MK_111419

military intelligence was
a better stepping stone
toward the future he
wanted. He took a test for
a Naval flight officer to
open up his options. The
result: Norm flew in over
100 combat missions.
“This is overwhelming,”
he said. “My previ-
4 | November 14, 2019 | the mokena messenger news
mokenamessengerdaily.com
Welcome home, soldier
Former Mokena
resident gets
hero’s welcome
Mary Compton
Freelance Reporter
A member of New
Lenox Community Emergency
Response Team
was going to miss an
important training day.
Phillia Mitchell, of Manhattan,
had a good reason:
her son, Marine Major
Norm Mitchell III, was
coming home.
“I would be [there] but
I have the most important
event going on: welcoming
my son home,” she
said.
Approximately 40
friends, neighbors and
family members came to
Manhattan to welcome
the former Mokena resident
home and thank him
for his service Nov. 2.
“My son grew up in
Mokena,” Phillia said.
“When he was 15, we
moved to New Lenox. I
homeschooled my kids
through high school.”
As Phillia was speaking
about the history of
her son, veterans from
the American Legion Post
935 in Manhattan arrived
at the Mitchell home, now
in Manhattan.
“I’m happy for my son
and his wife, Akena, and
their six kids,” she said.
After 20 years and a dozen
moves, they will be
settling down in Colorado
“It’s been quite a journey,
the whole Marine
Corps life,” Phillia said.
“He has been to Iraq, Afghanistan
and numerous
deployments, as well as
flying in the F-18 fighter
jets. It was scary for us
and his family, but he
loved flying. It’s been so
many years it’s hard for
me to see him not in the
Marine Corps.”
Her other son, Eric, is
also a Marine.
“Today, it’s kind of a
happy feeling but it’s also
a sad feeling because we
love the military and we
love our country, and I’m
so proud of them for serving
and keeping us free,”
Phillia said.
Several vehicles came
driving down Butler
Road in Manhattan, horns
beeping. Friends and family
ran to the edge of the
street waving American
flags.
Tears in her eyes, and
holding her granddaughter,
River, Phillia waved
her flag as she watched
her son stop in front of
their home.
“I’m so touched by the
Illinois Patriot Guard,
the Color Guard from the
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“So glad you’re home
daddy.” Marine Corps
Major Norm Mitchell gets
a hug from his 14 yearold-daughter
Raegan
Mitchell. Norm Mitchell,
who has served 20 years
in the Marine Corps, will
retire in January.
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Phillia Mitchell, mother of Marine Major Norm Mitchell waves an American flag
while holding granddaughter River Mitchell. Norm Mitchell, who grew up in Mokena
and New Lenox was honored by the Patriot Guard, friends and family after coming
back home to his parents house in Manhattan Nov. 2. Photos by Mary Compton/22nd
Century Media
American Legion, neighbors
who came out to
welcome him home,” she
said. “When your kids are
appreciated for what you
think is a good thing, it’s
an added bonus.”
Norm stepped out holding
hands with his wife,
Akena, and was greeted
with hugs from his children.
“The military calls 20
years [of service] a milestone,”
Norm said to the
crowd. “... It’s a milestone
I feel I have not
confidently crossed; it’s a
milestone that I’ve stumbled
across, gasping for
breath with far better men
than I am. I have been
so fortunate that I have a
phenomenal family who
stood by me through difficult
circumstances. I’ve
been fortunate to find an
environment in the Marine
Corps that is lucky
for me. I was created by
people that care deeply
A small parade of vehicles bring Major Norm Mitchell
home as they drive along Baker Avenue in Manhattan.
After twenty years in the United States Marine Corps,
Major Mitchell will retire in January.
about our country and
about making me better
than I was the day before.
I’m fortunate to have all
of you, this is more than
I deserve. The credit goes
to my family and to the
people whose shoulder I
was standing on.”
When Norm was in
college, he knew that
6
Please see soldier, 6