General Jimmy Doolittle Interview

Courtesy: United States Air Force
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/doolittle.asp
On April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. James Doolittle led a mission of 16 B-25 bombers with 80 volunteers to send Japan a clear message of American air power. They took off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet which positioned the aircraft within a reasonable striking distance. On this 65th anniversary, their mission was to drop the first bombs on military targets in Tokyo, Nagoya and Yokohama. All reached their targets successfully, with little Japanese response.

Fifteen of the planes crashed or were abandoned in China. A 16th plane landed near Vladivostok, Russia. Two of the aircraft came down in enemy territory and three crewmen were executed. The raid had a psychological effect on the American public which was still reeling from the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.

War Department planners hit on the idea of launching Army Air Forces bombers off a Navy carrier, then recovering the aircraft at airfields in China. The call for volunteers went out in March 1942. Commanding General of the Army Air Forces Maj. Gen. "Hap" Arnold gave Doolittle the task of organizing and training the volunteers for the mission.

Doolittle was well-known not only as a military pilot, but also for his civilian air racing accomplishments. Short, stocky and nearly bald, he had a reputation for stretching an aircraft to its operational limits, and for doing things his way.

He also believed U.S. security depended on a strong Air Force. "I am convinced that the required air force can be rapidly organized, equipped and trained if it is completely separate from the Army and developed as an entirely separate arm."

Of the 80 volunteers, 71 men returned home from the war as some fliers went on to fly bombing missions in Europe. Today, 14 original Raiders survive and have an annual reunion.

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[COPPOLINOP]

Back in 1991 I worked at a tire store in California. An older gentleman came in to buy some new tires. He was wearing a suit and had a B24 pin on his lapel. I was floored when he handed me his license and I realized it was Jimmy Doolittle! I talked to him over coffee while he was there for about an hour listening to him recount various WWII stories. What an amazing guy. I was and still am honored to have met him.

[Mikele22000]

Jimmy Doolittle is real hero and I must say rest in peace.

[CodyAndHisPen]

This is my great-great uncle. I never got to meet him, since he died three years before I was born. But I hear stories about him sometime from my grandmother, and what an amazing man he was. They say I look a lot like him in his younger days. God bless.

[vidofnir5]

@COPPOLINOP wauhoo ta eu de la chance d'avoir parler a ce heros qui a fait en sorte de venger PEARL HARBOR!!

[Lockbar]

Doolittle blew up the Graf Spee!!!

[aussieskiff]

Met mjr Tom Griffin plane no9 (navigator) of the Doolittle raid at my local Hospital , A true war hero and Stalug luft 3 veteran too...(thats the great escape pow camp ) my god what a life these guys must have lived ...

[highfight001]

No mention how Chinese folks saved their life and paid the big price

[TheNoobTubez]

Dude this guy is my history teachers grandfather!

[SONOFHERO52]

what I found interesting about this Raid was how even the mistakes made played in our favor.....our planes had to leave early...which made them fly over Tokyo just after the first big air raid PRACTICE was finishing up for the entire city...the jap AA crews thought the planes were part of the practice so they didnt shoot..and the japs in the air thought the same..plus..our planes lost formation and came over the target from all directions..so the japs never did figure out they were carrier based

[SONOFHERO52]

@kelvis68 gosh....bombs blew up and NO physical damage done??..LMAO....get a life JR.....yes...they were small bomb loads(nothing like what the B-29 did later) for sure....but they got the japs to move divisions and aircraft back to japan and away from the front and gave us all a morale boost. and.. made the japs lose face..as for the chinese...you think japs needed a reason to slaughter chinese...you need to read THE RAPE OF NANKING.

[mugmanmig]

@shellydooalot Im related to him too

[mugmanmig]

@Mikele22000 Im related to him but I never got to see him