18 April 1942

[BFMF]

Just a quick note that the 18th is the 67th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid.

To the brave men who volunteered to fly on that mission, attempting things that had never been done before, risking their lives, and the handfull who didn't make it back home. You are my heroes, and I salute you...

[WebbPA]

Wikipedia

The Doolittle Raid, 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike a Japanese home island (Honsh[ch363]) during World War II. It demonstrated that Japan itself was vulnerable to Allied air attack and provided an expedient means for U.S. retaliation for Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December, 1941. The raid was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle.

I've heard of it before but I didn't know it came only 4 months after Pearl Harbor.

The pilots knew they would not return to their carrier and hoped to land (probably crash) in friendly (?) China - that's some big cojones.

[H]

I watched the History Channel's presentation of "Pearl" this past month. It was shown for this reason; since the Pearl (Harbor) attack did not end well on the American front, they progressed the movie to include the Doolittle raid.
Every bit of extraneous weight was pulled from the B-25s to get them airborne from the Hornet. Of course, the last bombers had a bit more deck in front of them.

8-)

[Apex]

In our elementary school library in the 50's, Ted Lawson's "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" had the longest waiting list.  It's an excellent and gripping account of the raid as well as the training for it as seen by Lawson, you pretty much are with him all the way.  I think there was a movie about the raid back then also.

I haven't had time to research this, but if I remember correctly, the crews were not told exactly what the mission was all about as they trained, part of the training was to get the B-25's airborne within an unusually short distance, and they were given an opportunity when the mission was finally disclosed to back out, none of them did.  I believe the training took place in Eglin Air Base in the Florida panhandle.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

It was an important mission for obvious reasons, but also, in the wake of Pearl Harbor, important psychologically for the U.S.

The crews knew they couldn't get back to the carrier, the mission was planned for them to somehow make it to China.  They certainly were brave and deserve great recognition for the mission, and all, including those that did not survive, will always be heroes.

[DaveSims]

The crews were not told of the mission until they were on the carrier and away from land.  If the mission had gone according to plan, all of the aircraft were to land at Chinese airfields (which were friendly).  The raiders had to launch early after a Japanese trawler spotted the task force and was sank.  Because of that only one aircraft managed to land at an airfield...in Russia.  The rest crashed in various places in China.  The aircraft weren't actually stripped so much for weight, but for fuel capacity (extra tanks and cans inside) and secrecy (didn't want the bombsights to fall into enemy hands).  The raid was an amazing success, all targets were hit and no aircraft were shot down.  Not to mention the fact that Japan no longer felt safe from American bombers.

[The Ruptured Duck]

[quote]In our elementary school library in the 50's, Ted Lawson's "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" had the longest waiting list.

[H]

Can you guess where I got my SimV Alias?

The source isn't a problem, it's the keybord vs keyboard operator: the "u" and the "i" are right next to each other and the resultant typo doesn't produce the intended result when I try to type out your screen name.

8-)

[Apex]

Yeah, that's right, Lawson's B-25 was named "The Ruptured Duck".  Cool.

Lots of stuff on Wikipedia about the raid, great reading:

"Doolittle and his crew, after safely parachuting into China. . . "

So no, Doolittle did not land.

[james007]

In my opinion they where very brave Men. They inspire the Allies with some form`of positive propaganda but the Mission itself was from a Military poin of view a total failure.

You never lose all your planes and cause so little damage to your enemy and later claim a Victory. Thats just not logical!

That just show how desperate we where at that time for some kind

[Plugpennyshadow]

[quote]In my opinion they where very brave Men. They inspire the Allies with some form`of positive propaganda but the Mission itself was from a Military poin of view a total failure.

You never lose all your planes and cause so little damage to your enemy and later claim a Victory. Thats just not logical!

That just show how desperate we where at that time for some kind

[Hagar]

I've been an admirer of James Doolittle since I first read about him when I was a boy. In fact I've just ordered his biography to remind myself of his considerable achievements. He is mostly remembered now for the 'Doolittle Raid' but he made a huge contribution to aviation during his lifetime.

He & his colleagues on that raid were very brave men & they obviously knew that their chances of survival on this mission were very slim. The attack on Tokyo must have had a very similar effect on the Japanese high command to the first RAF raid on Berlin in 1940. It didn't cause much physical damage but altered the course of the whole war.

[Plugpennyshadow]

Thus, a successful mision, if only from our 20/20 perspective.

[Plugpennyshadow]

The again!?  Coulda just been Doolittle on a tear and said at the club one night; "Hey guys, let's bomb Tokyo!  Here's how we'll do it..."

[james007]

I too respecfuly disagree with you. No mission where all the Bomber involve in a mission regardless where they where shot down over enemy lines or not and with so little damage done to enemy would be consider a success.

I have never read of any Mission in World war two from either side where all the Bomber involved where lost on a Military mission and was still call a success.

This those not take away from the Heroism of Doolittle and his crew and the propaganda benefit to the war to the Allies!

[olderndirt]

Some of your glasses are half FULL and others half EMPTY.  Wars were never won with half EMPTY glasses.