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April 18 in Military History: Doolittle Raid, and Hezbollah suicide attack on US Embassy in Beirut
Unto the Breach | April 18, 2018 | Chris Carter

Posted on 04/18/2018 8:15:13 AM PDT by fugazi

1775: Paul Revere and William Dawes begin their famous “midnight ride” from Boston to Lexington, Mass., where they link-up with Samuel Prescott, who rides on to Concord. All three are sounding the alarm – warning town leaders and alerting the militia – that nearly 1,000 British infantrymen, grenadiers, and Royal Marines are advancing from Boston.

1942: At 7:38 a.m. a Japanese patrol vessel spots the task force bearing Lt. Col. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle and his raiders 650 miles east of Japan. The ship is sunk, but not before her crew can report the position of the American aircraft carriers. Their cover blown, sixteen specially modified B-25 Mitchell bombers have to launch from USS Hornet ten hours earlier than planned.

The crews will not have enough fuel to return to the carrier after the first raid against the Japanese mainland of World War II, so they have been instructed to strike Tokyo and other targets on Honshu, then fly to China and pray they’ll find suitable landing sites or bail out.

The one-way mission will be successful, but all aircraft will be lost. Eleven airmen will be killed or captured. Doolittle will be awarded the Medal of Honor.

1943: Naval intelligence intercepts communications that give them the travel itinerary of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto – the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who is touring bases in the South Pacific to boost morale after the United States handily defeats Japan at Guadalcanal.

A select group of pilots scramble from Guadalcanal on their secret mission – personally authorized by President Franklin Roosevelt. The P-38 Lightnings ambush Yamamoto’s “Betty” bomber and its fighter escorts over Bougainville, killing Japan’s top naval officer.

1945: As the Red Army smashes through Berlin’s defenses, 300,000 soldiers in the Ruhr Pocket – mostly old men and young


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: beirut; hezbollah; iran; lebanon; militaryhistory
It's amazing to ponder that millions and millions of lives are lost because of the ideology of a handful of people in power. Nazi Germany had no chance of victory long before 1945, yet her soldiers, sailors, and airmen were ordered to fight to the death anyways while civilians were being devastated by bombs and terrorized by the Red Army.
1 posted on 04/18/2018 8:15:13 AM PDT by fugazi
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To: fugazi

I forgot to post the link: http://www.victoryinstitute.net/blogs/utb/2018/04/18/april-18-in-military-history/


2 posted on 04/18/2018 8:16:14 AM PDT by fugazi
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To: fugazi

Hafez Assad, surely was involved in this, if nothing more than to allow the bombers to cross Syrian land. And some like his son Basher.


3 posted on 04/18/2018 8:27:10 AM PDT by BeadCounter
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To: fugazi
p05m

Also the anniversary of the Battle of Sierra Gordo in the Mexican War.

Winfield Scott outflanked Santa Ana and he was in such a panic to get away he left behind his artificial leg.

4 posted on 04/18/2018 8:35:55 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: fugazi
p05m

Also the 75th anniversary of Yamamoto being ambushed and shot down by P-38's over Bougainville.

5 posted on 04/18/2018 8:42:28 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: fugazi

It so distressed the military that it prompted a premature attack on Midway.


6 posted on 04/18/2018 8:50:23 AM PDT by EliRoom8
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To: Snickering Hound

Thanks to the efforts of Captain Robert E Lee.


7 posted on 04/18/2018 9:01:00 AM PDT by Midnitethecat
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To: fugazi
I was only 11 at the time of the Doolittle raid, but I remember what a boost it was for us after months of one defeat after another.
8 posted on 04/18/2018 12:41:29 PM PDT by JoeFromSidney (,uld')
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To: JoeFromSidney

“I was only 11 at the time of the Doolittle raid,”


I was 10———and Dolittle was considered a big hero for the neighborhood kids.

.


9 posted on 04/18/2018 12:45:04 PM PDT by Mears
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To: EliRoom8

It so distressed the military that it prompted a premature attack on Midway.


Midway wasn’t premature. Japan was in the throes of ‘victory fever’ from their successes and wanted to take out the US carriers ASAP. Any wait gave the US that much more time to rearm.

Japan had considered the homeland impervious to attack. Big shock. Yamamoto had been trying to sell the notion of attacking Midway but the Imperial Army was against it. Doolittle’s raid solidified Yamamoto’s backing with two missions added to pacify the Army ... Port Moresby and the Aleutian Islands.

BTW, was there really an intention to recover Doolittle’s bombers by landing back on the carriers? Could a bomber even land on a carrier?


10 posted on 04/18/2018 1:43:53 PM PDT by sparklite2 (See more at Sparklite Times)
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