John Mitchell
I was Born January 8, 1942, the only son of Mamie A. and Edward D. Mitchell. I had two siblings, an older Sister, Earlene, who passed away at age 18, and a younger Sister, Angela, of Muskogee Oklahoma. I grew up in Bartlesville Oklahoma, attended St. Johns Catholic School 1st through 8th grades and was known best as the Nuns favorite punching bag and discipline problem child. I came from a loving family who was more poor than rich at least money wise but who were rich in love, church and family, so I have no complaints. The advent of Elvis and the rest of the early Rock an Rollers had a decided impact on my life, I thought I was a cross between James Dean and Elvis, but alas I was just Johnny Mitchell from Bartlesville Oklahoma..After graduating from College High School in Bartlesville I attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for two years discovered Beer and women, not so much in that order, and then enlisted in the US Air Force and served 8 years of active duty and 15 of Reserve Duty. While in the Air Force I managed to obtain a BA degree in Systems Management.
I did my year in SE Asia including such garden spots as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Our Unit flew the Ho Chi Minh trail identifying targets for the fast burners (Jets) to destroy, the 553rd Recon Wing better known as the BATCATS. The unit was the carefully conceived idea of Robert McNamara, a Harvard think tank, and carried Presidential Priority. Our most noteworthy accomplishment was the Marine Siege at Khe Sanh in 1968 where the surrounded Marines were apprised by our unit of the two battalions of North Vietnamese surrounding their Camp thereby allowing them to defend their position or otherwise they would have been over run. We also slowed the flow of supplies down the Ho Chi Minh trail and saved countless lives by doing so. But upon return to the Real World (USA), I was appalled by the epithets hurled my way as I toured San Francisco, it just put me into a deeper depression and finally, now, after almost 45 years the Country said thank you to the people who served during that political war. War was not pretty or glorious, it was ugly, deadly, and full of fear inducing trials and tribulations and each person who serves in any war deserves the Countries profound gratitude. I retired from the Military Reserve in June 1986 as a Senior master Sergeant. The tour of duty in SE Asia deprived me of most of my emotions, the exception being anger and angst. I do not regret my duty in SE Asia just wish everyone else had supported it. I AM A VIETNAM VETERAN AND DAMN PROUD OF IT!
After leaving Active Duty in 1971 I became a US Civil Servant at Norton AFB California. I worked at Norton until its complete closure in 1995. I held the position of the 63rd AMS Electric shop foreman, providing maintenance support to the C-141 aircraft.

Then in 1981 I transferred jobs (was getting to old to crawl around aircraft), and became the Aircraft Systems Manager for SR-71 Aircraft Systems Logistics and Flight Test Support at DET 6 2762 logistics Support Special.. As a member of the Senior Crown program for the SR-71 I held classifications up through Top Secret SCI. Working with the world’s highest and fastest aircraft, supporting the CIA, DIA, Navy, Strategic Air Command, the Office of the President, and National Security Agency was a pleasant and awesome experience. I now have a plaque with my name and dates of service at the SR-71 Museum at the Flight Test center Edwards AFB California. My association with the famous Lockheed Skunk Works was the most satisfying and interesting of my career.

After the SR program was closed by Congress I was transferred to the Ballistic Missile Organization and worked Quality Control and System Safety for the proposed Rail Garrison Missile Launch Car. When this program closed I was transferred to the Air Force Space and Missile System Center in El Segundo Ca. I retired from there as Program manager for Nuclear and Conventional Deterrence Long Range planning after 32 years 11 months, 29 days 30 Minutes and 12 seconds of Federal Service.
After leaving Government service I applied for and was selected to work for Norcal Waste Systems, Inc, who was a private company operating and keeping all San Bernardino County Landfills in order. We were good at it too, my specialty was Contract Management for the many Engineering programs to close, maintain, and energize the landfills. I also kept the budget for the County on the status of each and every landfill project these projects totaled $40 Million Dollars.

During the course of those years I was married to Judy (1.5 years), who gave me a son Rahamy who gave me a grandson Kiefer and who became a deputy sheriff in Bonham County, Texas and was killed in the line of duty in 2007, one day before my Birthday; and Barbara (30 years) who gave me a daughter Krista (who has always been my Baby), and a daughter Julie who in turn gave me grandsons, John and Chris, and a granddaughter Emma.

And just when I was feeling jinxed about marriage along came Betty who I married in 2006 and who is the one love I searched for all those years. She, in a different way of course, gave me granddaughters Sofia, and Stella, and grandsons Dylan, Brandon, and Jason, so my life is full of love and joy. I have returned to Bartlesville with each and every Grandchild when they attained age 12, the last being Emma who turned 12 in May 2013.

My grandchildren have given me the greatest gift of all, in the form of unconditional love. Those who know me well know that. Being an unshakeable patriot I often think of the people I knew who lost their lives in SE Asia. I have been to the Vietnam War memorial at least 6 times and each time I cry, not for me, but for all those lost souls. I suppose that's the angst pouring out of me. I cry during the National Anthem, and on Veterans and Memorial Day and when watching the evening news and the reports from the Middle East. I suppose that if I want one thing to be remembered by is that, I was a patriot. I believe in God and Country, and in that order!
Betty and John

I have traveled almost all of the United States, England, and South Africa. I have been to Guam, the Phillipines, and some places that cannot be mentioned.