Jesse Leroy Mitchell

Jesse Leroy Mitchell was born February 3, 1929, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He was the oldest of two sons born to Jesse Junior Mitchell and Bertha Lenore Baggs Mitchell. His younger brother, Billy Joe Mitchell, was two years younger. Jesse Leroy was more commonly referred to as Leroy. Leroy was the grandson of William Christmas and Mary Hale Mitchell, pioneer citizens of the Atwood Community, Hughes County, Oklahoma; and Joseph Nelson and Lena Snodgrass Baggs, Cherokee Strip Land Run settlers of Ellis County, Oklahoma.

Leroy obtained his initial grade schooling in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He also was schooled in Tulsa, Okmulgee and Clinton, Oklahoma and was a graduate of Clinton High School. 

In 1948 Leroy enlisted in the U.S. Army and re-enlisted March 22, 1950. He was stationed at Fort Ord, California, in April 1950 and eventually landed in Korea. He was assigned to Charlie Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division.

The last letter from Leroy was dated October 29, 1950. He was officially listed Missing in Action November 4, 1950. Nothing was known of his status until after the Korean Conflict. Returning prisoners of war reported Corporal Mitchell died in the late summer of 1951 in Camp #5, Pyoktong, North Korea. He was buried across the river from the camp upon a hill by other prisoners. In July 1953 the army set his date of death as August 31, 1951.

In 1954 there was an exchange of fallen service personnel remains under Operation Glory. Remains which could not be identified were buried in the Punchbowl Cemetery in Hawaii. On November 18, 2019, remains were disinterred by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Using newer forensic science and DNA testing, Corporal Jesse Leroy Mitchell's remains were identified.