75 years ago today: Doolittle's Raiders bomb Tokyo

[Cooley Hurd]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid



The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, on Saturday, April 18, 1942, was an air raid by the United States of America on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on the island of Honshu during World War II, the first air strike to strike the Japanese Home Islands. It demonstrated that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, served as retaliation for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941, and provided an important boost to American morale. The raid was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle of the United States Army Air Forces.

Sixteen B-25B Mitchell medium bombers were launched without fighter escort from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) deep in the Western Pacific Ocean, each with a crew of five men. The plan called for them to bomb military targets in Japan, and to continue westward to land in China—landing a medium bomber on Hornet was impossible. Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. All but three of the 80 crew members initially survived the mission. Eight airmen were captured by the Japanese Army in China; three of those were later executed. The B-25 that landed in the Soviet Union was confiscated and its crew interned for more than a year. Fourteen complete crews, except for one crewman who was killed in action, returned either to the United States or to American forces.

After the raid, the Japanese Imperial Army conducted a massive sweep through the eastern coastal provinces of China, in an operation now known as the Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign, searching for the surviving American airmen and inflicting retribution on the Chinese who aided them, in an effort to prevent this part of China from being used again for an attack on Japan.
The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it achieved its goal of raising American morale and casting doubt in Japan on the ability of its military leaders to defend their home islands. It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific—an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. Doolittle, who initially believed that the loss of all his aircraft would lead to his court-martial, received the Medal of Honor and was promoted two steps to brigadier general.

<snip>

[Demsrule86]

1. My Dad (had me late in life) was too young to go WWII.

But my Uncle Bob went...he crawled through Germany and saw the worst...His German Jew side (my great Grandmother) all perished in the camps. He told me once it was a different war than Korea and Vietnam because we were attacked and most thought they were stamping out a great evil which they were. Once when, I questioned the dropping of the nuclear bomb on Japan. He said he was on a ship headed for Japan and was contemplating suicide because he was not up for another long campaign...this time a fight to the death. Uncle Bob believe Japan would have sued for peace and a war weary public would have signed on...Japan would be like North Korea is now. That could have happened. I don't agree with him on most things but it is an interesting perspective. I wasn't there as he gently pointed out...he is gone for many years but I still think about those conversations. I hope we never again use nuclear weapons...in the 21st century we should not rely on 20th century solutions...war is a stupid way to settle conflicts...it wastes lives, treasure and creates more problems than it solves.

He also told me that we came close to losing that war and had no victories at first and that Doolittle's raid gave people hope. We look at the war as 'of course we won'...but in 1942, it was different.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. I just saw that this was the anniversary in another online site. Here are some more links:

Today is 75th anniversary of Doolittle Raiders strike on Tokyo

Tuesday
Posted at 12:01 AM
Updated at 7:48 AM

We will always remember: On April 18, 1942, an air squadron from the USS Hornet led by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle raided Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

By KELLY HUMPHREY

Seventy-five years ago, a band of 80 volunteers descended on Northwest Florida to begin training for a top-secret mission.

Under the direction of Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, the men were preparing for an against-all-odds bombing raid of Tokyo to avenge the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor a few months earlier.

The three weeks the volunteers spent training at what was then known as Eglin Field had a considerable impact on the men. At the same time, the legacy of the Doolittle Raiders has left a mark on Northwest Florida that continues to this day.

Today marks the 75th anniversary of that daring raid on April 18, 1942, when an air squadron from the USS Hornet led by Doolittle raided Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

Here are just a few of the many spots that are named in honor of Doolittle and his Raiders.

{snip}

5 things to know about the Doolittle Raiders on the 75th anniversary

By Chris Stewart - Staff Writer

Posted: 10:39 a.m. Monday, April 17, 2017

On April 18, 1942, 80 men led by United States Army Air Corps Lt. Col. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle climbed into bombers aboard an aircraft carrier for a daring, top-secret mission to boost American morale after Pearl Harbor and prove to the Japanese their home islands were not untouchable.

Today and Tuesday, the roar of World War II-era B-25 Mitchell bombers will be in the air as the National Museum of the United States Air Force commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid with a number of events, including an appearance by the last surviving crew member.

The sole remaining Raider is 101-year-old retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, who plans to be at the anniversary Tuesday at the museum. Cole, a Dayton native who lives in Texas, was Jimmy Doolittle’s co-pilot during the raid.

Here are five things to know about the historic raid:

{snip}

[Blue_Tires]

3. I saw the B-1Bs were doing a flyby somewhere...

[OilemFirchen]

4. Crowds swarm AF museum as B-25s arrive to honor Doolittle Raiders

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local-military/crowds-swarm-museum-25s-arrive-honor-doolittle-raiders/hlOwtpnoJxNxsviyYSmriI/

The sole surviving Raider, 101-year-old Richard E. Cole, a Dayton native and co-pilot to Doolittle, is expected to be at a Tuesday memorial ceremony at the museum to mark the historic anniversary.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. In Dayton, along with some B-25s. See the Dayton Daily News article in my post.

5 things to know about the Doolittle Raiders on the 75th anniversary

....
Schedule of events: National Museum of the United States Air Force’s 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid

Tuesday, April 18

9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

B-25 bombers on static display

Location: Runway behind the museum

Enter grounds through gate at the corner of Col. Glenn Highway and Spinning Rd.

All vehicles must be removed from runway grounds by 12 p.m.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Public commemorative postmark cancellation

Location: NMUSAF gift shop

1:30 p.m.

B-25's depart runway in preparation for the formation fly-over

Public Viewing Location: Backside of Memorial Park



[font size=1]B-25s fly in formation over a National Museum of the U.S. Air Force memorial service Wednesday, April 18, 2012 on the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. Chris Stewart[/font]

2:15 p.m.

B-25 bomber flyover

Location: Memorial Park

2:30 p.m.

Memorial service and wreath laying

Location: Memorial Park

Approx. 3:15 p.m.

B-1 bomber flyover from the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons

Location: Memorial Park

Broadcastify: Metro Area: Dayton - Live Audio Feeds

[Cooley Hurd]

7. Great pics and info!

Thanks!

[sl8]

6. K & R. n/t

[LexVegas]

8. American heroes.

[DashOneBravo]

9. Kick!