Burton Forrest Mitchell, Jr.


1946

Member of Gamma Kappa Alpha

Mount Holly, North Carolina

Army Air Force, Corporal

15th Army Air Force, 766th Bomber Squadron, 461st Bomber Group

Purple Heart, Air Medal

Nov 18, 1925

Jan 20, 1945

Killed in Action - Austria

Lorraine American Military Cemetery, Plot K, Row 27, Grave 9

SW

Additional Information

Burton entered the Army Air Force in September 2, 1943.  He received training in aerial gunnery at Tyndall Air Field, Florida.  Burton was a member of the 15th Army Air Force stationed in Italy that participated in raids over Austria.  Lt Mitchell was a tail-gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber.  He was killed in action when his B-24 Liberator bomber was shot down over Austria on January 20, 1945.

Cpl Brandon Mitchell MACR 11805
Place of Departure: Torreta, Italy
Target: Linz Austria
Aircraft Model: B-24J

SN#: 44-48761

Crew List:
O’Neal, Joseph   M. 2nd Lt. P
Rothe, Roderick E. 2nd Lt.  CP
Teller, Donald   S. 1st Lt.    Bomb
Knoke, Norman   E. 2nd Lt. Nav
Martin, Donald   M. T/Sgt. 
Keenan,   Francis T. Sgt.  
Rossini, Gino   F. Cpl.  
Ellis, Thomas   R. Cpl.

Nowosilski, Harry, Pfc
Mitchell, Burton F. Cpl  
 
Note:  Although no parachutes were observed, TSgt Martin and PFC Nowosilki were reported captured in Luftwaffe records ME-KSU-2742, including identification of each of the dead crew members by Martin.

Statement

We were flying no. 6 position.  As we entered the bomb run the flak was vary heavy.  Ship no. 52 was leading C flight, 1st attack.  Ship 52 was hit causing an explosion in the bomb-bay.  The ship then burst into flames.  The bombs started to drop from the ship, then they turned over and the ship blew up.  No parachutes were seen.
Francis X. Fink
2nd Lt.
 
Last Known Activity
Burton Forest Mitchell. Jr was born in 1925 in Mount Holly, North Carolina.  He entered Clemson College in 1942, but left after 1 year.  His NARA enlistment records state he enlisted on September 2, 1943, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  It further confirms he was born in North Carolina in 1925, and indicates 1 year of college completed.  The record also states he came on active duty from the Enlisted Reserve.  After basic training, he was sent to Tyndall Field, Florida for aerial gunnery school.  Upon completing this course, he was promoted to Corporal and assigned to an operational unit for further training in aerial tactics and gunnery procedures.  In 1944, he was sent overseas and assigned to the 461st Bomb Group operating from Torreta, Italy.  Here he was assigned to a combat crew of the 766th Bomb Squadron.   After transitional flying, he flew 8 combat missions.On January 20, 1945, the crew was tasked to fly as part of a raid on German war facilities located in Linz, Austria.  On the bomb run, the aircraft encountered severe flak, and was struck in the rear bomb bay.  There was an explosion in the aircraft, and flames began erupting from the aircraft. An attempt was made to salvo the bombs, but the aircraft flipped over and exploded.  No parachutes were observed.

Captured Luftwaffe records indicate bodies were recovered from the wreckage and buried at Linz, Austria.  After the war ended, Corporal Mitchell was evidently moved as he now lies in the Lorraine American Cemetery in France in Plot K, Row 27, Grave 9.  
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ID: 14148527

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