>> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED BY... >> WARGAMING, DEVELOPER OF ONLINE WORLD WAR II GAMES "WORLD OF TANKS" AND UPCOMING "WORLD OF WARSHIPS."

WARGAMING HONORS THE GREATEST GENERATION BY SUPPORTING HERITAGE PROJECTS, EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES, AND STORIES LIKE THIS.

>> ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY... >> WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO BRING YOU A SPECIAL NEWS BULLETIN.

THE JAPANESE HAVE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, BY AIR, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT HAS JUST ANNOUNCED.

>> THE ATTACK APPARENTLY WAS MADE ON ALL NAVAL AND MILITARY ACTIVITIES ON THE PRINCIPAL ISLAND OF OAHU.

>> I HEARD A LOT OF PLANES FLYING AROUND AND EXPLOSIONS.

>> FIRST, THEY HIT THE FIGHTER PLANES TO KEEP THEM ON THE GROUND.

THEN THEY CAME AND HIT THE BOMBERS, WHICH WAS US, TO KEEP US ON THE GROUND, THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO BOMB PEARL HARBOR.

>> I JUST HAD GOT OUT OF THE BARRACKS, AND I LOOKED STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE, AND THERE WAS A JAPANESE PLANE COMING, LOOKED LIKE DIRECTLY AT ME.

>> I HAD NO IDEA WHERE PEARL HARBOR WAS OR WHAT PEARL HARBOR WAS AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS WERE EXCEPT THAT, BOY, THIS IS PRETTY SERIOUS BUSINESS.

>> MY AGE GROUP AT THAT TIME WANTED TO GET THE JAPS.

EVERYBODY WANTED TO GET REVENGE.

>> EACH BOMBER SETS HIS COURSE FOR CAREFULLY PRE-ARRANGED MILITARY OBJECTIVES IN JAPAN.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAIDERS' CELEBRATION AND FINAL TOAST.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS BOTTLE HAS EVER BEEN PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC.

COLONEL COLE, WILL YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR POSITION BEHIND THE TABLE?

AND, COLONEL COLE, WILL YOU PLEASE OPEN THE COGNAC?

>> THE BOTTLE OF 1896 HENNESSY COGNAC WAS UNCORKED IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED INSIDE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IN DAYTON, OHIO.

THE SURVIVING WORLD WAR II VETERANS FROM ONE OF HISTORY'S GREATEST MILITARY MISSIONS WERE ABOUT TO RAISE THEIR SILVER GOBLETS ONE LAST TIME.

AFTER THE TOAST, THE FLYERS' CUPS, INSCRIBED WITH THEIR NAMES FACING BOTH UP AND DOWN, WOULD BE RETURNED UPRIGHT TO THE WOODEN CASE THAT HAS HELD THEM FOR OVER FIVE DECADES.

THE GOBLETS WOULD BE PLACED ALONGSIDE DOZENS OF OTHERS THAT, OVER THE YEARS, HAVE BEEN TURNED OVER, REPRESENTING MEMBERS OF THIS SELECT GROUP WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY.

>> MR. CASEY, WILL YOU PLEASE POUR THE COGNAC?

>> IT WAS TIME FOR THE VETERANS TO HOLD THIS FINAL TOAST.

THEY COULD WAIT NO LONGER.

THEIR NUMBERS HAD DWINDLED TO JUST A FEW.

THE MAJORITY OF THE FLYERS' 80 NAMES MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR TO MOST, BUT COLLECTIVELY, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE KNOWN IN HISTORY AS THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAIDERS.

>> THE MEANING OF THEIR GOBLETS MAINLY, I THINK, IS... IS DO -- PAY YOUR RESPECTS TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS PAID THE FINAL PRICE AND ARE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE STILL AROUND AND ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> LONG AGO, THESE AMERICAN FLYERS HAD ACCOMPLISHED A DARING MISSION THAT CHANGED THE MORALE OF AN ENTIRE NATION AND TOOK THE FIGHT DIRECTLY TO THE ENEMY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WORLD WAR II.

LED BY FAMED AVIATOR LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES HAROLD DOOLITTLE, APRIL 18, 1942, MARKED A TURNING POINT FOR THE UNITED STATES.

PRIOR TO THAT, THE HEADLINES FROM THE PACIFIC HAD NOT BROUGHT MUCH HOPE.

>> THE ONLY SPARK OF HOPE HAPPENS IN APRIL 18th, WHEN THE PRESIDENT, JUST -- JUST SO DETERMINED TO STRIKE BACK, LISTENS TO SOME WHAT CONSIDERED WAS A COCKAMAMIE IDEA OF TAKING AMERICAN CARRIERS TO JAPAN AND STRIKING THE JAPANESE HOMELAND.

