Ralph J. Mitchell
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Ralph Johnson Mitchell (September 25, 1891 – May 31, 1970) was a decorated aviation officer of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. He is most noted for his service as Director of Aviation during the years 1939–1943 and commanding officer of the
1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activ ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.


Early years

Ralph J. Mitchell was born on September 25, 1891, in
New Britain, Connecticut New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford. According to 2020 Census, the population of the city is 74,135. Among the southernmost of the communities encompassed wit ...
. He attended the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
in
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, and graduated on June 5, 1915, with
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
. During his time at the academy, he captained the
lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...
team, was active in
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and also served as associate editor of the
midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
magazine, ''The Log''. Many of his classmates became distinguished general officers later:
Arthur C. Davis Arthur Cayley Davis (14 March 1893 – 10 February 1965) was an admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II and the Cold War. He was a pioneer of dive bombing. Naval career Davis was born on 14 March 1893 in ...
, Francis S. Low,
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,
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,
Ralph W. Christie Ralph Waldo Christie (30 August 1893 – 19 December 1987) was an admiral in the United States Navy who played a pivotal role in the development of torpedo technologies. During World War II, he commanded submarine operations out of the Australian ...
, John L. McCrea, Harvey Overesch,
Pedro del Valle Pedro Augusto del Valle (August 28, 1893 – April 28, 1978) was a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Hispanic to reach the rank of Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general. His military career included service ...
,
Howard L. Vickery Howard Leroy Vickery (April 20, 1892 – March 21, 1946) was a decorated U.S. naval officer with the rank of Vice admiral. He was renowned merchant shipbuilder and served as Vice Chairman, U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II. Early li ...
,
Richard W. Bates Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...
, Henry P. Burnett,
Archie F. Howard Archie Franklin Howard (January 29, 1892 – June 24, 1964) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general who is most noted as commanding general, 6th Marine Division during the Chinese Civil War. He al ...
, DeWitt Peck, Oliver H. Ritchie, James M. Shoemaker,
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or
Raymond R. Wright Raymond Richard Wright (December 5, 1945 – September 24, 1999) was a United States Army soldier from New York and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Bio ...
. He was commissioned
Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in the Marine Corps on the same date. He served first as a ground officer in the States and at
Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
and after
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, he was assigned to the flight training. He completed the training and was designated
Naval aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...
in the Marine Corps in June 1921. His first aviation assignment was with Naval Air Station Guam, where he stayed until 1923, when he was assigned to the aviation section of the
Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Later he attended Army Air Service Tactical School at
Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perform ...
,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. He also attended
Command and General Staff College The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
at
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
. After graduation, Mitchell was appointed Aircraft Squadron Commander within West Coast Expeditionary Force stationed at
Naval Air Station San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NBC ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. In December 1929, Major Mitchell was appointed Commander of Squadron attached to the Second Marine Brigade, which was sent to
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
to suppress Sandino Rebellion. On June 19, 1930, Major Mitchell led six-plane patrol, which encountered and attacked a large enemy unit of Sandinistas bandits near the town of
Jinotega Jinotega () (derived from Náhuatl: ''Xiotenko'' ‘place next to the jiñocuajo trees’) is the capital city of the Department of Jinotega in north-central Nicaragua. The city is located in a long valley surrounded by the cool climate and Da ...
. Squadron under Mitchell's Command inflicted heavy casualties to Sandinitas Bandits and forced them to retreat. For the extraordinary ability and excellent judgment, Major Mitchell was awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was also decorated with the Presidential Order of Merit with Gold star by the Government of
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
. After his return to the United States, Mitchell was appointed Aircraft Squadron Commander within
East Coast Expeditionary Force East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...
stationed in
Quantico, Virginia Quantico ( or ; formerly Potomac) is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, DC, bordered by the Potomac River to the east a ...
. He also attended the
Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...
in
Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
, in June 1932 and subsequently was transferred to the
Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
, where he served in Commandant's Department. In 1935, Mitchell participated in the fleet exercises aboard the USS "Lexington'' and USS "Ranger'' and was involved in the developing of the carrier aircraft operations. Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell was listed as the technical advisor in the opening credits of the 1935 movie called "Devil Dogs of the Air" which starred James Cagney and Pat O'Brien.


World War II

Mitchell was promoted to the rank of
brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
on March 11, 1939, and was appointed director of aviation within
Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
. In this capacity, he was responsible for the organization of the Marine Air arm for the Pacific Campaign. He was later awarded with the
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
for his service in this capacity. Mitchell was subsequently transferred to the Pacific, where he relieved Major general
Roy S. Geiger General Roy Stanley Geiger (January 25, 1885 – January 23, 1947) was a United States Marine Corps four-star General (United States), general who served in World War I and World War II. In World War II, he became the first Marine Corps general to ...
from command of the
1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activ ...
on April 21, 1943. He was promoted to the rank of
major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
on the same date. He was also Commander Marine Aircraft, South Pacific. Mitchell commanded these units during initial stage of
Rabaul Rabaul () is a township in the East New Britain province of Papua New Guinea, on the island of New Britain. It lies about 600 kilometres to the east of the island of New Guinea. Rabaul was the provincial capital and most important settlement in ...
operation and subsequently planned and coordinated air strikes against Japanese fortifications at Rabaul. In the upcoming
Bougainville Campaign The Bougainville campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan, named after the island of Bougainville. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allied ...
, general Mitchell successfully attacked the supply lines of enemy cargo ships. For his tireless effort Mitchell was decorated with the second
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
and
Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
. He continued to command
1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activ ...
and was also appointed Commander of Aircraft at Northern Solomons. He distinguished himself in neutralizing of enemy bases in the
Northern Solomons Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...
,
New Britain New Britain ( tpi, Niu Briten) is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from New Guinea by a northwest corner of the Solomon Sea (or with an island hop of Umboi the Dam ...
and New Ireland and was decorated with
Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...
. General Mitchell later participated in the Philippines Campaign and served in the Pacific Theater until June 5, 1945. During his World War II service, he was also decorated with two
Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...
s and made Companion of Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath by
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.


