Anniversary: The Doolittle Raid

[Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor]

On April 18th, 1942, a group of half-trained, inexperienced Americans did something insane–they launched land-based medium bombers from the deck of an aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet, & struck at the heart of the Empire of Japan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_raid

On the morning of April 18, at a distance of about 650 miles from Japan, the task force was sighted by a Japanese picket boat, which radioed an attack warning to Japan. Although the boat was quickly destroyed by gunfire from an American escort ship, Doolittle and Hornet skipper Capt Marc Mitscher decided to launch the B-25’s immediately — a day early and about 200 miles further from Japan than planned.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/misc-42/dooltl.htm

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/dtr.htm

A Flash animation of the raid.

http://www.historyanimated.com/DoolittlePage.html

The whole thing reads like a George Lucas/Star Wars sequel…but it’s true! :eek:

General Doolittle’s after action report–
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/rep/Doolittle/Report.html

There’s a little boy, wearing a baseball cap & gaping in wonder, deep down inside of me, & he comes out every time I read or hear about this.