Rank: Captain
Unit: Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 062B – Helicopter Pilot, Utility And Light Cargo Single Rotor
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal with Seven Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Army Aviator Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: UH-1H, Tail # 68-16387, Co-pilot
Army Officer Rotary Wing Aviator Course: Flight class: 69-26, Fort Wolton, Texas
Enlisted by: Reserve
Date of birth: 2-Jan-1945
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
Marital status: Married to Treva E. Atchison, two daughters – Danielle Terre Atchison and Brooke Estelle Atchison
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 14-May-1967
Start of tour: 4-Oct-1969
Incident date: 12-Apr-1970
Date of casualty: 12-Apr-1970
Age at death: 25
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
James Mitchell Atchison was killed while co-pilot of a military aircraft on a military mission when the aircraft was fired upon by a hostile ground force, crashed and burned. / Co-pilot on UH-1H on sniffer mission. Aircraft received hostile ground fire, crashed and burned.
Four Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
CPT George Hartwell Adams
CPT James Mitchell Atchison
SP4 Dionicio G. Carrizales
SP4 Cleve Davis Miller
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 570 864
Place of interment: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
POSTHUMOUS
CAPTAIN JAMES MITCHELL ATCHISON, ARMOR
12 APRIL 1970
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Captain Atchison distinguished himself for heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty on 12 April 1970, while serving as a Pilot with the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Captain Atchison was flying a reconnaissance mission over known enemy locations. While making several low-level passes, the craft came under intense ground fire from the dense jungle. Although he was wounded, he realized that the helicopter’s controls were seriously damaged and attempted to aid the pilot to maneuver the craft. Captain Atchison quickly briefed the crew on how to prepare for the crash. As a result of his actions, four men were saved and soon evacuated. Captain Atchison’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, General Orders No. 1984 (May 21, 1970)