First To Strike - 70 Years Ago

thedonnovan.com ^ | 18 April 2012 | Bosquisucio

[smokingfrog]

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of Doolittle's raid over Tokyo, and of the 80 brave men who volunteered for the mission, only five remain. Below is their testimony of this fateful day:

(video at link)

[smokingfrog]

JAPAN REPORTS TOKYO, YOKOHAMA BOMBED BY ‘ENEMY PLANES’ IN DAYLIGHT; CLAIMS 9 (4/18/42)

[ansel12]

The United States Army strikes again, in time they nuked them.

[hinckley buzzard]

This was an incredibly bold mission, flying bombers off of aircraft carriers for a bombing mission over Japan to continue on and land in mainland China.

I suspect the morale boost was tremendous.

[Route395]

I would like to see a full length movie made about the training right thru each groups attempt at escaping after the bombs were dropped. I think the only one made was Thirty seconds over Toyko with Spencer Tracy in 1944. With all the computerized special effects they have today it would be a great story based on fact.

[80skid]

Had a tribute today (yesterday) in Dayton Ohio at the Air Force Museum. 20 B-25 bombers and 5 of the men were on hand.

[smokingfrog]

Good to hear!

A HUGE Reason We Enjoy Our Freedom Today

[Old Sarge]

We owe a debt of gratitude to “those magnificent men in their flying machines”.

“L’audace, l’audace, toujours l’audace.”

[unkus]

Thanks for the video, sf

Very neat.

[Route395]

[TonyInOhio]

One of the surviving Raiders, Major Thomas Griffin, told the modern crews flying the B-25 how it was done:

The Air Force Museum did it up right, hosting a luncheon, banquet, and memorial service for the Doolittle Raiders, with a flyover of 21 B-25s, the largest assembly of the type since WWII. To my regret, I could not attend, and only hope that they do it again next year.

[A_Former_Democrat]

How ironic, without realizing the significance of this date was reading about WW II tonite and specifically, the Doolittle Raid. What a terrible war and what great heroes it produced.

[snuffy smiff]

I think I must have read “Thirty Seconds over Tokyo” about a thousand times when I was a kid.

These men were each and every one a hero. They knew they had virtually no chance at pulling this off and surviving long enough to tell anyone about it. And they still took off from that carrier anyway...

[fella]

“Thirty Seconds Over Tokoyo” are a great book and a movie. Even though it’s in black and white, the low level flying scenes make you pucker-up.

[Tupelo]

If I remember correctly, the bottle of brandy and the 80 cups are kept at either the Air Force museum or the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton. It will be a sad but inevitable day when the last cup is turned upside down.
What a brave group of men! They all volunteered for what was basically a suicide mission and even after finding out what they were going to attempt, not one back out. Damn I feel very inferior and inadequate even talking about them and others of that era.

[golf lover]

I sure hope we still have people in our country willing to make the sacrifices of these brave and patriotic men. I’m pretty sure none of the Obamaphiles of today would be volunteering!