John W. Mitchell (United States Air Force)

John William Mitchell (14 July 1915 – 15 November 1995) was an officer of the United States Air Force, a flying ace and the leader of Operation Vengeance, the mission to shoot down Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. 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 July 14, 1915. He was a valedictorian of his high school class. He graduated at Columbia University with a degree in Economics on 1934. He continued at the University of Chicago, where he obtained his diploma on 1939. He married Anne Lee, during the confusing weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Military Service
He enlisted in the United States Army on April 9, 1934, and after completing basic training he served with the Coast Artillery Corps at Fort Ruger, Hawaii from July 1934 to September 8, 1938. Mitchell was selected to attend the Aviation Cadet Program, and entered training on November 10, 1939, receiving his commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Corps and his pilot wings on July 26, 1940.

World War II
He flew as a P-40 Warhawk pilot with the 55th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Fighter Group from August 1940 to January 1942. He was with the 70th Pursuit Squadron, stranded near Charlotte, North Carolina during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, due to a malfunctioning P-40. On his arrival at the 70th FS base at Hamilton Field, he learned that most of the experienced men of the squadron had been sent to Java, to try to stem the Japanese onslaught. But,most of them were killed or captured by the Japanese.

After re-organizing, and training new recruits as well as possible, Mitchell and the members of the 70th Fighter Squadron embarked for Fiji on Jan. 20, 1942. They were given the new aircraft, the P-39 Airacobra. Landing at the harbor of Suva, the men of the 70th began to struggle with their P-39s in the tropical downpours and mud of Fiji. With the aid of the Bell Aircraft rep, they got the Airacobras into the air and began training in them. They trained intensively with the P-39s for six months, their only diversions being volleyball and high-stakes poker.

They thought they were "hot pilots" and "were ready to take on all comers". Then some Navy pilots from the carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3) visited and gave them some insight into real combat, showing them the greater maneuverability of the F4F Wildcat and the technique of the Thach Weave. They continued training on Fiji through autumn of 1942, entertaining several dignitaries in these months, notably World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker, Army Air Forces chief General Henry "Hap" Arnold, and a young Texas Congressman and future U.S. President, Lyndon B. Johnson. On October 5, Mitchell and eight of his pilots were detached from the 70th for duty on Guadalcanal with the 339th Fighter Squadron. They arrived just in time for the darkest days at Guadalcanal.

At one point the Japanese were only 600 feet from their airstrip. The crew chiefs removed the .30 caliber machine guns from some planes, to use in a last-ditch stand. When landing at Henderson Field, the fliers dodged bushes in the runway, held there by brave crewmen, to mark the location of shell holes. Several pilots were lost in night landings, due to the dim lights, the frequent storms, and the rough conditions of the strip. Despite flying the inadequate P-39, Mitchell had shot down three Japanese planes by early November, and later that month was promoted to Major and CO of the 339th Fighter Squadron. The arrival of the first P-38 Lightnings overshadowed his promotion. The twin-engined fighters had a top speed of 395 MPH at 25,000 feet and devastating firepower – four .50 caliber machine guns and a 20mm cannon mounted in the nose. Because they could fire straight ahead, rather than in the common converging patterns of wing-mounted guns, they could fire a constant stream of lead that was effective at all ranges.

In December 1942, Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr., Rex Barber, Doug Canning, and other pilots of the 70th Fighter Squadron came to Guadalcanal, alternating duty with the 339th Fighter Squadron, which was commanded by Mitchell. Once Canning spotted a Japanese freighter in The Slot and arranged a betting pool on which pilot could get the best hit on the ship. He put a 500 lb. bomb through her deck, sank her, and won the pool. In the early part of 1943, the pace of war slackened a little, although Barber and some other 70th Squadron pilots sank a destroyer in March. The P-38s had some drawbacks: feeble heaters, exorbitant fuel consumption, and high maintenance. But the pilots loved the new planes, which inflicted even higher losses on the Japanese.

Operation Vengeance
Back in Hawaii, on April 14, the American code-breakers intercepted the message detailing Yamamoto's itinerary. The decoded and translated message made its way to Washington DC, back to Admiral Nimitz in Hawaii, then to Admiral Halsey on New Caledonia, and to Admiral Mitscher on Guadalcanal. All levels approved the shoot-down mission, and Mitscher assigned it to Major Mitchell of the 339th.

