Oral History Interview with E. H. Mitchell

Oral History Interview with E. H. Mitchell

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Track One 1:32:58

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral monologue by E H Mitchell. In November, 1941, Mitchell received orders to the Philippines. He left with the conviction that his two-year assignment would not end before war with Japan was declared. He also assumed he would be captured because he was unaware of any relief plan for the Philippines should war occur. Upon arrival, Mitchell was assigned to the Southern Philippine command on Negros Island where he joined the 61st Philippine Army Division on 6 December. On 8 December, he assumed command of his regiment. On Christmas Day, Colonel … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 32 min., 57 sec.)

Creation Information

Mitchell, E. H. Creation Date: Unknown.

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral monologue by E H Mitchell. In November, 1941, Mitchell received orders to the Philippines. He left with the conviction that his two-year assignment would not end before war with Japan was declared. He also assumed he would be captured because he was unaware of any relief plan for the Philippines should war occur. Upon arrival, Mitchell was assigned to the Southern Philippine command on Negros Island where he joined the 61st Philippine Army Division on 6 December. On 8 December, he assumed command of his regiment. On Christmas Day, Colonel Mitchell was order to Mindanao. There, his unit was to secure a position on the south end of the island and defend against a Japanese landing. After the Japanese landed and advanced inland, Mitchell got separated from his command and was eventually captured. Mitchel recalls several experiences as a prisoner of war on Mindanao. He was eventually moved to Manila. Sometime in early 1943, Mitchell and some other officers were transported to Formosa and remained there until they were taken to Japan in October 1944. From there, the POWs went to Korea, then into the POW camp at Mukden, China. Mitchell was liberated in August, 1945. He returned to Okinawa aboard the USS Relief (AH-1) and then flew to Manila. From there, he went back to San Francisco where his family was waiting.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (1 hr., 32 min., 57 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH00755
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1608019

Relationships

Oral History Interview with E. H. Mitchell, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1604206

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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