Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Last Doolittle Raider to toast to his comrades Tuesday (Today)
The State ^ | April 18, 2017 | Jeff Wilkinson

Posted on 04/18/2017 4:41:46 AM PDT by Zakeet

On April 18, 1942 - 75 years ago Tuesday - 80 incredibly brave men in 16 bombers took off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo and other Japanese cities in retaliation for the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

It was called the Doolittle Raid, after the group’s charismatic leader, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, a renowned avaiator even before the war.

Doolittle’s B-25 was the first to take off from the Hornet. Sitting beside him was a quiet, lanky young man from Dayton, Ohio, named Dick Cole.

On Tuesday, the 101-year-old will be at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton , Ohio. There, he will complete a decades-long tradition and turn over the goblet of his friend and fellow Raider David Thatcher, who died last year on June 22.

The tradition was that the Raiders would meet each year and drink a toast to those who had fallen. Each had their own goblet, and after each Raider died, his goblet would be turned upside down in its case. Cole, 101, will offer the toast this year by himself - he’s the last surviving Raider.

(Excerpt) Read more at thestate.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: armyaircorps; doolittle; doolittleraid; heroism; ww2
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 last
To: Spktyr

WOW! FR is a source of knowledge like no other.

They probably considered it back then but the trade offs weren’t worth the risks. I thought perhaps the added power might have enabled them to carry more fuel off the deck, more than the extra that might have been consumed while using the nitrous and the engines were somewhat expendable as long as they survived the launch off the deck and trip.


41 posted on 04/18/2017 12:28:54 PM PDT by infool7 (The ugly Truth is just a big lie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: buckalfa

It is sad in a way—but-—it is wonderful that such men lived and volunteered for the task——would we have such men today to do the same if needed———I am proud of them all as I served at Normandy to help finish the rotten war-—God Bless my USA


42 posted on 04/18/2017 12:28:58 PM PDT by cmomm44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: IncPen; Forecaster; BartMan1

ping


43 posted on 04/18/2017 12:31:22 PM PDT by Nailbiter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: buckalfa

It is sad in a way—but-—it is wonderful that such men lived and volunteered for the task——would we have such men today to do the same if needed———I am proud of them all as I served at Normandy to help finish the rotten war-—God Bless my USA


44 posted on 04/18/2017 12:37:24 PM PDT by cmomm44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: momincombatboots

why do we keep losing?

Look no further than the swamp.


45 posted on 04/18/2017 12:38:32 PM PDT by Nailbiter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Yulee; corkoman
They did this for the last eight years despite a feckly anti-American ruling from the White House.

And dozens of them getting killed because of the Mitt-licking lackey of the moon-rock god, may feces be upon his name, and a snugly-fitted hemp necktie upon him.

46 posted on 04/18/2017 2:19:17 PM PDT by kiryandil (Americ)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: infool7

Gasoline mixture had been previously adjusted for maximum “mileage”; however, while on the carrier, the mixture was changed back to the “book” settings. Just in time, the error was noted and the mixture reset. (!)


47 posted on 04/18/2017 3:27:53 PM PDT by Does so (USA: Watching Muslims' 2nd US Generation become "Radicalized"...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Does so

Amazing, the pilot training manual for the B-25 is online.

https://goo.gl/T7ouaQ

There could have been another inaccessible adjustment but it looks like the mixture is adjustable from the cockpit. The pilot and crew would probably have been keeping a close eye on it as they progressed towards Japan to be sure they weren’t consuming too much fuel.


48 posted on 04/18/2017 4:04:39 PM PDT by infool7 (The ugly Truth is just a big lie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
Local Dayton rag take on the festivities today held at WPAFB
49 posted on 04/18/2017 7:01:39 PM PDT by sjm_888
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco

I play cornhole with a WWII Army vet (Pacific) at our senior center. Simon is 99 and served on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. He was a BAR man. Said the Marines did all the heavy fighting, and the Army did the mopping up.

It’s interesting his hand got infected in the jungle and he was treated on the hospital ship, Solace, where my father-in-law served as a Pharmacist Mate. My father-in-law is 93.


50 posted on 04/18/2017 8:48:39 PM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

No cowardly snowflakes and pajamas boys among this group.


51 posted on 04/18/2017 10:47:01 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson