The Gutsiest Call

The Washington Times ^ | May 17, 2011 | Editorial

[Abakumov]

On Monday, the nation honored Col. William M. Bower, the last surviving pilot of the April 18, 1942, Doolittle Raid, the risky surprise attack on the Japanese home islands that bolstered American morale in the early, tragic months of World War II. Col. Bower died Jan. 10 at age 93 and was laid to rest Monday at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Doolittle Raid was one of the gutsiest calls ever made by a president. Shortly after the Dec. 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a directive that the United States hit the Japanese homeland as soon as possible. Those were dark days. America was in an existential fight, not with ragtag bands of violent extremists but with the mightiest armed forces in history, then at the height of their power. After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Empire enjoyed an unbroken string of victories. Bombing Japan was intended to deliver a blow to Imperial pride.

[Larry Lucido]

RIP

[ansel12]

What is the deal with the cussing?

[Dagnabitt]

The Dolittle Raid: Another event of which Michelle Obama is not proud.

[DUMBGRUNT]

Always wondered about the name.
...Roosevelt maintained the air of mystery by sharing none of the operational details of the attack, and quipped to reporters that the raid was launched “from our new secret base at Shangri-La.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Shangri-La_(CV-38)
Nomenclature
The naming of the ship was a radical departure from the general practice of the time, which was to name aircraft carriers after battles or previous US Navy ships. After the Doolittle Raid, launched from theHornet, President Roosevelt answered a reporter’s question by saying that the raid had been launched from “Shangri-La”, the fictional faraway land of theJames Hilton novel Lost Horizon.

[Pelham]

“Two months later we knocked the living shit out of them at the battle of Midway.”

Thanks to the help of some naval code breakers, a good deal of luck, and the tenacity of squadron commander Wade McClusky.

[marktwain]

Most Americans do not remember that China did not give permission to use their territory for the raid, and that the Japanese army killed 250,000 Chinese in revenge for the raid.

It probably helped us win the war, but what a price the Chinese paid for being unable to defend themselves!

[wendy1946]

We had an advantage in information and the Japanese had every other possible advantage. There’s a lessson in that.

[BerryDingle]

It probably helped us win the war, but what a price the Chinese paid for being unable to defend themselves!

Sounds familiar. Clinton was offered Osama 8 to 10 times. It cost 3000 plus lives. How much guts does it require to not cancel an expensive mission in the most powerful nation in the world. How stupid does it look to gloat about not cancelling it? How stupid is the voter supposed to feel hearing Bill Maher was fired off his own show for mentioning Clinton launching a Tomahawk into an aspirin factory at 4 AM (local) and feels horrible that the sleeping janitor was killed?

[Tunehead54]

Well ... see when whole countries or even the whole world is at war lots of people get killed. If the good guys win (that’s US - I will maintain as long as we stay true to our roots) then its OK to crow a little even maybe cussing a little is OK ... IMHO. ;-)

[GOPJ]

Of those who didn’t make it back, two men drowned and another was killed while bailing out. Eight were captured by the Japanese, of whom three were executed and one died of disease. The highest price was paid by China. An estimated 250,000 Chinese civilians were murdered in reprisal actions by Japanese forces for the assistance given to American flyers.

Never knew the Chinese were murdered in reprisal... Interesting post - thanks.

[Verginius Rufus]

I believe Camp David was originally called Shangri-La (after the fictitious place in the novel) by FDR, but I don’t know if he had started using that name before the raid. Eisenhower renamed it in honor of his grandson.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Agreed.They had to know they were not coming back.We lost a lot of great men that day.I had the pleasure of meeting George Gay who was VT-8s only survivor when I was a kid so many years ago.Just a really great guy.He was surprised that a 12 year old kid knew so much about the Battle of Midway history.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Most Americans do not remember that China did not give permission to use their territory for the raid, and that the Japanese army killed 250,000 Chinese in revenge for the raid.

The Japanese needed little provocation when it came to brutality. Like their Nazi buddies, they were a superior race, and the commission of atrocities were commonplace.

As far as winning the war, although Pearl Harbor was devastated, they missed the aircraft carriers. They were out at sea.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Because it describes in the best way possible the payback for their underhanded sneak attack on a sunday morning thats the deal.

[ansel12]

You don’t need to cuss to describe something.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

They really didnt need a reason to murder the chinese civilians as they had already been committing the attrocities since 31.Check out a book called the Rape of Nanking and the biological testing against the chinese all through the war.What they got in august of 45 and all the fire raids paled in comparison to the butcher job the did on china.

[PiperShade]

Who got to drink the “tontine” (sp?) ?

IMNSHO the “Doolittle Raiders” had to be the ballsiest bunch of aviators ever. But that only reflects upon the character of their leader. Their passing marks the end of a bucaneering era in America......>PS

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Sorry, if you were offended.