The Doolittle Raid | Full Documentary | Jimmy Doolittle | Missions That Changed The War l The B-25
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Published 2022-05-13
The Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first air operation to strike the Japanese archipelago. Although the raid caused comparatively minor damage it demonstrated that the Japanese mainland was vulnerable to American air attacks. It served as retaliation for the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, and provided an important boost to American morale. The raid was planned by, led by, and named after Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle (later a Lieutenant General in the US Army Air Forces and the US Air Force Reserve).
Under the final plan, 16 B-25B Mitchell medium bombers, each with a crew of five, were launched from the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet, in the Pacific Ocean, off Japan. There was to be no fighter escort. After bombing military and industrial targets in Japan, the B-25 crews were to continue westward to land in China.
The raid on Japan killed about 50 people and injured 400, including civilians. Damage to Japanese military and industrial targets was minimal but the raid had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale; in Japan, it raised fear and doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands, but the bombing and strafing of civilians also steeled Japanese resolve to gain retribution, and this was exploited for propaganda purposes.[4] It also pushed forward Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's plans to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific, an attack that turned into a decisive defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the US Navy in the Battle of Midway. The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers.
Of the 16 USAAF crews involved, 14 complete crews of five returned to the United States or to US forces elsewhere, except for one who was killed in action.[5][6] Eight aviators were captured by Japanese forces in Eastern China and three of these were later executed. All but one of the B-25s were destroyed in crashes, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok, in the Soviet Union. Because the Soviet Union was not officially at war with Japan, it was required, under international law, to intern the bomber's crew for the duration of the war, and their B-25 was confiscated. However, within a year, the crew was secretly allowed to leave the Soviet Union, under the guise of an escape, and they returned to the United States, or US units elsewhere, by way of Allied-occupied Iran and North Africa.
Doolittle initially believed that the loss of all his aircraft would lead to his court-martial, but he instead received the Medal of Honor and was promoted two ranks to brigadier general.
When planning indicated that the B-25 was the aircraft that best met all of the requirements of the mission, two were loaded aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet at Norfolk, Virginia, and were flown off the deck without difficulty on 3 February 1942. The raid was immediately approved and the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) was chosen to provide the pool of crews from which volunteers would be recruited. The 17th BG had been the first group to receive B-25s, with all four of its squadrons equipped with the bomber by September 1941. The 17th not only was the first medium bomb group of the Army Air Corps, but in early 1942, also had the most experienced B-25 crews. Its first assignment following the entry of the United States into the war was to the U.S. Eighth Air Force.
The 17th BG, then flying antisubmarine patrols from Pendleton, Oregon, was immediately moved cross-country to Columbia Army Air Base at West Columbia, South Carolina, ostensibly to fly similar patrols off the East Coast of the United States, but in actuality to prepare for the mission against Japan. The group officially transferred effective 9 February 1942 to Columbia, where its combat crews were offered the opportunity to volunteer for an "extremely hazardous", but unspecified mission. On 19 February, the group was detached from the Eighth Air Force and officially assigned to III Bomber Command.
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All Comments (21)
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My Japanese grandmother told me a story. She was a nurse of the Japanese Red Cross, attached to serve the Imperial Army. One day she was ordered by the doctors to take the patients outside. The cherry blossoms were blooming in the courtyard. As they admired its natural beauty, a pair of aircraft flew right over their heads at low altitudes. Then they heard explosions in the distance. I asked her when this was, but in her late 80s she had a hard time remembering. Using circumstantial evidence I was able to piece it together. It was in Tokyo. Cherry blossums bloom in Japan from March to mid-April, generally. The clencher was her describing the aircraft, "They had two engines and two tails." I showed her a photo of a B-25. She said, "That's it!" My Grandmother witnessed the Doolittle Raid!
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The greatest generation, this is the kind of stuff that earned this generation that honor. These men are definitely heroes.
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Lt. Col Dick Cole was an incredible man, friend, and hero. My daughter even got to interview him for a documentary. Having him as my neighbor till he passed away, we talked alot, and I loved listening to his stories! Thank you for your service, and all of the the Doolittle Raiders!!
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Here's to your braveness Mr Doolittle it was your generation that saved this generation cheers from Australia.
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Gary Sinise is such a great narrator. He narrates the History Channel series WW2 in HD, well worth the watch even for non Americans like myself
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Incredible presentation of the men who fought, suffered and died who died in freeing the world from the tyranny of the Japanese during WWII. I knew a little about the Doolittle raids from the movie "Pearl Harbor" and this documentary clarified it all for me. My Dad was in WW II living like a Bedouin on the desert near the Suez Canal and running supply trains to our troupes and our allies on the Russian front. He always wanted to fly, but his Mom talked him out of it. He was her only son and she wouldn't let him do so. He had experience working on the UPRR in the States, so he opted to run those trains. He was over there for 3 solid years. He never talked about it much. Many soldiers would just as soon forget. But, I've always been fascinated with WWII and appreciate this wonderful, heartfelt and honest documentary. Thank you.
