The Doolittle Raid: April 18, 1942 (60 Years Ago Today)

USS Enterprise Association ^

[ken5050]

Great read..thanks...what's curious is what the author might have added at the end..that American pilots successfully intercepted and killed Yamamoto later on in the war, a measure that probably did much to contribute to Japan's loss, and probably helped save thousands of Americans......Sadam..are you listening?

[sanchmo]

Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, USAAF (front), leader of the raiding force, wires a Japanese medal to a 500-pound bomb, during ceremonies on the flight deck of USS Hornet (CV-8), shortly before his force of sixteen B-25B bombers took off for Japan. The planes were launched on 18 April 1942. The wartime censor has obscurred unit patches of the Air Force flight crew members in the background.

[Grampa Dave]

How did we know where and when to intercept and shoot down Yamamoto? The Pacific ocean is a big body of water and a plane is a small thing flying over it.

[texson66]

A Salute to the Airmen and Sailors of the Doolittle Raid

WW2 vets, Thanks for Your Sacrifice and Devotion to Duty for our Great Nation! God bless you and America!

[ken5050]

We had broken the Jap codes, remember, and we intercepted messaged indicating that Yamamoto was going to make an inspection tour...they sent out a flight of 4, I think, P-38's....CMH winned Dick Bong was on the flight, if I recall..they intercepted the Jap plane over Rabaul, I believe...

[onedoug]

Familiar with the arguments as to why it didn't happen, I still think most of them should've gone for the Emperor's palace.

Thanks for posting. And thanks for the pix, sanchmo.

[Joe Boucher]

I've read many books about Doolittles raid over tokyo. He and each of his men were true American heros. Also the Chineese who helped each of his airmen suffered greatly. Many airmen were injured in ditchings. The Chineese were so egar to do anything against the Japaneese due to the murderous treatment from the Japaneese. Many helped even though they knew of the danger. The Japaneese were butchers and to this day I find them in contempt.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

By intercepting Japanese radio traffic and breaking the Japanese code to decipher the messages.

[NativeNewYorker]

Excellent post. Thank you.

Like so much of our truly glorious history, this episode risks being forgotten in the great PC whitewash of the past.

[Grampa Dave]

Our navy code crackers had broken the Japanese Purple Code and only a handful of people outside of the NSG knew that the code had been broken.

Yamamoto's radio traffic was constantly being monitored, and his flight plan was intercepted re times, where, and other data.

There was a fierce debate on revealing this or not. It was hand carried to FDR. He slept on it, and he said to take Yamamoto out. The danger of doing this, could have signaled the Japanese code people that their code had been intercepted, and big changes could have been instituted after Yamamoto was intercepted and killed.

The plan was drawn up and acted on. Yamamoto died as a result. Outside of some minor code changes, nothing radical was done on their end. Many still argue that we should have left Yamamoto alive to crack his coded messages to really hammer the Japanese in all of their future Naval operations. Like all things that happen in war, there are two sides. Killing Yamamoto was a pschological victory for our side and a devastating one for the Japanese.

[Grampa Dave]

Right! See my reply #11 on this area.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting this excellent article and review of the bravery of these Bomber personnel!

These historical accounts must be retold for our children and grandchildren. Thanks again!

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the pictures. Those pilots and their crew members were incredible. The Hornet's decks are really short when compared to our present carrier decks.

[stillonaroll]

Like so much of our truly glorious history, this episode risks being forgotten in the great PC whitewash of the past.

Indeed. I must admit ignorance of this event. Of course, I attended publik skools, so it's not surprising.

[sandydipper]

Good Reading - My father-in-law William Medak was on board the Hornet when she launched the B-25's - as a dive bomber maintenance crewman and was "stanby" in case a '25 crewman got sick and had to be replaced. He also spent some time in the water when the Japs sank Hornet on 10-26-42. I love to hear him talk.

[NativeNewYorker]

I went to public schools too.

This is how I learned of the raid.

[larryjohnson]

My Air Force flag flies today.

[PhilDragoo]

I read that book and the ditching in China was harrowing.

My dad served on the USS Saratoga (CV-3).

My mom told me, that's what men did after Pearl Harbor.

My favorite Christmas present was a flattop with crank up elevators.

Now we send MEU (SOC)s from Kitty Hawk.

Other carriers will have an anniversary present for Saddam Hussein in August.

Or tomorrow. Or when the snow flies. Always into evil's teeth; never predictable. We deliver.

[Free the USA]

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