Ohio High School Remembers Slain Marine Pilot

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In Afghanistan, October was the deadliest month for U.S. troops since the war began. We're going to hear now about one of the men who was killed. He was a Marine helicopter pilot, one of 14 Americans killed in two separate crashes on the same day.

As Ann Thompson of member station WVXU reports, his family says he was living his dream.

ANN THOMPSON: Captain David Mitchell - his friends called him Seth - was one of four Marines to die in Afghanistan's Helmand Province a week ago today. The 30-year-old Marine wasn't even supposed to be in Afghanistan yet. He volunteered to go early because the military needed a helicopter pilot. News of Mitchell's death traveled quickly to suburban Cincinnati's Loveland High School, where he graduated in 1997. Mitchell's family, now living in North Carolina, says Seth always considered Loveland his home. In fact, Seth made such an impression on his high school sophomore social studies teacher that 14 years later, Jeff Geiger can still point to his desk in his classroom.

Mr. JEFF GEIGER (Social Studies, Loveland High School, Cincinnati): He sat right here with his group of friends, and he would always have a smile on his face, always being prepared to work, and always had his assignments finished, always had a positive air about him. And like I said, it's a teacher's dream. I miss having - I miss seeing Seth.

THOMPSON: That smile is what his football coach Kevin Taylor remembers. Seth Mitchell was a tough football player, who while only 5 foot 7, was often the instigator of practical jokes.

Mr. KEVIN TAYLOR (Football Coach): He had this little grin that I still remember today. And he would pat the bigger guys on the back and say, hit me again. You know, that's just the way he was.

THOMPSON: Mitchell was senior class president here. And his teachers say he had to try harder than some of the other kids to get good grades. But math teacher Julie Powers says he simply decided to succeed.

Ms. JULIE POWERS (Teacher, Loveland High School): He just absolutely had a goal and wouldn't accept any limitations on his part. He would always push, push, push and go further and further and further.

THOMPSON: That attitude was evident in 2001, after Mitchell graduated from Virginia Tech. He graduated from Officer Candidate School on September 10th, 2001, one day before the terrorist attacks. Seth wanted to fly. He didn't make it into the Marines pilot training program. So he did something unusual. He put himself through private flight school, had corrective eye surgery, and four years later, celebrated his goal of becoming a Marine helicopter pilot. His father, Steve, says his son loved both the Marines and flying helicopters.

Mr. STEVE MITCHELL: We used to tell people that Seth had kind of been a Marine since he was, you know, 5, 6 years old because he loved that poster that - the few, the proud, the Marines.

THOMPSON: This is the 10th serviceman to die in Clermont County since 2004. And county commissioner Bob Proud marks each death with a tribute in his office. Near his desk is a table with pictures of the fallen.

Mr. BOB PROUD (Commissioner, Clermont County): We make a commitment in this county that all 10 and their families will - their sacrifice, their service and their life will never, ever be forgotten.

THOMPSON: Near the flag outside Loveland High School, a picture of Mitchell sits with some roses left over from a candlelight vigil held last week. The community will have another chance to remember him on Thursday at a memorial service in Loveland.

For NPR News, I'm Ann Thompson in Cincinnati.

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