MITCHELL THEODORE L

LTC Theodore L. Mitchell was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 05/02/1997 at the age of 65.4
Weaver, AL
Date of Birth 12/02/1931
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 93 TC CO in 63, 12 AVN (AML) in 63
This information was provided by SSN deceased search

More detail on this person: Ret' LT. Col. Theodore I.. Mitchell Services for Ret LT Col Theodore L Mitchell, 65, of Weaver Alabama were Sunday. May -4, 1997. at the Chapel Hill Funeral Home with REv William P Lucas Officiating. Internment was in Maple Grove Cemetery with full military honors. Mr. Mitchell was a native of the Sioux Indian Reservation in Poplar. Montana and had been a Weaver resident since 1988 He retired as an engineer from Maytag-Magic Chef after 11 years of service and also retired with 22 vears of service from the U S Army, where he served in the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam era. During his military service he received the following medals. Good Conduct Medal. Combat Infantry Badge. Meritcrious Unit Citation. Korean Service Medal. United Nations Service Medal, . Bronze Star Medal w OI.C. Army Occupation Medal (Japan) . National Defence Service Medal, Sr Army Aviatcr Badge. Armed Forces Reserve Medal. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Air Medal Mr Mitchell was a member of the St Charles Catolic Church in Jacksonville. Al, Knights of Columbus. Director of the Hope Ranch in Poplar, Montana and Charter Commander of the VKW Post 54 in honor of Nathan Crazy Bull On his father's side , Mr Mitchell was a member of the Ft, Peck Assinbone Sioux of the Canoe Paddlers Clan On his mothers side, he was a member of the Cree Speakers Band. Mr. Mitchell is survied by his wife Betty Jean Mitchell of Weaver, AL; three daughters. Theresa J Cash of Safford Arizona, Deborah J Stringfellow of McMinnviIle Tenn and L Roxane Kev of Coldwater. Al . oen son. David L Mitchell of Alexandria. Al. 2 sisters Mary Alice Martin of Wolf point. Montana and Lucy Mane Redekopp of Wolf Point. Montana. 2 hrothers Billy Mitchell of Tacoma. Washington, and Robert Mitchell of Poplar, Montana, 14 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren ---------- Major Theodore Mitchell Speaker At Haskell Institute Veterans' Day Program Guest speaker at the Veterans' Day program at Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kan., was a resident of Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Poplar. Major Theodore L. Mitchell, action officer. Communications and Electronics Division. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Unit Training and Readiness, Headquarters. United States Continental Army Command, Fort Monroe. Va. Major Mitchell, an American Indian, was born and raised en the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Poplar. He attended school In Poplar as well as the Troy State Teachers College, Trey, Alabama, and more recently the George Washington University, Washington, D. C. He enlisted in the regular Army, August 23, 1948, as a private of Infantry at the age of 16. Major MitcheU. then private, served as a rifleman and radio operator at Napunja, on Okinawa, with the 44th Philippine Scouts during his first overseas tour of duty. Upon his return to the United States in early 1950, he was assigned to the famed 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. During this period. Major Mitchell, then corporal, was a member of the Division Pathfinder Platoon. It was at this time, along with several other pathfinder enlisted men, that the famed "Thrill Masters Parachute Team" was formed. He performed free fall parachute jumps for airshows, fairs and othr festive gatherings. He was the first man to jump at the Wolf Point Stampede, Wolf Point and has also performed free falls at Poplar. Major Mitchell, then corporal, volunteered for action in Korea, July 2. 1952. He was assigned to the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon and was further attached to the 7th Infantry Division. Later he also saw action with the 25th Infantry Division and the 3rd Infantry Division. Arriving as a corporal, he won a battlefield commission and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry in July, 1953. Major Mitchell, then sergeant, equaled the official record of combat patrols while serving as a scout dog handler and first sergeant of the 26th Infantry Scout Dog Platoon. He is one of the two officers in the U.S. Army who have combat experience with scout dogs. On his return to the United States in 1953, Major Mitchell, then lieutenant, was accepted in the Army flight program. He completed preflight training and helicopter training at Gary Air Force Base, Texas, and was graduated an Army pilot in April 1965. His first assignment as an Army pilot was back to the 11th Airborne Division where he served as executive officer, pilot, and air officer with the 188th Airborne Infantry Regiment He served in Germany until 1959. Returning to the United States, he attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course and was subsequently assigned to the U. S. Army Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Ala., where he served as an Infantry Tactics Instructor, Heli copter Flight Instructor and later as chief. Projects Branch, Department of Rotary Wing Training. Major Mitchell, then captain, attended the Command and General Staff College from 1961 to 1962. In late 1962, Major Mitchell again volunteered for combat and arrived in Saigon, Viet Nam in January, 1963. Subsequently he was assigned to the 93rd Helicopter Company as Platoon Commander at Soc Trang, in the Delta of South Viet Nam. During this time, Ma- jor Mitchell, then Captain, flew daily combat helicopter assault and resupply missions against the Viet Cong. His aircraft was continually the target of hostile ground automatic and light weapons fire. Major Mitchell's aircraft was struck several times by hostile fire; however, he was never wounded or shot down. The one time his aircraft was down in enemy territory was because of engine failure, but the Air Force flew protective cover until he and his crew were rescued. Returning to the United States in December, 1963, Major Mitchell was assigned to HQ USCONARC as an action officer with the Communications and Electronics Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Unit Training and Readiness, HQ USCONARC, Fort Monroe, Virginia. Major Mitchell has been awarded nine medals and ribbons which include the Bronze Star and Air Medal with three clusters; the Senior Aviators Wings. Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Parachutists badge. He isa senior avU ator with over 2000 hours of flying time in fixed and rotary wing aircraft

Burial information: Maple Grove Cemetery, Anniston, AL

This information was last updated 08/02/2019

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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