World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Albert W. Mitchell
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Warren County, Kentucky
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: CAPTAIN. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY JUNE 24, 1941 AT FORT THOMAS, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY. A PARATROOPER, WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO THE REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS AS AN INTELLIGENCE’S OFFICER ‘S-2 SECTION’, 3RD BATTALION, 501ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. HE WAS JUMPMASTER OF STICK #20, WHO JUMPED INTO FRANCE, LANDING IN THE AREA OF BAUPTE ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944, BATTLE OF NORMANDY, INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE. KILLED IN ACTION THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1944 DURING A FIERCE FIREFIGHT IN THE VICINITY OF BAUPTE, FRANCE. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO KENTUCKY FOR BURIAL DECEMBER 1948, WITH INTERMENT IN THE FAIRVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY, BROWNSVILLE, KENTUCKY. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY. HIS DIVISION WAS AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH A BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, BELGIAN CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, BELGIAN FOURRAGERE OF 1940 AND THE ORANGE LANYARD OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS ARMY FOR EXCEPTIONAL VALOR AND HEROISM IN ACTION AGAINST THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES.