V

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3017

For the relief of John Mitchell.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AUGUST 6, 1993

Mr. BILIRAKIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

For the relief of John Mitchell.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

4 The Congress finds as follows:

5 (1) The successful interception and destruction

6 on April 8, 1943, of a Japanese bomber carrying the

7 architect of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

8 and Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined

9 Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was a mission

10 exemplifying a level of skill, daring, and courage

11 rarely seen in the annals of war.
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1 (2) The successful interception of the bomber

2 was militarily important because it substantially

3 damaged the Japanese war machine and was com4 parable in its symbolic significance and odds against

5 success to the surprise bombing raid on Tokyo car6 ried out a year earlier by General Jimmy Doolittle’s

7 bombing force launched from the aircraft carrier

8 Hornet.

9 (3) The successful mission to intercept the

10 bomber was due in large part to the astute and thor11 ough planning and leadership skills of Colonel John

12 W. Mitchell, then Major Mitchell, commander of the

13 339th Fighter Squadron based on Guadalcanal in

14 the South Pacific Ocean.

15 (4) Major Mitchell planned and executed with

16 split second precision the longest fighter intercept

17 mission ever flown.

18 (5) Flying a 5-legged, 400-mile course, low over

19 the waters to avoid detection, west over the Japa20 nese-occupied Solomon Islands, Major Mitchell and

21 his raiders defied unbelievable odds to arrive unseen

22 at the exact location and the precise time to spot the

23 Japanese bombers, with their fighter escort, de24 scending for landing at the Island of Ballalle.
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1 (6) Climbing to meet the adversaries, Major

2 Mitchell ordered 4 of the ‘‘Lightening’’ P-38 fighters

3 to attack the bombers, 1 of which was believed to be

4 carrying Admiral Yamamoto, while Major Mitchell

5 led the remaining fighters to a higher position.

6 (7) Within minutes, the bomber later confirmed

7 to be carrying Admiral Yamamoto was in flames on

8 the floor of the Bougainville jungle on the Island of

9 Ballalle, while the 2d bomber, now known to have

10 been carrying Admiral Matome Ugaki, Chief of Staff

11 of the Japanese Imperial Fleet, was downed at sea.

12 (8) Following the mission, Admiral Marc

13 Mitsher, then Commander of the United States

14 Naval and Air Forces on Guadalcanal, recommended

15 that Major Mitchell and 4 other pilots involved in

16 the mission receive a medal of honor for their part

17 in eliminating Japan’s foremost naval strategist, but

18 the tribute was wrongly denied because of an alleged

19 security compromise for which Major Mitchell was

20 not responsible.

21 SEC. 2. AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO JOHN W. MITCH22 ELL.

23 Notwithstanding the time limitations of section

24 3744(b) of title 10, United States Code, the President

25 shall award a medal of honor to John W. Mitchell of San
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1 Anselmo, California, in accordance with the recommenda2 tion of Mr. Mitchell’s commanding officer and pursuant

3 to section 3741 of such title, for his outstanding service

4 to the United States while serving as a major in the Army

5 Air Corps during World War II.

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