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I'm so thankful to have met lieutenant colonel Richard Cole before he passed, it's a moment I'll treasure forever. I shook his hand, thanked him for everything he did for this country and politely asked for his autograph. To which he happily indulged, on a pamphlet explaining the Mitchell bomber no less! The moment it fired up down the runway I swear he was a kid again, his eyes lit right up and he stood near attention to watch it take off. It was at the field of flight Air show in battle Creek, Michigan in the year 2013 I belive. God rest his soul, and all of these fine men!
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Thank you for keeping this story alive, for all these fine men that made history. One of my historical treasures is a reunion poster that was autographed by the artist and Doolittle. I've had the poster safely stored away for almost 35 years, and hope to get it in a frame sometime soon and displayed proudly as it should be. 💙❤
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Unbelievable Heroism. These events should be taught to Children in Schools. so they are never forgotten.
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After the last Doolittle Raider passed away, a special ceremony was held in which the families of each raider was asked to attend and answer the roll call when their family's raider was called. It was a moving ceremony. I came across it on YouTube some time ago. It is worth searching for it if you have not seen it yet. I am grateful for their service.
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These men are in heaven!! So when you get there look them up and personally thank them and I am sure they will have some great stories to tell us!!!
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Respect is deserved even to those who wanted to participate but were not selected to participate. Their willingness to risk their life for their nation is a testament to the tremendous courage those individuals had.
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The Doolittle raid was amazing. The fact that B25s could take off from the Hornet was amazing in and of itself, knowing the plan was a one way mission. Gary Sinese is a great host for these videos. The most touching moment for me (I was registered for the draft in the late 70's during the Iran crisis but never called up) with ex military, other than my uncles, father and brothers, was just before the 40'th anniversary of Normandy, in '84. While on a four hour layover at JFK, I sat with ex D-Day participants flying to London, then heading to Normandy, to remember the landings with their German counterparts that survived that day and the subsequent breakout. Tears came to their eyes remembering the comrades they lost but whose lives they celebrated, and the comrades in arms the Germans became with them, so thankful for our assistance in rebuilding their nation under the Marshall plan and also for the Berlin Airlift. I learned to fly in 2006, small fixed wing aircraft, on the 40th anniversary of my first flight on a PSA Lockheed Electra in '66. I have always been thankful to pilots, like the Tuskegee airmen, military transport pilots, and fighter, bomb and Catalina rescue crews that came of age in WWII. My father entered Japan as part of the occupation forces in '45, served in Korea, and later commissioned dozens of nuclear navy vessels from the mid-60s to the 80's as a Navy Health Physicist, with the civilian rank of Commander. My maternal uncle served in the peacetime 101st airborne, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. My maternal grandma was a "Rosie the Riveter" during WWII. One day I pray the superpowers will come together and use their military for disaster aid, and shipping escort, and sea rescue. My friend Alex Haley (RIP - who I first knew in '75, former coast guard and author of Roots which later became a miniseries) taught me so much about how important it is to be an ambassador of peace for one's country and one's roots, and I later became a business traveler in the US and abroad and always remembered that and also to respect our serving soldiers when I met them in travel, or the domestic soldiers of the countries I visited, protecting their homeland and comrades.
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Wow. Thank you so much for this documentary. This is such an historic event that deserves to give honor to all those involved!
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These men were true American heroes! I have study the Doolittle raid in the past, but this story was more detailed and having the surviving men tell their stories was amazing! Thank You men!
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I had read the history books that were available on the raid. Now I must procure some memoirs from several great men. This recount, superbly narrated with several of the remaining raiders in interview is so very awesome in information, operational detail and description of events it brings me to tears. I myself am an old Vietnam vet now and had my own adventures, but this particular presentation is mind blowing to me. Everyone involved is truly worthy of the term "Greatest Generation" in all respects! Best to All, God Speed
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Bless these men, we thank them for their service.
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As a young man had the honor of personally knowing an air force historian who introduced me to General James Doolittle during his last years and I got to visit with him in his own home and spend time with him…..General Doolittle was a real American hero ! He was a wonderful friendly man and mentor to me….I shall never forget him…..he and his generation were truly the greatest generation…..
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Excellent documentary, none of those men will be forgotten although I feel they all should have received the CMH, their country asked them to do an impossible mission and they stepped up and did it without any regard for their safety, even though they had opportunities to bow out, their commitment, courage and Valor are an inspiration and are to be commended for what they accomplished
