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Personal info

Full name
MITCHELL, Alfred Howard
Date of birth
30 December 1921
Age
21
Place of birth
Lyndhurst, Bergen County, New Jersey
Hometown
Lyndhurst, Bergen County, New Jersey

Military service

Service number
32391382
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
527th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
11 June 1943
Place of death
1 km north of Marx, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 29 15

Immediate family

Members
James F. Mitchell (father)
Grace Mitchell (mother)
Florence (Castles) Mitchell (stepmother)
Mildred Mitchell (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3148
Data
Type: B-17F
Destination: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the U-boat yards
MACR: 1369

More information

S/Sgt Alfred H. Mitchell graduated from Lyndhurst High School in 1940 and was a checker.

He enlisted on 11 July 1942 in Newark, New Jersey.

The co-pilot, 1st Lt William H. Cochran, who survived the mission, stated after the war that their airplane collided head on with a Focke-Wulf 190.

Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight men were killed.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card, 1940 US Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Lyndhurst High School 1940