On Tuesday, April 18th, the Friends of the National World War II Memorial will host a brief ceremony and wreath presentation at the World War II Memorial's Pacific Arch to mark the 75th anniversary of America's daring “Doolittle Raid” over Tokyo, Japan on April 18, 1942.
Less than four months after Imperial Japan launched a surprise military attack on United States military installations on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, America struck back with an air raid on Tokyo and other key Japanese cities. The attack, the first on the main island of Japan, was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James “Jimmy” Doolittle of the United States Army Air Forces.
Sixteen B-25B Mitchell medium bombers, each with a crew of five men, were launched from the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Hornet deep in the Western Pacific Ocean. The plan called for them to bomb military targets in Japan, and to continue westward to land in China. Fifteen aircraft did reach China, but all crashed. Fortunately, with the help of the Chinese people, most of the Doolittle Raiders safely reached friendly forces (Japanese forces later executed as many as a quarter million Chinese citizens in retaliation for this assistance). The 16th aircraft landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. That B-25 was confiscated and its crew interned for more than a year before escaping into Persia.
All but three of the 80 crew members initially survived the mission. Eight airmen were captured by the Japanese Army in China; three of those were later executed. Fourteen complete crews, except for one crewman who was killed in action, returned either to the United States or to American forces.
The Doolittle Raid caused little physical damage to Japan, but it gave a needed lift to American morale and cast doubt in Japan on the ability of its military leaders to defend their home islands.
Program:
* Jim Fisher, master of ceremonies
* Presentation of Colors
* Chaplain
* Josiah Bunting, chairman of the board for Friends of the National WOrld War II Memorial
* Official party
* Presentation of wreaths
* Taps
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