Frank N. Mitchell: Medal of Honor Recipient and Heroic Marine (original) (raw)
By: Art Leatherwood
Published: April 1, 1995
Updated: May 15, 2014
Frank N. Mitchell, Medal of Honor recipient, was born at Indian Gap, Texas, on August 18, 1921, the son of J. D. and Isabel Mitchell. He attended Southwestern University, North Texas State University, and Texas Tech, where he played football. He married Beverly Banks, and they had a daughter. He entered military service at Roaring Springs, Texas. First Lieutenant Mitchell was leader of a rifle platoon of Company A, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, in action against enemy forces near Hansanni, Korea, on November 26, 1950. He was leading a patrol through a snow-covered, thickly wooded area, when the enemy suddenly opened fire at point-blank range, inflicting numerous casualties. Dashing to the front under heavy automatic and small-arms fire, he seized an automatic rifle from a wounded man and effectively used it against the enemy until his ammunition was expended, then picked up and hurled grenades with deadly accuracy, at the same time directing his men in driving the enemy from his position. Despite wounds sustained early in the action, Mitchell set up a defense as the enemy counterattacked, and spearheaded a hand-to-hand struggle to repulse the onslaught. With volunteers, he led a party to search for and evacuate the wounded in the growing darkness. He successfully covered the withdrawal of his men until he was killed by a burst of small-arms fire. By his personal valor and extraordinary heroism he saved the lives of several marines and inflicted heavy casualties on the aggressors. His body was not recovered.
TSHA is a proud affiliate of University of Texas at Austin
Bibliography:
Eleanor Traweek, Of Such as These: A History of Motley County and Its Families (Quanah, Texas: Nortex, 1973). Committee on Veterans' Affairs, United States Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients, 1863–1973 (Washington: GPO, 1973).
The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.
Art Leatherwood, “Mitchell, Frank N.,”Handbook of Texas Online, accessed October 21, 2025, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/mitchell-frank-n.
Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
TID:FMICY
Original Publication Date:
April 1, 1995
Most Recent Revision Date:
May 15, 2014