Virgil Septimus Mitchelson

Military

Virgil Mitchelson was Engineer/Top Turret Gunner and had completed 8 missions when he was captured after the crash-landing of B-17 #42-97368 near Massow, 5km NE of Freyenstein, Brandenburg, Germany, 12 September 1944. Prisoner of War (POW)

Post war he worked for Georgia-Pacific Corp. retiring in 1986

Connections

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Units served with

306th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

368th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Robert Earl Banta

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16116296 at enlistment, then O-706780
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Anthony J Carlino

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 32529064 at enlistment, then O-716627
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Navigator

Eugene Thomas Carroll

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 33148924
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator

James Thomas McStay

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: T-190746 / O-1995801
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

David Ricci Revolti

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 11119458
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

42-97368

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Tailwind
Unit: 306th Bomb Group 398th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron 601st Bomb Squadron

Missions

626

Date: 12 September 1944

Places

A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'

Thurleigh

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Bedford

Events

Event	Date	Description
Born	23 February 1923	Kincaid, Christian County, Illinois
Enlisted	8 April 1943	Peoria, Illinois
Other Prisoned of War (POW)	12 September 1944	captured after the crash-landing of B-17 #42-97368 near Massow, 5km NE of Freyenstein, Brandenburg, Germany Interned in Germany. NARA WWII POW records : “Returned to Military Control 4 May 1945.”
Other Discharged	8 June 1946
Died	18 September 1999
		Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois
Buried		Virgil Mitchelson rests at the Thomas Anderson Cemetery, Palmer, Christian County, Illinois

Revisions

Date18 Jan 2021 11:03:04

ContributorHelen

Changes

Sources

306th Echoes Jan 2000

Date21 Mar 2020 10:50:13

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

MACR 8834
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft Card
NARA WWII POW records
German captured document KU-2940 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/147898539
VA Gravesite Locator

Date1 Feb 2020 19:45:14

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity. Changed the label of the “Killed in Action” event to "Prisoner of War (POW)".

Date27 Sep 2014 18:26:34

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition MACR 8834, First Over Germany pg. 275, NARA / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8834 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database