FDR gives Medal of Honor "about a month later" to Doolittle in DC, from FDRL

Doolittle kicking monkey cartoon, NY Daily Mirror, 1942/05/04

press reaction - 2

Doolittle B-25 takes off from USS Hornet 1942/04/18 from FDRL

Doolittle raiders helped by Chinese, from ILN 1943/03/08

Doolittle raiders 1943/05/08, from FDRL

Doolittle 1943/05/08, from FDRL

Apr. 18 - Doolittle Raid

• 16 bombers B25 from Marc Mitscher's USS Hornet - 666 miles to Tokyo
• FDR Apr. 21 press conference called it "Shangri-la"
• idea came from planners on Adm. King's staff
• Hornet commissioned Oct. Ô41
• to refuel at Chinese airfields then 800 mi to Chungking
• but Chiang not told
• Mar. 31 left San Francisco - refueld 1000 miles from Japan
• Hornet was sighted by fishing picket boats - planes took off early
• Halsey's TF sunk 3 patrol ships
• sub Thresher sunk freighter off Yokohama harbor
• sub Trout hit 3 ships
• Doolittle 1st to takeoff - 460' deck - 80 fliers (71 survived)
• 5 ended up in Russia
• 8 captured by Japan - 3 shot - 1 died in prison
• 250,000 Chinese killed in 3-month campaign - airfields destroyed
• book 30 Seconds over Tokyo by Ted Lawson
• shocked Japan - approval given to Yamamoto's Midway plan