We are down to just two then, Lt. Col. Richard Cole, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher. We live just a few miles from where another Doolittle Raider, Lt. Col Ed Saylor lived. He died in January at the age of 94. We saw him last at the South Sound Ronald Reagan Republican Club meeting on November 11, 2014. At that time he was still walking without a cane and able to carry on a great conversation.
In June of 2013 I took video of a presentation Lt. Col Ed Saylor gave at the “Heritage Dinner” held at the Officer’s Club on McChord AFB at JBLM. He was still a very good speaker and gave us a wonderful talk.
Fortunately, I was able to see him and the remaining Raiders (via video)as they performed the last ceremonial toast at Dayton. I wept almost the entire time. From where did we get such great men? I am just so thankful for all of them. I strive to maintain even a small fraction of their ‘can-do’ attitude. It is the least I can do, as well as cherish their memory forever in my heart.
Dick Cole was Doolittle’s copilot.
David Thatcher was the engineer/turret gunner on Plane #7, Ted Lawson’s “Ruptured Duck” made famous in Thirty Seconds over Tokyo.
Thatcher was the youngest Raider. He’s actually outlived the actor who portrayed him in Thirty Seconds by 64 years ...