History In The Passing

[square_duck]

An event is happening this weekend that few people know of or hear about. I was reminded of it by my brother earlier this evening. Today April 18 2013 is the 71st anniversary of the Tokyo raid by Col. James Doolittle and a group of 80 volunteer airmen and 16 B-25 mid range bombers. This mission has been the subject of books and films, the most famous is "30 seconds over Tokyo"

In short, the group Practiced for months in short takeoff with these planes which weren't designed to do what they were going to do. They loaded planes and crew onto an aircraft carrier (The Hornet) and sailed 1/2 way around the world, and got spotted by fishing vessels (picket boats) and so they had to launch the mission early. Further away than they expected and a very real possibility that they wouldn't be able to complete their mission as it was already considered a one way trip.

80 young men took off on that morning, flew to Japan, dropped their payload of bombs on their designated targets, and the headed to China to (hopefully) land and get shipped back to the USA. 12 of them died in the resulting days, either from crash landing or in resulting combat with the Japanese who were furiously trying to capture them.

70 years later only 4 Raiders remain. Since the initial mission the group has always gathered on this date to remember and share stories...and also to toast their comrades who had passed away earlier. This is a special and personal service that includes special inscribed silver goblets with each crew members name on it. When a member dies, his goblet with his name inscribed, is turned upside down. There is also a special 125 years old bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special cognac (1896 was the year of Doolittle’s birth) that they will be toasting with this time around, as only 4 members are left, and all in their 90's and more than likely won't be willing to make the next trip....so this is it, the last public gathering of the remaining members of the Doolittle Raiders. Men who on a day 71 long years ago, flew a mission most considered impossible and 'suicidal' men who completed that mission and came home heroes...men who today are old, and who really don't think that what they did was so special....they were just carrying out orders and "Doing their job"

They have their own website and you can read and learn here:

http://doolittleraider.com/

and a manuscript of a report is here:

http://www.npr.org/2013/04/18/177721507/surviving-doolittle-raiders-to-hold-their-last-meeting

I personally have an IMMENSE amount of respect and pride for these guys..and I wish I could go there to see them and shake their hand and say "THANK YOU" I have been inside some vintage WWII planes and I can tell you it took H*U*G*E balls and guts to fly combat in those things.

To the young people on this site, this might not seem like much....they are just a group of old men...but they were young too, and fought a war long ago, and their actions truly helped turn things around and was a HUGE inspiration and boost for the US at the time, since Pearl Harbor was only 4 months earlier and was a devastating event and psychological burden to the Nation at the time.

Please visit the site, read and learn of the actions of these brave people who helped win a war, and who helped shape the world we live in today....it could have been a very very different story back then if this raid had failed.

Also...after you read about what they did....ask yourself if that would be something YOU could do. I read a lot of history and events that happened and battles that took place..and I look at a lot of young people and wonder if they could do the same thing if asked to...and I am sadly reminded that the answer might not be what I would want to hear

The young people fighting today in foreign lands have some of this thing called GUTS, but I am still amazed at what was accomplished long ago in a major Global conflict that was conducted with none of the 'high tech' gizmos and gagetry we have today, which also has a questionable effectiveness.

71 years ago, 80 volunteers answered a call, and offered their services as airmen to undertake a dangerous mission that they might not return from, and they succeeded, and changed the coarse of the war and the world ...and 4 of them are still around to tell the story, drink a toast to fallen comrades...and finally say "good bye" to their comrades and to each other for the last time. Mission Completed.

We owe them a lot.

Respectfully

square_duck

[Repaid1]

Well said Duck. I know their story well, luckily will still have some with that kind of conviction today. Honor all who gave the ultimate sacrifice! Not to mention those that could at any given time

[BigC300]

America was not brought to her knees, there was a great awakening...http://youtu.be/f25-FnGkiwo

[BigC300]

We must always stand ready to meet the forces of evil... http://youtu.be/EEtZ5r0CIYI

[Crinklebritches]

Awesome square_duck!

[lunatyke]

Oh yes, thank you for reviving an integral chain in the link of our defense.

[square_duck]

http://news.yahoo.com/wwii-doolittle-raiders-making-final-toast-081057065.html

I dredged up this thread because of another news story that I read today. This weekend in Dayton Ohio, will be the final toast by the last 4 remaining raiders, to their comrades and themselves. Al in their 90's 3 of the 4 remaining raiders will meet this last time and toast their mission and each other and past comrades. The 4th can't attend simply due to health issues but I am sure he desperately wanted to attend as well.

The origional 'plan' was for the last 2 remaining raiders to open the bottle and toast all the others who had gone before, but since age is rapidly gaining on these guys, they figured why wait, so they are holding their last ceremony tonight in Dayton, with a crowd of about 600 other well wishers, admirers and history buffs, as well as widows and family members from raiders who have passed away, as well as a few survivors from the Pearl harbor raid, and some of the soldiers and families from China who helped them escape the Japanese after they crashed in China.

I wish to GOD I could be there just to shake their hands and say "thank you" or at least to have the privilege to just be there and take pictures. oh well.

This is just a note, for after this, these brave 4 will simply go back to their lives and drift off into history. The next time you hear about them will be when they too have passed away....The last vestiges of a time long ago when the world was in peril and the many who rose up to meet and defeat the global danger.

Again, thank you.