Throughout the wee hours of the morning at Henderson Field, welding torches flamed brilliantly under protective tarpaulins, as the ground crews fitted the large new tanks under the wings of the P-38s. By dawn 18 planes were ready. The pilots ate their usual unsatisfactory breakfast of Spam, dried eggs, and coffee. Mitchell, inwardly doubtful of the mission's chances for success, exuded quiet confidence as he chatted with the fliers and ground crew. His last instructions before the 0700 take-off were to maintain radio silence. The Lightnings roared into life and, before getting airborne, trundled to the end of the runway, being so heavily laden. At take-off McLanahan blew a tire and shortly afterwards Moore's new tanks wouldn't feed. These two 'shooters' dropped out of the mission, Raymond Hine and Besby Holmes replaced them.

Mitchell's remaining 16 planes thundered along at wavetop level to avoid Japanese spotters. They sped northwest, sweeping widely away from Jap-occupied New Georgia. Mitchell tried to hold the planes at the dangerously low level of thirty feet; with only the smooth ocean below, depth perception was almost non-existent. Horrified, Mitchell watched helplessly as one plane dipped low enough to kick up spray onto his windows. But the pilot kept control and eased the big fighter back up out of the waves. By 0800, the American raiders were 285 miles from the planned interception; at that minute, Admiral Yamamoto's G4M Betty bomber took off from Rabaul, precisely on time for his scheduled 1000 arrival on Bougainville. His entourage included one other Betty bomber and six A6M Zeros. Yamamoto's chief of staff, Admiral Matome Ugaki, flew in the second bomber

The sun beat down on the large windows of the Lightnings. Designed for high altitude work, Lockheed had elected not to provide the cockpits with coolers. The pilots sweated profusely in their flying greenhouses and at 0820 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 0900, 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. The pilots test fired their guns. The minutes ticked away and the Lightnings droned on, climbing as the mountains of Bougainville came into view. At 0934 sharp-eyed Doug Canning called out "Bogeys, eleven o'clock high." Mitchell couldn't believe it. There the Japanese flight was, right on schedule, exactly as planned. To the 339th pilots the Japanese planes appeared bright and new-looking. The P-38 pilots jettisoned their drop tanks and bored in for the attack. Holmes and Hine had trouble with their tanks; only Barber and Lanphier of the killer group went after the Japanese bombers. All the other P-38s followed their instructions to fly cover against the Zero fighters.

The attack itself has been shrouded in uncertainty and controversy. Both Lanphier and Barber claimed one bomber shot down over the jungles of Bougainville. Frank Holmes claimed another shot down over the water a few minutes later. From Japanese records and survivors, among them Admiral Ugaki, the following facts are certain. Only two G4M Betty bombers were involved; Yamamoto's was shot down over Bougainville with no survivors; the second went into the ocean and Admiral Ugaki lived to tell about it. The day following the attack, a Japanese search party located the wreckage, including the Admiral's body, which they ceremonially cremated.

The Lightnings had waded into the Japanese flight, pouring forth their deadly streams of lead. In the manner of all aerial combat, the fight was brief, high-speed, and confused. The individual pilots recorded their impressions for the Air Combat Intelligence officers; it wasn't until long after the war that anyone realized their claims for three bombers had been overstated.

The pilots uneventfully flew back to Guadalcanal. Upon landing, the ground personnel greeted them gleefully, like a winning football team. While Lanphier and Barber briefly disagreed about the air battle, all was subsumed in the generally celebratory atmosphere. Lanphier later recalled enjoying his best meal of the war that night.

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 8 enemy planes, making him a flying ace. Then he was assigned to the 412th Fighter Group, where he served from December 1943 to April 1945. Mitchell flew Spitfires and Hurricanes as an observer in England in April and May 1945.

He next served the 15th Fighter Group based in Iwo Jima from May to June 1945. He flew P-51 Mustangs, escorting B-29 Superfortress bombers over Japan and shooting down 3 more enemy aircraft. He subsequently served as Deputy Commander and then Commander of the 21st Fighter Group, where he served from July to October 1945. He was credited with destroying a total of 11 enemy aircraft in aerial combat during World War II.

Post-War
After United States Army Air Forces became United States Air Force, Mitchell was assigned as Director of Training and Operations at Keesler Field, from February 1946 to August 1947. He attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base from August 1947 to June 1948, and then served as base commander at Godman AFB, from June 1948 to July 1949. Mitchell served with the 63d Fighter Wing at Brooks AFB, from July 1949 to November 1950, and then served as Commander of the 57th Fighter Interceptor Group at Eielson AFB, from November 1950 to June 1952.

