Douglas McQuillan Mitchell was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in a small town in Wyoming. While a student at the University of Wyoming he purchased a Cessna 120 and fulfilled his lifelong dream to fly. After graduation he flew Stearman Crop Dusters over the wheat fields of Montana.
In December of 1954 he was hired by United Airlines and flew for them for 34 years: DC6, Caravelle, DC8, 727, 747-400. In his spare time he flew a 1944 C-82 Packet and a KC97 in Alaska. He also volunteered to fly a team of doctors and nurses to El Salvador to operate on children with cleft palates.