Iowa Old Press
Sioux City Journal, October 3, 1943
Sioux City Army Pilot Now Interned in a Neutral Country—Highly Commended.
First Liet. Edward R. Mitchell, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Mitchell 201 Webster apartments, may not know it, but he has been commended by Gen. Henry H. Arnold, chief of the army air forces, for his part in bombing the Ploesti oil fields of Rumania, August 1.
After the raid, several American bombers, including the one piloted by Lieut. Mitchell, were forced to land in neutral territory (presumably Turkey) and the crews were interned. Since the incident, Lieut. Mitchell’s parents have received two letters written from an interment camp in some unidentified neutral country.
Both letters were thoroughly censored and conveyed little more thatn the facts that he was safe, well and eager to get back to fighting. In addition to the letter from Gen. Arnold, the parents have received letters from Brig. Gen. V. H. Strahan, commanding officer of the Ninth air force, and Brig. Gen. U. G. Ent, commanding officer of the Ninth bomber command, praising Lieut. Mitchell for his part in the raid.
Far Reaching Effect.
Gen. Arnold’s letter to officers and men of the bomber command reads in part:
“The destruction of these oil wells will be far reaching in its effect on the German ability to carry on their operations, in fact, it might well be the straw that broke the camel’s back and caused the dislocation of the German war effort.
“The dogged determination to reach and destroy each of those vital installations, and the utter disregard for personal safety which characterized the action of officers and men of your striking force evoke my profound admiration.
“You were assigned the tremendous task of destroying in one city a target that could have been reached by surface forces only after many months of combat, involving great losses of men and material, and you carried your attack home in spite of the strongest kind of opposition built up by the axis forces. The officers and men of the army air forces all over the world take pride in your achievement.”
Proud of Exploits.
Brig. Gen. Strahan wrote the parents as follows:
“To the words of Gen. Arnold, neither Gen. Brereton nor I can add further praise for the courageous action of your son. Gen. Brereton, all officers and enlisted men of the air force join me in expressing our pride in having served with one who has rendered such heroic and unselfish service to our country.”
Brig. Gen. Ent wrote:
“Lieut. Mitchell is one of the great heroes of this war, his name has been indelibly written in our country’s history. I am the proudest commander in the world.”
Lieut. Mitchell was born and reared in Sioux City. He attended Trinity high school and college. He also took a course in aeronautics at Morningside college and later attended Creighton university. He was well known here before the war for his fancy figure skating. He also took part in skating tournaments in other cities.
Cited by Gen. Henry H. Arnold and other high ranking air force officers for exceptional heroism in connection with the bombing of Rumanian oil fields August 1, 1943, Lieut. Edward R. Mitchell, 201 Webster apartments, now is interned in a neutral country, according to information received by his parents. Before enlisting in the army, Lieut. Mitchell, better known to his friends as “Mitch,” was widely known as a fancy figure skater.
Lieut. Mitchell enlisted in the army January 1, 1942, and received his aviation training on the west coast. Letters written from Africa before the Ploesti raid mentioned several bombing missions over axis territory and contained numerous references to aerial combats with enemy fighters.
[transcribed by L.Z., Aug 2020]
Sioux City Journal
Sioux City, Woodbury co. Iowa
October 14, 1943
Sioux City Boys Help Win War That Didn’t Stay “Won”
25 Years Ago - Case of Bobby and Billy Harrison,
Now Overseas, Typical
It was 1919. The war to end all wars was over. When English born
Robert C. Harrison, who had come to America in 1909, returned
from the battlefront to his family in Sioux City, his two sons,
Bobby and Billy, jumped on his knees. In a few years, Bobby and
Billy were too big for knee-sitting. Bobby began selling Journals
in the stockyards district. He would get up, his father said, at
4 a.m. to “make the rounds.” Billy began selling what
was then The Journal’s rival, the Tribune.
Bob an Athlete
And then, in a few more years, Bobby and Billy were to big for
newspaper route. Bobby, who probably began about this time, to
wish people would call him Bob, appeared in the operetta. The
Prince of Pilsen, and became active in East High School and
Morningside College athletics. In the early 30’s he was
runnerup in a state high school tennis tournament in Des Moines
and he won first place in a Morningside college freshman high
jump.
Today, Flight Officer Robert L. Harrison is being toughened for
action against the Japs in Australia, and William K. Harrison,
when last heard from was fighting in North Africa against the
Germans, who weren’t really in the war in which his father
fought.
The sequence of events is not unusual. It is a parable familiar
to many American and Sioux City families.
Likes Army Career
Flight Officer Harrison, his father says, is an army career man.
He left Sioux City in 1933 and has served in the army since.
Before being assigned to duty in Australia, he lived with his
wife and two children in San Antonio, Texas, and when on a visit
to his mother in Chicago last March he saw his first snow in 10
years, he said he “actually played with it, like a kid.”
The soldiers’ father lives at 1908 W. First Street here.
Born in Manchester, Eng., he came to America because England was
“to wet.” He served for four years in the Canadian 20th
machine gun company overseas in World War I.
[transcribed by C.S., May 2016]