Doolittle Tokyo Raiders

The Raiders trained at our local airport. They practiced bombing missions over our lake. One of the bombers that was to have been part of the raid crash landed in our lake. It was recovered in 2005 and I was lucky enough to go see the newly recovered bomber. This isn’t my photo though.

 

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My dear old Dad was a turret gunner on those B24's , he was Army Air Corps.

 

Let me correct myself since no one did it for me. "neato commemorative medallion for sure". And I thank you.

 

One subject they will NEVER cover in school today is the Bataan Death March that the Japanese did to our soldiers in the Philippine's and the atrocities the Japanese committed in China and other places.

 

I couldn’t resist posting this token. I know it’s newer, but the history. It’s just rich in history.

 

I am trying to find it. But Dave I am thinking that token was authorized by President Obama to commemorate a medal that he authorized to commemorate the Raiders. That may just be a much more special token than you realize.

 

I did find the medal. It is a commemorative gold medal struck in honor of the Raiders. Now I want to know if your token is somehow tied to this or if it was a private striking.

 

Here it is. Directly off the US mint website.

Public Law 113-106, which requires the United States Mint to strike the Congressional Gold Medal for the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, also authorizes the bureau to strike and sell bronze reproductions of the medal. The three-inch medal (product code 15MA) will be priced at $39.95 and the 1.5-inch medal (product code 15MB) will be priced at $6.95. Orders will be accepted starting April 16, 2015, at noon Eastern

 

I have the 1.5” bronze token, it’s dated 2014.

 

I wish I could have met them. I have met Jefferson Alexander, he flew with the Red Tails and is still going strong at 99 years young.

 

I’m pleased that so many have enjoyed this thread. The history is amazing and so many of us remember it. A few have this as part of their life through later experiences. I’m surprised by all the junk that the mint produces when we have events like this that should be brought to life on a coin. At least the Tuskegee Airman made it to a Quarter.

 

Like the coin says. They fought two wars. I would imagine few people under 40 would even know what this thread was about. Maybe even wonder what Dr. Doolittle has to do with airplanes. Thanks for the timely look back to the past Collecting Nut....martha

 

Best thread I have seen in a long time.

 

Cripes 'Nut', we must be psychically linked. I was doing some 're-image' work on coins/medals yesterday, and one of 'em was my 'Doolittle Raiders' 3" medal. My earlier photogs were substandard with a myriad of hot spots......





These images are more true in hand.

The B-25 was a versatile 'ship' indeed. Google Pappy Gunn to see how he retrofitted these bombers to gunships that wreaked havoc on Japanese merchant vessels around New Guinea.

The fact that the Doolittle Raiders' had to launch their craft early was a contributing factor into their failure to reach the Chinese mainland. Had the (Hornet) not been spotted by a Japanese fishing boat (which might have tipped off their position) they maybe could have gotten closer to the Japanese mainland and thus had more 'ships' touching down in China instead of having to 'ditch' into the ocean. Brave men indeed.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037366/

Good flick (though dated) but still worth a 'watch' in this day and age......

 

Thanks Randy. I’m shocked by the response but very pleased. These men were absolutely amazing. I would suggest a monument but in a few years it would probably be removed.

 

It's truly amazing that these fellows could even get these medium bombers off of an aircraft carrier flight deck.......

 

They trained for weeks (Florida) with naval personal to ensure that they could......

 

Were any actual aircraft wreckage ever found of this raid ?

These were quite large for any carrier at the time and it was an incredible feet to have a b 25 mitchell launch in head wind in the pacific , imo

 

Any student of Chinese history would remind you that the cost to China for the Doolittle Raid was severe - after the raid the Japanese forces in China went even crazier in slaughtering Chinese they suspected of assisting raiders that landed in China. The numbers of Chinese killed by the Japanese is inestimable, perhaps a couple of hundred thousand.

But the Chinese do NOT hold it against the Americans, but to this day what Japan did to China in WWII is well remembered in media etc. Just flip the channels around on a TV there and inevitably in betwixt movies, news etc you will find movies about WWII.

 

Very true as Japan was a common enemy at the time.