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ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (AFNS - 4/19/2012) -- It was 1942
and the world was at war for the second time that century. American
morale was as low as it had ever been and Japanese forces began an
all-out assault on United States and Filipino troops on the Bataan
Peninsula.
It was also the year when a pilot, Lt. Col. James Doolittle,
would lead a famed raid designed to bolster American morale and
provide an opportunity for the U.S. to retaliate against Japan
following the deliberate attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.
"The Doolittle Raid was this nation's first return salvo against
Japan after Pearl Harbor. Our nation was reeling - trying to get its
wartime footing while simultaneously shaking off the national shock
of a surprise attack," said Lt. Col. John Martin, 34th Bomb Squadron
commander. "National morale was exceedingly low and President
Roosevelt needed a victory."
The responsibility for planning the raid fell upon Gen. Henry
Arnold, Army Air Corps chief, and U.S. Navy Adm. Ernest King, Navy
chief of operations.
Aircrews for the 16 B-25s during World War II were selected from
several Army Air Corps squadrons, including the 34th, 37th and 432nd
Squadrons. The Doolittle Raid was a total secret to everyone who was
involved. When the raiders volunteered, they were told they would be
a part of a dangerous secret mission. U.S. Air Force courtesy photo |
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A B-25 assigned to the 34th Squadron participating in the historic
Doolittle Raid April 18, 1942. “We have the proud honor and distinct
privilege of being Raider posterity – Jimmy Doolittle's ‘own' 34th,
37th and 432nd squadrons,” said Lt. Col. John Martin, 34th Bomb
Squadron commander, referring to the fact that Ellsworth is now home
to three of the four squadrons that participated in the raid. U.S.
Air Force courtesy photo |
On January 1942, Capt. Francis Low, the operations
officer on King's staff, approached him with an idea. His
idea was to launch an attack from an aircraft carrier using
bombers assigned to the Army Air Corps. Alongside Low, Capt.
Donald Duncan, an expert in carrier aviation, was assigned
to investigate the possibility of such an attack. In less
than a week, they presented King with a 30-page analysis -
the conclusion being - it could be done.
Lt. Col.
Brian Mead, 37th Bomb Squadron commander, said at that point
in time, the Japanese felt their geographic isolation made
them untouchable.
For the planes, Duncan choose the
B-25, a two-engine medium range bomber capable, with
modifications, of carrying 2,000 pounds of bombs, while
flying 2,000 miles with extra fuel. Normally a B-25 required
1,200 feet of runway to take off, but it was possible that
the aircraft might clear a carrier deck a third of that
distance with the aid of the forward speed of the ship
itself and headwind. Duncan started working on balancing the
two most important factors - bomb load and extra gas - both
of which meant additional weight and takeoff distance.
Duncan's report recommended the newly commissioned USS
Hornet as the vessel - the plan requiring the ship to be
brought within 500 miles of the Japanese mainland before
launching B-25s. It would be impossible for B-25s to return
to the ship because the Hornet's deck was too short, so
provisions would have to be made for B-25s to proceed to an
air base on land after dropping their bombs on target.
After Arnold and King were both convinced with Duncan's
plan, Arnold set out to find a pilot who was accustomed to
doing the impossible with an airplane. In his search, he
found Doolittle. A man, who Arnold believed was not only an
experienced pilot, but a man who could inspire and lead by
example.
From the moment Doolittle accepted the
assignment, he immediately began selecting aircrews for
training and working out logistical elements of the raid.
With careful coordination with Duncan, Doolittle determined
the B-25s would carry enough extra gasoline to provide an
effective range of 2,400 miles. The bomb load would consist
of two 500-pound demolition bombs and 1,000 pounds of
incendiaries.
Target objectives were the military
and industrial sites in Japan, including Tokyo, Nagoya and
Osaka. After dropping their bombs, B-25s were to head
westward across the China Sea and land at bases prepared on
Chinese mainland southwest of Shanghai.