Postwar life

He returned to the United States in August 1945 and was appointed commander of the
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point (*) is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, United States, in the eastern part of the state. It was built in 1941, and was commissioned in 1942 and ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. In this capacity, he was simultaneously a Commander of the
9th Marine Aircraft Wing The 9th Marine Aircraft Wing was an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The wing was commissioned during World War II as a training unit for Marine Aviation personnel he ...
and later
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the ...
, stationed there. During the summer of 1947, Mitchell was transferred to the
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, where he was appointed Commander of Aircraft,
Fleet Marine Force, Pacific The United States Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC) is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at MCB Camp H. M ...
. He returned to the United States in early of the year 1948, awaiting retirement. General Mitchell retired from the Marine Corps in May 1948 and was advanced to the rank of
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat. Lieutenant General Ralph J. Mitchell died on May 31, 1970, in
Naval Medical Center San Diego Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and informally referred to as "Balboa Hospital", or "The Pink Palace" (because the stucco of the first buildings that were constructed was pinkish in color), is a tech ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. He was survived by his widow, Belle Thompson Mitchell and their son, Ralph J. Mitchell, Jr.,
Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
, USNR.


Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Lieutenant General Ralph J. Mitchell:


Citations


Navy Distinguished Service Medal citation

:''The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Ralph Johnson Mitchell (MCSN: 0-673), United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States in a duty of great responsibility while in Command of Aircraft, Solomon Islands, 20 November 1943 to 15 March 1944. Skillfully planning and executing the coordinated air strikes in crushing, offensive blows against the Japanese stronghold of Rabaul, New Britain Islands, Major General Mitchell reduced and finally eliminated effective enemy air opposition in that area, crippling hostile shipping to such an extent that the value of Rabaul as a supply port became negligible. His intrepid airmen neutralized enemy air facilities on Bougainville and harassed shipping and barge traffic in the Bougainville-Buka-Choiseul Area, seriously disrupting lines of supply to the entrapped Japanese. During the seizure of Green Island his forces gained complete mastery of the air, thus assisting our troops in occupying this island with a minimum of resistance. As a result of Major General Mitchell's inspiring leadership and tireless devotion to duty, Allied surface ships operated unopposed and bombers carried out unescorted missions throughout the entire South Pacific Area. His indomitable fighting spirit was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.''


Army Distinguished Service Medal citation

:''The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Ralph Johnson Mitchell (MCSN: 0-673), United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service from November 1944 to May 1945 in the highly responsible position of Commander, Aircraft Northern Solomons, Allied Air Forces. He welded together air organizations of the United States, Australia and New Zealand, overcoming their many differences in training, organization and equipment to produce a coordinated, devastating striking force which neutralized enemy bases in the Northern Solomons, New Britain and New Ireland. Despite the ever-changing composition of his command and difficult logistical problems, he maintained high morale and effectiveness, and accomplished smooth transitions without breaking the continuity of operations. By his outstanding leadership and superior organizing and administrative ability, General Mitchell made a significant contribution to the success of Allied Air offensives in the Southwest Pacific Area.''


Distinguished Flying Cross citation

:''The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Ralph Johnson Mitchell (MCSN: 0-673), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished service while participating in an aerial flight as an aviator attacked to the Second Brigade USMC, operating in the Republic of Nicaragua. On the afternoon of 19 June 1930, Major Mitchell, while a pilot and in command of a six-plane patrol, encountered and attacked a large hostile force of bandits, under Sandino, a few miles north of Jinotoga, Nicaragua. Although on this day weather conditions were far from being ideal and in the face of a very hostile ground fire, Major Mitchell, with courage, skill and great personal risk, flying at a low altitude and over high mountains and perilous jungles, where a forces landing, even if accomplished, meant almost certain death at the hands of the bandits, led and maneuvered his patrol in such an efficient manner as to bring a concentrated attack for one hour and twenty minutes with machine guns and bombs upon the bandits, pinning them to the ground, inflicting many casualties upon the bandits and causing their rout under cover of darkness. As commander of the Aircraft Squadrons in Nicaragua and leader of the flight just cited, Major Mitchell displayed extraordinary ability, excellent judgment and inspired the greatest confidence in the officers and enlisted men under his command. His actions are considered to be deserving of the highest praise.''


See also

* List of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing commanders


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Ralph J. 1891 births 1970 deaths People from New Britain, Connecticut United States Naval Academy alumni Air Corps Tactical School alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Naval War College alumni United States Naval Aviators United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I United States Marine Corps World War II generals Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal Companions of the Order of the Bath American military personnel of the Banana Wars