Harold Mitchell

“I have heard the story of his deployment and time in the war from him, probably at least a dozen times. Every time, I end up in awe of what he and his fellow soldiers did. He would get a globe out, and point to the different countries and tell us about how they landed — amphibious, under attack, or surprising the enemy. He should show me the different coins and things he took from Italy, France, and Germany.

He would pull out the uniform and show us pictures that were taken. I even still have his hat from the unit — a hat that’s over 70 years old, emblazoned with their logo. His unit doesn’t exist anymore with that name: the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion.”

– Matt Mercer ’09

Harold Mitchell, remembered by grandson, Matt Mercer

An ambulance driver in North Africa, Italy, Sicily, Germany and Austria, Harold Mitchell was recognized with a Bronze Star and other medals.

Harold Mitchell, now 100 years old, served as an ambulance driver, initially with the 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. After a stretch in North Africa, he went to Sicily to prepare for the Normandy invasion. From there, he was transferred to the 3rd Medical Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, and was with them in Rome when news broke about the Normandy invasion.

He and a group of medics landed at Marseille in August 1944 for the southern invasion of France, joined up with Allied troops after their Normandy service, and marched with them across Germany. While in Salzburg, Austria, for V-E Day, he had a chance to visit Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest headquarters, where he marked the occasion by eating a snowball. As an ambulance driver, Mitchell held the distinction of never carrying a weapon the entire time he was deployed.

Learn more about the details of Harold Mitchell’s World War II service, published by the Greensboro News & Record on April 26, 2018.