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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The successful interception and destruction
on April 8, 1943, of a Japanese bomber carrying the
architect of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
and Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined
Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was a mission
exemplifying a level of skill, daring, and courage
rarely seen in the annals of war.
(2) The successful interception of the bomber
was militarily important because it substantially
damaged the Japanese war machine and was com-
parable in its symbolic significance and odds against
success to the surprise bombing raid on Tokyo car-
ried out a year earlier by General Jimmy Doolittle’s
bombing force launched from the aircraft carrier
Hornet.
(3) The successful mission to intercept the
bomber was due in large part to the astute and thor-
ough planning and leadership skills of Colonel John
W. Mitchell, then Major Mitchell, commander of the
339th Fighter Squadron based on Guadalcanal in
the South Pacific Ocean.
(4) Major Mitchell planned and executed with
split second precision the longest fighter intercept
mission ever flown.
(5) Flying a 5-legged, 400-mile course, low over
the waters to avoid detection, west over the Japa-
nese-occupied Solomon Islands, Major Mitchell and
his raiders defied unbelievable odds to arrive unseen
at the exact location and the precise time to spot the
Japanese bombers, with their fighter escort, de-
scending for landing at the Island of Ballalle.
(6) Climbing to meet the adversaries, Major
Mitchell ordered 4 of the ‘‘Lightening’’ P-38 fighters
to attack the bombers, 1 of which was believed to be
carrying Admiral Yamamoto, while Major Mitchell
led the remaining fighters to a higher position.
(7) Within minutes, the bomber later confirmed
to be carrying Admiral Yamamoto was in flames on
the floor of the Bougainville jungle on the Island of
Ballalle, while the 2d bomber, now known to have
been carrying Admiral Matome Ugaki, Chief of Staff
of the Japanese Imperial Fleet, was downed at sea.
(8) Following the mission, Admiral Marc
Mitsher, then Commander of the United States
Naval and Air Forces on Guadalcanal, recommended
that Major Mitchell and 4 other pilots involved in
the mission receive a medal of honor for their part
in eliminating Japan’s foremost naval strategist, but
the tribute was wrongly denied because of an alleged
security compromise for which Major Mitchell was
not responsible.
SEC. 2. AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO JOHN W. MITCH-
ELL.
Notwithstanding the time limitations of section
3744(b) of title 10, United States Code, the President
shall award a medal of honor to John W. Mitchell of San
Anselmo, California, in accordance with the recommenda-
tion of Mr. Mitchell’s commanding officer and pursuant
to section 3741 of such title, for his outstanding service
to the United States while serving as a major in the Army
Air Corps during World War II.
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