Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

Yesterday (Sunday, March 2) I drove over to North Little Rock Airport to see first-hand, three World War II bombers. I was gratified to see a lot of people. They were mostly younger people with their children, but there were a few of the actual members of the "Greatest Generation," telling of their experiences flying these ancient war birds over enemy territory. We were not able to go inside the B-25 but I squeezed through the B-17 and B-24 and saw what life was like for these intrepid American heroes. We owe them so much, for if they had not stepped up bravely, America as we know it would have ended in the early 40s and we would most likely be speaking German or Japanese now.

In the winter of 1941-42, Americans were still reeling from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt had immediately declared war on Japan and had told his staff that we needed to make a retaliatory strike as soon as possible. The task was given to a man with the unlikely name of "Wu" Duncan, who stayed up all night working on the logistics of a daring plan.
By 1941, World War I ace pilot Jimmy Doolittle had achieved the rank of colonel and had his doctorate in aeronautical engineering. Doolittle had broken all the speed and distance records and done just about everything that could be done with an airplane. He was given Duncan's incredible idea; to launch American bombers off the deck of an aircraft carrier close enough to the Japanese mainland to do significant damage to their war industry and military bases.

Doolittle called for volunteer pilots, navigators, bombardiers and gunners, and for his aircrafts, selected the Mitchell B-25 bomber. He taught the pilots how to take off in the short distance allowed on a carrier deck. By April 19, his all-volunteer crews were on board the carrier U.S.S. Hornet on their way toward Japan with their 16 B-25 bombers on board. Doolittle insisted on piloting the lead plane and making the first takeoff, leading the squadron. Each of his pilots said, "If he can do it, I can." They had to carry enough fuel to travel over 2000 miles, to overfly Tokyo and other Japanese cities, drop their bomb loads and continue on to friendly mainland China. To do this, they needed to be within 370 miles of Japan. But when still almost 600 miles away, they were spotted by a Japanese "fishing boat" and reported to the Japanese navy. It was now or never. Doolittle's pilots were rousted from their bunks at 4 a.m. In a stormy sea, with 50 mph winds, and waves washing over the carrier deck, Doolittle led his 16 5-man crews, and they took off from the wildly pitching deck.

The planes' crews of course could not communicate with each other by radio. They each had their flight plan. They all survived Japanese anti aircraft fire and hit their bombing targets. Not one was shot down. Then the crew members flew their B-25s flew as far as could, until they ran out of fuel, because of the extended distance they had to fly. They then parachuted out, hoping they were over mainland China. Many of them landed on mountainsides in driving rain and spent the rest of the night wrapped in their parachutes, not knowing if they were in friendly or enemy-held territory. Thanks be to God and the kindness of the Chinese people, almost all of these courageous volunteer airmen lived through the ordeal and returned to service and eventually came home to their beloved America. I was only 5 years old in 1941 and 9 in 1945 when the war ended, but I well remember it. I knew all the aircraft by make and model, both friendly and enemy. I saw many of them passing by our home at Mayflower on railroad flatcars, and "troop trains," all painted army "olive drab."

When we got the news here, all Americans were delighted and encouraged. The catch phrase was, "Doolittle dood it!" You can read all about it in "Doolittle's Tokyo Raiders" by Carroll V. Glines, or check out the old movie "30 Seconds Over Tokyo," the most accurate and factual account on film.

View Bob's previous column.

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