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The Doolittle Raid, Remembered

Kimberly Johnson
Kimberly Johnson

Here's a look back at the historic mission.

B-25s and F4F-3 fighters sit tied-down on the USS Hornet in anticipation of the Doolittle Raid.
USS Gwin and USS Nashville are seen following USS Hornet astern as the vessels travel to the launching point for the Doolittle Raid.
USS Nashville is seen firing on a Japanese picket boat. The Doolittle Raid was launched early out of suspicion that those aboard the boat may have warned Japan about the impending threat.
B-25s sit aboard USS Hornet before the Doolittle Raid. The aircraft in the upper right is tail B-25 No. 40-2242, mission plane No. 8.
Seen in the right-hand side of the photo is B-25 No. 40-2282, which was mission plane No. 4. Seen on the aircraft is a protective cover located on its gun turret and fake guns mounted in its tail cone.
Lt. Col. Doolittle takes off from USS Hornet in mission aircraft No. 1 to attack Japan.
A B-25 takes off from the USS Hornet for the Doolittle Raid.
A B-25 participating in the Doolittle Raid seen en route to attack Japan.
B-25s sit aboard the USS Hornet in anticipation of the Doolittle Raid.
B-25s sit aboard the USS Hornet before the Doolittle Raid.
**Seen in the foreground is B-25 No. 40-2261, which was used in the Doolittle Raid as mission plane No. 7. The next B-25 is tail No. 40-2242, mission plane No. 8.
**
Lt. Col. Doolittle accepts a medal that was once given to the U.S. Navy by the Japanese. The medal was wired to a 500-pound bomb for its return to the country.
A B-25 prepares to take off from the USS Hornet as part of the Doolittle Raid.
A B-25 takes off from the USS Hornet during the launch of the Doolittle Raid.
B-25s sit aboard USS Hornet in anticipation of the Doolittle Raid.
Several B-25s sit aboard USS Hornet. The aircraft located in the right-side of the photo is B-25 No. 40-2250, mission plane No. 10.
Lt. Col. Doolittle sits by the wreckage of his B-25 after attacking targets in Japan and crash-landing somewhere in China.
Another image of the remains of Lt. Col.'s B-25 after its crash-landing.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 1 (Plane #40-2344, target Tokyo): 34th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, pilot; Lt. Richard E. Cole, copilot; Lt. Henry A. Potter, navigator; SSgt. Fred A. Braemer, bombardier; SSgt. Paul J. Leonard, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 2 (Plane #40-2292, target Tokyo): 37th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Travis Hoover, pilot; Lt. William N. Fitzhugh, copilot; Lt. Carl R. Wildner, navigator; Lt. Richard E. Miller, bombardier; Sgt. Douglas V. Radney, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 3 (Plane #40-2270, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Robert M. Gray, pilot; Lt. Jacob E. Manch, copilot; Lt. Charles J. Ozuk Jr., navigator; Sgt. Aden E. Jones, bombardier; Cpl. Leland D. Faktor, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 4 (Plane #40-2282, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Everett W. Holstrom, pilot; Lt. Lucian N. Youngblood, copilot; Lt. Harry C. McCool, navigator; Sgt. Robert J. Stephens, bombardier; Cpl. Bert M. Jordan, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 5 (Plane #40-2283, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, Capt. David M. Jones, pilot; Lt. Ross R. Wilder, copilot; Lt. Eugene F. McGurl, navigator; Lt. Denver V. Truelove, bombardier; Sgt. Joseph W. Manske, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 6 (Plane #40-2298, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Dean E. Hallmark, pilot; Lt. Robert J. Meder, copilot; Lt. Chase J. Nielsen, navigator; Sgt. William J. Dieter, bombardier; Sgt. Donald E. Fitzmaurice, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 7 (Plane #40-2261, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Ted W. Lawson, pilot; Lt. Dean Davenport, copilot; Lt. Charles L. McClure, navigator; Lt. Robert S. Clever, bombardier; Sgt. David J. Thatcher, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 8 (Plane #40-2242, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, Capt. Edward J. York, pilot; Lt. Robert G. Emmens, copilot; Lt. Nolan A. Herndon, navigator/bombardier; SSgt. Theodore H. Laban, flight engineer; Sgt. David W. Pohl, gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 9 (Plane #40-2203, target Tokyo): 34th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Harold F. Watson, pilot; Lt. James N. Parker Jr., copilot; Lt. Thomas C. Griffin, navigator; Sgt. Wayne M. Bissell, bombardier; TSgt. Eldred V. Scott, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 10 (Plane #40-2250, target Tokyo): 89th Reconnaissance Squadron, Lt. Richard O. Joyce, pilot; Lt. J. Royden Stork, copilot; Lt. Horace E. Crouch, navigator/bombardier; Sgt. George E. Larkin Jr., flight engineer; SSgt. Edwin W. Horton Jr., gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 11 (Plane #40-2249, target Yokohama): 34th Bombardment Squadron, Capt. C. Ross Greening (89th RS), pilot; Lt. Kenneth E. Reddy, copilot; Lt. Frank A. Kappeler, navigator; SSgt. William L. Birch, bombardier; Sgt. Melvin J. Gardner, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 12 (Plane #40-2278, target Yokohama): 37th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. William M. Bower, pilot; Lt. Thadd H. Blanton, copilot; Lt. William R. Pound Jr., navigator; TSgt. Waldo J. Bither, bombardier; SSgt. Omer A. Duquette, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 13 (Plane #40-2247, target Yokosuka): 37th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Edgar E. McElroy, pilot; Lt. Richard A. Knobloch, copilot; Lt. Clayton J. Campbell, navigator; MSgt. Robert C. Bourgeois, bombardier; Sgt. Adam R. Williams, flight engineer/gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 14 (Plane #40-2297, target Nagoya): 89th Reconnaissance Squadron, Maj. John A. Hilger, pilot; Lt. Jack A. Sims, copilot; Lt. James H. Macia Jr., navigator/bombardier; SSgt. Job Eierman, flight engineer; SSgt. Edwin V. Bain, gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 15 (Plane #40-2267, target Nagoya): 89th Reconnaissance Squadron, Lt. Donald G. Smith, pilot; Lt. Griffith P. Williams, copilot; Lt. Howard A. Sessler, navigator/bombardier; Lt. Thomas R. White, flight engineer; Sgt. Edward J. Saylor, gunner.
Doolittle Raid Crew No. 16 (Plane #40-2268, target Nagoya): 34th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. George Barr, navigator; Lt. William G. Farrow, pilot; Sgt. Harold A. Spatz, engineer/gunner; Lt. Robert L. Hite, copilot; Cpl. Jacob DeShazer, bombardier.
Doolittle Raiders
Kimberly Johnson
Kimberly JohnsonEditor
Kimberly is managing editor of FLYING Digital.
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