great athlete and war hero.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, NARA, - MACR, Youngstown Vindicator - Oct 5, 1944, www.ancestry.com - WWII Enlistment Record / Family Trees, www.newspapers.com - The Daily Republican
Photo source: The Washington Observer - Dec 27, 1944, Youngstown Vindicator - Oct 5, 1944, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree