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Tokyo raider 'Davey' Jones, WWII hero, dies in Tucson
Arizona Daily Star ^ | Danielle Sottosanti

Posted on 11/30/2008 7:00:37 AM PST by SandRat

World War II hero David "Davey" M. Jones — one of the famed Doolittle Tokyo Raiders — died Tuesday in Tucson at the age of 94.

Jones, a University of Arizona alumnus, retired from the Air Force as a two-star general in 1973 after a long and decorated military career. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart and numerous other honors.

He was one of the raiders who used B-25 bombers to hit targets in Japan in April 1942, a few months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

"Medium bombers had never been flown from a carrier, and sailing so far into enemy territory endangered the U.S. Navy task force," the U.S. Air Force fact sheet on the raiders says of the high-risk operation.

Jones, who was 28 at the time of the raid, recalled the one-way mission in an April 2004 Arizona Daily Star article.

"You knew when you started that we didn't have enough fuel to make it, period. But you couldn't think about that," he said.

After the raid, Jones bailed out in China, where the Chinese helped him return to the United States, the U.S. Air Force's biography of him says.

In 1944, Hollywood paid homage in the film "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," starring Spencer Tracy as Doolittle.

Another Doolittle Raider, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Ed Horton Jr., died last week at age 92, the day after Jones. He died in Florida, The (Panama, Fla.) News Herald reported.

The U.S. Air Force's biography of Jones tells of other events in his military career: In December 1942, he was shot down over Bizerte, North Africa, when he was second in command of a light bomb group.

He spent 2 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III and led the digging team on the tunnel "Harry," the basis for the movie "The Great Escape," starring Steve McQueen.

"He was so modest he didn't even try to be modest," said Tom Collins, a close friend of Jones, who had lived in Tucson since 1998. "He was calmly in command of himself and everything around him."

Jones would often talk about his experiences in a "joking way," Collins remembers. "He had quite a sense of humor."

Jones' survivors include his wife, Janna-Neen Jones. Plans for services are pending.

● Contact reporter Danielle Sottosanti at 618-1922 or at dsottosanti@azstarnet.com.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Japan; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: hero; navair; tokyoraider; tucson; veteran; wwii
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1 posted on 11/30/2008 7:00:37 AM PST by SandRat
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To: SandRat

WOW! Dolittle raid, North Africa, stalag luft 3. Amazing American patriot.


2 posted on 11/30/2008 7:04:51 AM PST by Vaquero ( "an armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: SandRat; SLB; Travis McGee; hiredhand; Eaker; Jeff Head

God bless men such as these.......


3 posted on 11/30/2008 7:05:00 AM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
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To: SandRat

Wow.


4 posted on 11/30/2008 7:06:02 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: magslinger

ping


5 posted on 11/30/2008 7:10:42 AM PST by neodad (USS Vincennes (CG 49) "Freedom's Fortress")
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To: StarCMC

PING


6 posted on 11/30/2008 7:12:12 AM PST by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Vaquero
"WOW! Dolittle raid, North Africa, stalag luft 3. Amazing American patriot."

Yes, yes all well and good. But to be appreciated in America today he would have to be willing to scratch his crotch on Dancing with Stars.

7 posted on 11/30/2008 7:12:35 AM PST by trek
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To: SandRat

Another cup tuned over. At the Air Force Museum, there is a set of silver cups and a bottle of Cognac. When all but two raiders are gone, the last two will open the bottle to drink to their fallen comrades...


8 posted on 11/30/2008 7:13:04 AM PST by GreenLanternCorps (Jindal 2012, He'll fix Obama's mess!)
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To: SandRat

9 posted on 11/30/2008 7:13:13 AM PST by Dubya (Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
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Only nine Raiders left.
10 posted on 11/30/2008 7:14:29 AM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: SandRat
I wonder how many of the original raiders are left.

Somewhere in this country there is a place where they would meet every so often,and on a bookshelf there is a bottle of wine with two glasses. They were put there at their first reunion. The last two survivers are going drink that bottle together in memory of their comrades who have gone before them.

11 posted on 11/30/2008 7:15:30 AM PST by painter
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The Goblets
12 posted on 11/30/2008 7:16:50 AM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: SandRat
On a somber note, part of the Doolittle Raiders tradition is the last two men will drink from a very special bottle of cognac to all those that passed before them.

There is even a display of goblets surrounding the bottle each inscribed with the names of the Raiders. The goblets are turned over one by one as each passes away.


13 posted on 11/30/2008 7:20:05 AM PST by usmcobra (Go ask Obama for your change, and don't bug me!)
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To: SandRat
The Doolittle Raiders that survived the mission had yearly reunions on the date of the raid. They all had a mug they proposed toasts with at the reunions; these were housed in a shelf like device between each reunion. As members passed on the cup, or mug, was reversed and put in the shelf bin which had the name of the raider member. As the years went by fewer attended the reunions, some died, some unable to travel. Not sure when they had their last reunion but I doubt there are many toasting mugs left that are unturned.
14 posted on 11/30/2008 7:21:18 AM PST by BluH2o
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To: painter
Brandy and there are a total of 80 goblets.
15 posted on 11/30/2008 7:21:19 AM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: A.A. Cunningham; Dubya; SandRat
And another goblet is to be turned over...

Deepest Regards

alfa6 ;>}

16 posted on 11/30/2008 7:22:02 AM PST by alfa6 (One mans magic is another mans engineering... L.L.)
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To: Vroomfondel; SC Swamp Fox; Fred Hayek; NY Attitude; P3_Acoustic; Bean Counter; investigateworld; ...
SONOBUOY PING!

Honorary Naval Aviator

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

17 posted on 11/30/2008 7:28:04 AM PST by magslinger (What is the fastest growing oppressed minority in America? Hoplophiles.)
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To: painter

See replys #12 & #13


18 posted on 11/30/2008 7:33:09 AM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs said?)
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To: SandRat
He is the one on the right.


19 posted on 11/30/2008 7:33:33 AM PST by Bahbah (Typical white person-Snow white)
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To: Dubya
Take Off No. Seven...Lt Ted Lawson.... The author of the book Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
20 posted on 11/30/2008 7:37:13 AM PST by OBXWanderer (www.dontvoterino.com)
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