After the attack on Pearl Harbor the US was in shock and unsure of how to respond. They attacked two islands in the Pacific Ocean previous to the Doolittle Raid, the Wake and Marcus islands under the command of Admiral Halsey. Neither had the morale boost that they needed or gained in the Doolittle Raid. The Japanese Empire had swallowed up huge amounts of territory in the Pacific, and the US was constantly being pushed back.
A man named Francis Lowe in Admiral Kings personnel cabinet paid a visit to Norfolk, Virginia during the second week in January, which inspired him to come up with the idea for the mission and the idea to use naval planes instead of army planes in order to attack Japan. He gave the idea or plan to Admiral King, who refined it and gave it to General Arnold. The two men decided that Lieutenant Colonel James (Jimmy) Doolittle would be a good choice for mission coordinator, and they gave him control of the mission to put it together. .
The test flights for this mission consisted of Lieutenants John Fitzgerald, and James McCarthy taking off using B-25's from the carrier Hornet, under the supervision of Commanding officer Mitscher and Francis Lowe. This took place during early February, they also found out from these tests that a medium B-25 bomber loaded with a ton of bombs and extra fuel could travel 2,000 miles and take off in 500 feet of runway. They also found out that the planes had to be modified in order to land correctly. First the belly turret was removed, and a 60-gallon tank replaced the original smaller fuel tank. The plane was then loaded with 5-gallon refill tanks. The rear guns were removed and replaced with black painted broomsticks not to fight but to deter enemy fire at them.
During this mission Doolittle was in charge of training the pilots that would actually be flying the mission with him and Captain Donald Duncan trained the navy crews that would be taking these men to bomb Tokyo.
Lt Col James Doolittle, known as Jimmy Doolittle of the U.S. Army Air Corps led a force of 16 planes on a bombing raid on the Japanese home Islands. ... Any story of the raid would have to begin with him. ... Doolittle returned to active service in 1940. ... The raid did little physical damage to Japan, especially compared to the havoc wreaked upon it later in the war. ...
Jimmy Doolittle Tokyo's citizens felt secure eventho at war; Radio Tokyo assured the people they and Emperor Hirohito were safe from enemy attacks Kamikaze mystique constituted a spiritual fortress around the Japanese homeland. ... James Doolittle aged 45 as the to get the men and aircraft together for the mission, NOT fly it but plan it - he had too much know how to be risked on a combat mission Why Doolittle? Flying fame only 2nd the Lindberg, set aviation speed records, had performed the 1st outside loop, scored a first in blind flying', earned a doctorate of aeronautical ...
The first time that we got Japan after the surprise attack was the "Doolittle Raid". The raid was a small operation led by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle. 16 B-25 bombers seemed to come out of nowhere and bombed Tokyo and other important cities in Japan. ...
After Major Jimmy Doolittle's bombing raid on Japan, two months before the battle of Midway, the Japanese felt that the annexation of Midway by the Empire of Japan would protect Emperor Hirohito from the indignity of having the Home Islands bombed again. Japanese acquisition of Midway would also facilitate a base for future raids on Pearl Harbor, and it would also mean that there would no longer be a forward refueling base for the U.S. submarines in the Pacific Theatre. ...
In the early months of the Pacific War, Halsey's carrier task force would participate in a series of daring raids against Japanese positions. As Commander of Carriers, Pacific Fleet he launched the most famous of all WWII raids, the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. ...
Japanese wanted to destroy the US' Pacific Fleet in order to clear the way to conquer Southeast Asia - US reacts by declaring war on Japan and inspiring men to enlist in the armed forces, creates a battle cry, General Kimmal forced to retire, America bombs major Japanese cities in revenge The Home front (life in the US during the war) - Farmers grew enough crops to feed the US and all its Allies - planes, bombers, tanks, scout cars and carriers, armored cars, trucks, light vehicles, rifles and side-arms, machine guns, artillery and ammo were produced in factories - production during the...
