James W. Mims

James W. Mims
Personal details
Birth name	James Wycliffe Mims
Born	18 October 1923 Midland, Texas
Died	9 February 2017 Midland, Texas
Nativity	United States
Religion	Protestant
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
ASN	38438243
Rank	Private First Class
Camp Ritchie	Class 17 (11 March – 8 May 1944)
Section	6F

Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.

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James Wycliffe Mims (18 October 1923 – 9 February 2017) was a Midland, Texas–born Ritchie Boy (Class 17) photo interpreter who landed on Leyte with the 24th Infantry Division.

Biography

James Wycliffe Mims was born on 18 October 1923 in Midland, Texas, the son of Percy J. and Maurine Littlejohn Mims. After Midland High School (1941) he entered Texas A&M. Drafted in January 1943, he trained as a combat engineer, studied at Boston College in the ASTP, and qualified as a photo interpreter at Camp Ritchie (Class 17).

Sent overseas in summer 1944, he joined the 24th Infantry Division at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, made the Leyte assault landing on 20 October 1944, and served on Mindoro, Lubang, and Mindanao. Discharged in October 1945, he returned to Midland’s family insurance business, married Mary Alice Bell in 1947, and remained active in Rotary, First Baptist Church, and civic life. His wartime letters were published as From Midland to Mindanao. He died on 9 February 2017.

Gallery

• 
  James Wycliffe Mims (obituary photograph) (RB Archive)

Technical record

Field	Imported value
Class_ASN	38438243
Class_Name	MIMS, James W.
match_method	asn_exact_name_exact
row_source	both

Timeline

• 18 October 1923 — Born in Midland, Texas.
• January 1943 — Entered Army; ASTP at Boston College; Camp Ritchie Class 17 (photo interpreter).
• Summer 1944 — 24th Infantry Division, Hollandia.
• 20 October 1944 — Leyte assault landing; later Mindoro, Lubang, Mindanao.
• October 1945 — Discharged; joined family insurance firm in Midland.
• 25 November 1947 — Married Mary Alice Bell.
• 9 February 2017 — Died in Midland, Texas.

Sources

• James Wycliffe Mims (obituary photograph) (RB Archive)
• From Midland to Mindanao (wartime letters)
• Dignity Memorial — James Wycliffe Mims obituary
• Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
• Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
• NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
• 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
• Dan Gross, Timeline of James W. Mims for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 2 source documents reviewed)
• Dan Gross, Timeline of Mims, James W. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 2 source files: JAMES M. MIMS.docx, JAMES W. MIMS.docx)