MITCHELL, CHARLES F.

Description

Charles F. Mitchell

Charles F. Mitchell was born on December 2, 1924, in Illinois, his father, Lithgow, was 33 and his mother, Florence, was 26. He had one brother James and a sister Linn. In Rye his family lived at
350 Grace Church St. and were members of Christ’s Church. Charles was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1943.

He was an outstanding student and his particular forte was music. Charles enlisted in December 1942 while still in high school and took an accelerated course to graduate in January 1943. He was inducted into U.S. Army February 19, 1943. Three weeks later he was in uniform and trained at Camp McCain, MS and Fort Jackson, SC.

Charles was assigned to the, 87th Infantry Division, 346 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, HQ Co. On Jan. 27, 1945: With battles in the Saar, the Belgian Ardennes and Luxembourg behind them, 87th doughs poised for a new battle, a fight that would test the mettle of every man. From Third Army and VIII Corps came the order: Drive the enemy from Belgium and crack the Siegfried Line.

First to shove off in the new sector between Houffalize and St. Vith was Charles 346th Infantry Regiment, which quickly overran Thommen and Grufflange. Three days later, the entire division was under way, moving east through deep snow and mountain forests.

The Pace setter once again was the 346th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Lt. Col. Donald C. Clayman, Rochester Junction N. Y. , which executed an end run to capture German supply bases at Schonberg and Andler.

These were two of the last remaining towns before the Siegfried Line. By Feb. 4, Charless 346 Infantry Regiment probed the outer fringe of the Line, partially hidden by the snow-cloaked forests. The defenses loomed ominously in the light of pyrotechnic bursts laid down by American artillary.

Charles Folds Mitchell wrote this letter on February 3, 1945 and two days later his death was reported.

“As of this date, the Russians are within thirty-five miles of Berlin, he wrote, and we are steadily pushing on ourselves. With the possible exception of a counter-attack against the Russians, the Jerries are all washed up and they know it. Lets hope that this half of this worldwide mess will be over very soon.“

Corporal Charles F. Mitchell was killed on February 5, 1945 as his regiment advanced before Germany’s Western Wall.