Korean War
Mitchell flew again in the Korean War, taking over the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing for Gabby Gabreski in June 1952. He shot down 4 MiG-15s in Korea. Among his other challenges as CO was controlling the "flight suit" mentality of his fliers, who bent all the rules in their desire to "kill MiGs." Things came to a head when Lt. Col. Edwin Heller of the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was shot down on the wrong side of the Yalu. As Robert Dorr describes it in his book Korean War Aces:

""Mitchell was madder than any colonel the pilot had ever seen.""

Mitchell and Lt.General Glenn Barcus made a lot of personnel changes and even attempted to strip one pilot, Capt. Dolphin Overton, of his ace status.

Post-Korean War
After serving in Korea, Mitchell served with the 28th Air Division at Hickam AFB, Hawaii from June 1953 to July 1956. Mitchell's final assignment was as Commander of the Detroit Air Defense Sector at Custer Air Force Station, Michigan, from July 1957 until his retirement from the Air Force on July 31, 1958. He flew 240 combat missions in World War II and Korean War and was credited with 15 air victories together in World War II and Korea.

Post career
Mitchell died on November 15, 1995 and his wife Anne died March 14, 2008. Both of them are buried and share a same headstone at Golden Gate National Cemetery.

Aerial victory credits

 * 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, pp. 272–273.

Awards and Decorations
Command pilot Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

United Nations Service Medal

Korean War Service Medal

Distinguished Service Cross citation

 * Mitchell, John
 * Captain, U.S Army Air Forces
 * 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force
 * Date of Action:  October 4, 1942 – November 10, 1942 & December 22, 1942 – February 4, 1943


 * Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces in the South Pacific Area:  General Orders No. 56 (March 9, 1943)


 * 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 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force, during the periods 4 October 1942 to 10 November 1942 and from 22 December 1942 to 4 February 1943. On 4 October, Major Mitchell led a flight of eleven P-39 airplanes to Guadalcanal, arriving there on 7 October. On 9 October, he led a flight of P-39 airplanes on two escort missions for SBD airplanes against an enemy naval force 150 miles off Guadalcanal; part of the second mission being accomplished after dark and being extremely hazardous due to the very low ceiling and no landing lights. He destroyed one enemy float bi-plane; others of the flight probably destroyed two others, all returning safely to base. On 23 October, he shot down one enemy Zero while leading a flight of P-39 airplanes on patrol over Guadalcanal, and returning and landing safely after dark in heavy rain. On 7 November, he led a flight of eight P-39's loaded with 500-pound bombs on a dive-bombing mission against an enemy naval force of one cruiser and fourteen destroyers. Intercepted by five enemy float "Zeroes" he destroyed one, and the flight shot down the balance, all returning safely. On 5 January, while with six P-38 airplanes on an escort mission for five B-17 bombers, some twenty-five enemy planes attacked. Outnumbered four-to-one, the fighters destroyed three of the enemy and probable three others, Major Mitchell accounting for one float Zero. On 27 January, he led a flight of six P-38's against a superior force of about thirty "Zeroes" over Guadalcanal and destroyed two of them himself. On 29 January, he took off alone from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, before daylight in a P-38 to intercept enemy bombers that had been harassing the troops by bombing each night and shot down an enemy type 97 medium bomber making a low-level bombing and strafing run on the field. On 2 February, he led a flight of four P-38's as a bomber escort and shot down one float "Zero" of the three enemy planes accounted for by the flight. Major Mitchell has destroyed more than five enemy airplanes, having shot down a total of eight confirmed, destroyed an undetermined number on the ground and water during strafing strikes at Rekata Bay and Munda Point, and led numerous other missions in addition to those specifically mentioned, in over 150 hours of combat flying time as Flight Commander.

Navy Cross Citation

 * Mitchell, John
 * Captain, U.S Army Air Forces
 * 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force (Detached)
 * Date of Action:  April 18, 1943


 * 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 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force, attached to a Marine Fighter Command in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands on 18 April 1943. Leading a flight of sixteen fighter planes at dangerously low altitude in the longest planned interception mission ever attempted, Major Mitchell contacted the assigned objective, consisting of two enemy bombers and six escort fighters, with complete tactical surprise and launched a fierce, determined attack. In the ensuing engagement he directed the operations of his group with such outstanding professional skill and daring courage that they shot down both bombers in flames, three of the hostile escort aircraft and another bomber, not in company, which was sighted approaching the nearby enemy base at Kahili. With full appreciation of the technical accuracy required for the achievement of this vital mission, Major Mitchell completed the difficult assignment with remarkable success. His brilliant leadership and valiant devotion to duty under extremely adverse conditions contributed greatly to the efforts of our forces in the Solomon Islands and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Armed Services.