"The last
time a foreign nation had attempted a direct attack on
mainland Japan was over 700 years before, when Kublai Khan
sent a naval armada from China," said Martin. "Kublai Khan
ultimately failed in his attempt due to a typhoon, and a
lasting consequence of this failed raid was that the
Japanese people felt their homeland was protected not only
by favoring winds, but from divine winds known as the
Kamikaze. Over time Japan would perceive that their island
nation was quite simply an impenetrable fortress. "
Martin said Jimmy Doolittle set out to find and train a
group of men, now known as the Raiders, to prove otherwise.
Aircrews for the 16 B-25s were selected from several
Army Air Corps squadrons, including the 34th, 37th and 432nd
Squadrons. The Doolittle Raid was a total secret to everyone
who was involved. When the raiders volunteered, they were
told they would be a part of a, "dangerous secret mission."
The 80 flyers that were chosen began their training
at Eglin Field, Fla., March 3. Due to maintenance problems
and delays in B-25 modification, most of the crews received
only 20 to 30 hours of actual training flying time, but they
all learned to pull their bombers off the ground at near
stall speed in the shortest possible distance.
The
B-25s were ferried from Eglin Field to Alameda Naval Base in
San Francisco, where each was towed to a pier and hoisted
aboard the Hornet. Fueling of the carrier commenced at 6
a.m., April 2. At 10 a.m. the Hornet moved slowly out of San
Francisco harbor with 16 B-25s on its deck.
Only
after the Hornet was well under way, were the raiders were
finally told what their target destination was. At that
point, Doolittle offered each man the opportunity to
withdraw from the mission. None of the 80 raiders did.
Around 600 miles from Japan mainland, a small fishing
boat was spotted and destroyed by the Hornet and its crew.
Doolittle felt that this small boat may have warned Japan,
so he ordered the raid to proceed immediately. As a result
of the early takeoff, B-25s would be short on fuel to reach
safe zones in nearby China, despite desperate measures taken
by engineers to give B-25s the maximum amount of fuel
storage space available. The planes now had enough fuel to
successfully reach the landing zones if they flew straight
to them without errors in navigation or using evasive
maneuvers.
"On April 18, 1942, all 16 B-25 bombers
took flight from the deck of the Hornet, an inconceivable
accomplishment only a few months before," Martin said.
All 16 B-25s successfully bombed their targets. Most
B-25s encountered anti-aircraft fire and some encountered
enemy interception in the air. All of the B-25s except one
either crash landed or the crews bailed out. The one plane
that didn't crash land, landed in Russia and the crew was
taken as internees. After being held captive, an escape
attempt was executed to Iran. British Consul helped the men
back to the U.S. on May 29, 1943, more than a year after the
raid.
"The most amazing thing about the raid was the
bravery and determination behind the plan," Mead said. "The
raid itself actually had very little impact on Japan's
warfighting capability. However, the psychological impact on
the Japanese military and Japanese society as a whole can't
be overstated. In one night, a very powerful empire
transitioned from a feeling of invincibility to one of
vulnerability."
After more than 70 years, the bond
between the Doolittle Raiders is still "tight."
"We
have the proud honor and distinct privilege of being Raider
posterity - Jimmy Doolittle's 'own' 34th, 37th and 432nd
squadrons," said Martin, referring to the fact that
Ellsworth is now home to three of the four squadrons that
participated in the raid. "Our heritage clearly defines us,
motivates us and propels us forward against today's
threats."
Martin added that B-1 bombers continue to
provide critical around-the-clock close air support to
ground commanders in Afghanistan to this day. He said as
2014 fast approaches - the date established for the end of
combat operations in Afghanistan - Ellsworth B-1s continue
to be an essential resource to theater commanders while they
reduce boots on the ground.
"Something a lot of
people may not realize is that the last two times the U.S.
was attacked on our own soil, the 37th and 34th BS were
called upon to deliver our nation's initial response," Mead
said. "No other organization in the Air Force can claim that
same distinction. It's truly humbling to be a part of these
tremendous organizations."
Editor's note: Information
in this story was contributed with great appreciation by:
Lt. Col. John Martin, 34th Bomb Squadron commander, and Lt.
Col. Brian Mead, 37th Bomb Squadron commander.
By USAF Airman Hrair H. Palyan
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Air Force News Service
Copyright 2012
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