Never Forget.
Posted on 04/18/2002 6:16:46 AM PDT by aomagrat
World War II heroes kick off five-day celebration
A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
President Bush sent the Raiders a letter that was read at Wednesday night's reception:
"Your actions during World War II and your contributions to our Nation will never be forgotten.
"As our Nation confronts the challenges of a new era, I salute the example set by the Doolittle Raiders. Their bravery and devotion to duty are an inspiration to all Americans."
'TODAY SHOW'
NBC's "Today Show," which airs from 7 to 10 a.m., plans to feature the Raiders' story this morning.
The 60th anniversary reunion of Doolittle's Tokyo Raiders kicked off in Columbia on Wednesday evening with jokes, hugs and handshakes.
"It's wonderful to see this kind of welcome," Raider Tom Griffin said, surveying a packed conference room at the Adams Mark hotel. "We're looking forward to another great reunion in Columbia. Just like the one we had last time."
The Raiders formed at the old Columbia Air Base in 1942. The city was host to the 50th anniversary reunion, which many Raiders list among the best.
There was one somber note on Wednesday, however. Columbia's Horace "Sally" Crouch was in the hospital and unable to attend Wednesday night's events.
Raider Nolan Herndon of Edgefield, who is married to Crouch's cousin, said the old warrior has been diagnosed with throat cancer.
"I hope he can make it to something," Herndon said. "But I am doubtful."
Crouch and Herndon are two of three South Carolinians who were part of Doolittle's Tokyo Raid. The third, William Farrow of Darlington, was captured and executed by the Japanese after he and his crew bailed out in China. Farrow's navigator, Jake DeShazer, and his co-pilot, Robert Hite, are in Columbia this week.
The raid is considered the most famous air raid in American history. Four months after Pearl Harbor, the 80 Raiders took off in 16 B-25s from the aircraft carrier Hornet and bombed Tokyo.
Viewed by many as a suicide mission, the raid bolstered American fighting spirit in the dark early days of World War II.
The group volunteered for the mission and formed at what is now Columbia Metropolitan Airport in January 1942. They went on to train at Eglin Field in Florida.
Each year since the end of the war, the Raiders have met to drink a toast to their fallen comrades.
Because of the Raiders' advancing ages, this reunion could be the last formal gathering.
Some Raiders at a news conference on Wednesday walked with help or rode in wheelchairs. Others were still vigorous, upbeat and genuinely impressed with their reception.
The Raiders downplayed talk that this could be the last reunion.
Their leader, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, told the men to meet as long as two of them could stand to toast their fallen comrades. Doolittle died in 1993.
"I can't tell you when the reunions will end," Griffin said. "But I'm looking around to see who's going to drink that last toast with me!"
As with the 1942 raid, the 60th anniversary reunion in Columbia is making headlines around the world.
Representatives of national media outlets, including National Public Radio, as well as reporters from five other countries, are planning to cover some aspects of the reunion.
"I'm just glad to see all of this," said Herndon, who in Crouch's absence is the unofficial hometown host. "I'm proud that this is one of the biggest and that it is getting so much attention."
Each year since 1946, the Raiders have met in a different city to tell the old stories and remember those no longer with them.
Hite joked that for a while, the stories seemed to get a little better every year, "but that kind of leveled off now."
The reunions are mostly lighthearted and fun, but with the central theme of remembering those who have died.
"It's so nice to see these guys every year," Herndon said. "But you never know who won't be here the next time."
Dick Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot on the April 18, 1942, bombing raid of Japan, described the event as being more like a typical family reunion than a military gathering.
"The 'Old Man' (Doolittle) drew us together as a family and treated us as family," he said. "This renews the camaraderie that we had before the raid."
Wednesday's news conference and reception were the first of five days' worth of events, including a parade, luncheon, banquet, air show and one of the largest flyovers of B-25 bombers since World War II.
Throughout the day Wednesday, 14 B-25s droned across the blue Carolina skies and took up their stations at Columbia-Owens Downtown Airport.
They will conduct a flyover at 11:05 a.m. today during the parade held in the Raiders' honor.
The bombers also will be on display during an air show at Owens Field on Friday and Saturday, and will conduct another flyover Saturday before a special Capital City Bombers baseball game.
Never Forget.
Y'know, it occurred to me on reading your line above that a variation of this is the best summary of the difference between the US and the rest of the world.
The rest of the world operates from: "Never forget, never forgive." which give us all of terrorism around the world.
The US operates from "Never forget, but forgive." and has embraced former enemies as friends and allies.
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