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| PFC Leland Mitchell served in the 87th Infantry Division in France https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86549346/leland-c_-mitchell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR8Sl3AdK9c |
Leland C. Mitchell never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on Jun 4, 1919 in Tilton, Illinois. His parents Charles and Clara were also both born in Illinois. His father worked as a coal miner and later as a farmer. Still later he was employed as a laborer. Leland had one older sister, a younger sister, and three younger brothers. By 1940 Leland had completed four years of high school where he played on the basketball team and was the salutatorian. He was living at home and working as a salesman. At some point he married Catherine Wright.
He was drafted into the army on August 9, 1943. For a year he was trained to be in an anti-aircraft unit, but was transferred to the infantry, no doubt due to the Allied success at pretty much eliminating the Luftwaffe as a threat to the forces advancing across France. He became a private first class in Company B, 1st Battalion, 346th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division. The 87th Division was one of the later units that participated in the European theater. It arrived in France in November 1944 and was assigned to Patton's 3rd Army. Its first taste of combat was in the Saar Basin in early December.
Beginning on December 10, the 87th ID captured the French towns of Rimling, Obergailbach, and Guiderkirch. PFC Mitchel was killed in action on December 15, 1944.
His grave is at GAR Cemetery in Homer, Illinois. I don't know what happened to his widow.
Last year on this date I profiled P-47 Lloyd Hally. You can read about Lloyd here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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