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The Gutsiest Call
The Washington Times ^ | May 17, 2011 | Editorial

Posted on 05/17/2011 7:42:07 PM PDT by 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.

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


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arlingtoncemetery; doolittleraid; greatestgeneration; ww2
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To: He Rides A White Horse
And they didn't hit the Pearl submarine yards nor the fuel dumps. Once we got our torpedo act together, the Japanese merchant marine found permanent anchor.
21 posted on 05/18/2011 1:29:32 AM PDT by oyez (The difference in genius and stupidity is that genius has limits.)
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To: He Rides A White Horse

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

They missed the repair bays as well as fuel storage as well. The Japs screwed up bigtime on Dec 7 1941.


22 posted on 05/18/2011 4:18:21 AM PDT by TalBlack ( Evil doesn't have a day job.)
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To: Abakumov

With his ego, Obama probably thinks his* decision to hit Osama was the gutsiest call.

* Asterisk because some reports are that his indecisiveness led to CIA chief Leon Panetta to make the call.


23 posted on 05/18/2011 6:15:05 AM PDT by CedarDave (I agree with Obama's immigration comments in El Paso: We do need moats filled with alligators)
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