Doolittle Raiders 75th Anniversary Reunion

75 years ago, on 18 April 1942, U.S. Army Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle led a daring mission.  Sixteen Army B-25 bombers launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to attack the Japanese homeland, America's first strike against Japan since the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor.

After the war, the surviving crews met annually.  This year, 2017, only one of the 80 crew members lives.  He is Col Dick Cole, now 101 years old, Lt Col Doolittle's copilot on that historic mission.  On April 17 and 18, Col Cole and many others congregated at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Dayton, Ohio to mark the 75th Anniversary of the raid on Tokyo.  

Eleven B-25 bombers from around the country rendezvoused to help mark the event and to perform a fly-by to salute the gallant Doolittle Raiders who risked their lives many years ago.  Four of the eleven B-25s are from the Commemorative Air Force, a national organization committed to preserving and commemorating the history and sacrifices of our veterans.