Capitaine Albert W.
Mitchell
The captain Albert Mitchell was born to
Kyrock in Kentucky on December 5th, 1915. He died on June 9th, 1944 during the
fights in Normandy. He was a captain within S-3 (Intelligence Officer) of the
Company of HQ of the 3rd Battalion of the 501st Parachute Infantry, of the
101st Airborne.
He was awarded a diploma of Western Kentucky
State College of Tenpin bowling Green, Kentucky.
Albert Mitchell married Glenna Bishop. He enlisted
in the paratrooper in 1942 after Pearl Harbor's attack. Albert Mitchell had a
son who was born at the beginning of 1942.
He joined the 501st Parachute Infantry
Regiment of the 101st Airborne.
From January, 44 till June 5th, 44, Albert
Mitchell belongs in England to Kambourn, Birkshire, to get ready for the
invasion.
In the evening of June 5th, the Captain
Mitchell, the jumpmaster of his stick belongs to Weldford Park to Newbury,
Birkshire. They got ready to embark when they had the visit of the General
Eisenhower. The Captain Mitchell presented the men of his stick to the General.
A little bit before midnight, C-47 takes off.
At 1:28 am, on June 6th, the captain
Mitchell jumped of his C-47, the men of his stick followed. They landed in 10 km
in the southwest of their DZ planned near Hiesville. They landed near an enemy
concentration. Most were killed or captured. The Captain Albert Mitchell will
be arrested. He will be taken among of the other one in a ditch dug by the
Germans.
When the 101st Airborne attacked, they found a ravine with bodies of German and American soldiers. The body of the Captain Albert Mitchell will be discovered, hands were bound in the back. His body presented tracks which proved that it was tortured before being executed.
The Captain Mitchell is decorated with the Purple Heart, with the French Croix de guerre, with the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Tans it Star service and Arrowhead, of the World War II Victory Medal, the Honorable WWII Lapel Button service. He also has his patent of Parachute, A Fight Infantryman Badge and Presidential Distinguished Unit Emblem.
The captain Albert W. Mitchell was buried in the American cemetery of Ste Mère Eglise, in France. Before being repatriated in Fairview Cemetery, Brownsville, Kentucky.