>> THE PUBLIC THOUGHT WE WERE LOSING THE WAR.

I NEVER PUT IT IN THOSE TERMS, BUT I WAS AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THINGS WERE NOT GOING WELL, THOUGH.

>> THE FIVE-MAN CREWS ABOARD 16 B-25B MITCHELL TWIN-ENGINE BOMBERS HAD ALL SIGNED ON FOR A TOP-SECRET ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS CONSIDERED SUICIDAL BY MANY.

AT THE TOP LEVELS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FROM PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT TO CHIEF OF THE ARMY AIR FORCE, GENERAL "HAP" ARNOLD, AND FROM U.S. NAVY ADMIRAL ERNEST J.

KING TO CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE UNITED STATES, ARMY GENERAL GEORGE C. MARSHALL, THE MISSION WAS GIVEN THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

>> THEY HAD PUT A NOTE UP ON THE BOARD ABOUT THEY WANTED VOLUNTEERS FOR A DANGEROUS MISSION.

AND I HAD PUT MY NAME THERE.

>> THE JOB RICHARD COLE AND 79 OTHER FLYERS SIGNED UP FOR -- BUT DIDN'T KNOW IT YET -- WAS TO TAKE LAND-BASED BOMBERS AND LAUNCH THEM FROM AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER RIGHT ON JAPAN'S DOORSTEP.

EACH B-25 WOULD DROP FOUR 500-POUND BOMBS ON PRE-SELECTED INDUSTRIAL TARGETS IN SEVERAL JAPANESE CITIES.

THE PLANES, UNABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR CARRIER, WOULD THEN FLY ON TO AIRFIELDS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA, REFUEL, AND EVENTUALLY BE TURNED OVER TO THE CHINESE ARMY AIR FORCE, LED BY AMERICAN GENERAL CLAIRE CHENNAULT.

CHENNAULT COMMANDED THE FAMED FLYING TIGERS, A GROUP OF PILOTS WHO BATTLED THE JAPANESE IN EAST ASIA.

CHINESE LEADER CHIANG KAI-SHEK RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO PROVIDE SMALL LANDING STRIPS FOR THE AMERICAN PLANES IN SECURE TERRITORY AWAY FROM THE JAPANESE SO THE B-25s COULD REFUEL AFTER THE MISSION.

>> IN HIS DIARY, HE WAS ONLY GIVEN FOUR DAYS' NOTICE.

APPARENTLY, HE DIDN'T -- HE DIDN'T HESITATE AT ALL BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE TOO MUCH TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS.

FOR HIM, I THINK HE WAS VERY DETERMINED FROM VERY BEGINNING TO HELP.

>> THE PLAN LOOKED GOOD IN PRINT, BUT MISSIONS ARE ALWAYS A SUCCESS ON PAPER.

>> WELL, IT HAD BEEN CALLED THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO [CHUCKLES SOFTLY] IN OUR BRIEFINGS, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT DEVELOPED TO BE.

>> THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE DOOLITTLE RAID, THOUGHT UP BY A SUBMARINE OFFICER OF ALL PEOPLE, WAS REVENGE FOR PEARL HARBOR.

AS AN ADDED ELEMENT, THE RAID WOULD ALSO BRING HOME THE REALITY THAT THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS, WHICH THEIR MILITARY PROMISED AS UNREACHABLE BY ANY ENEMY, COULD BE ATTACKED.

THE MISSION WAS DESIGNED TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE RATHER THAN DELIVER A CRUSHING BLOW.

THE ONE-WAY TRIP, WHICH ENDED IN JAPANESE-OCCUPIED CHINA FOR ALL BUT ONE OF THE 16 PLANES, SHOCKED THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN AND LED TO THE SLAUGHTER OF OVER 200,000 CHINESE.

INITIALLY, CHIANG KAI-SHEK WANTED NO PART IN ALLOWING THE AMERICAN PLANES TO LAND IN HIS COUNTRY BECAUSE HE FEARED THAT JAPAN WOULD AGGRESSIVELY PUNISH CHINA FOR HELPING THE AMERICAN FLYERS.

CHIANG'S PREMONITION WAS CORRECT.

>> THE JAPANESE HELD THE BIG CITIES, HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES.

SO, CHIANG KAI-SHEK KNEW THERE WOULD BE RETALIATION, BUT STILL, AS A FAITHFUL ALLY, HE ISSUED ORDER TO THE PEOPLE, TO THE SOLDIERS IN THE PROVINCE TO HELP THE AMERICAN RAIDERS.

ALL IN ALL, THIS IS A VERY MOVING EPISODE DURING WORLD WAR II.

IT SHOWS OUR STRONG MILITARY ALLIANCE, AND CHIANG KAI-SHEK AND THE CHINESE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME EVEN TRIED TO HELP THE AMERICANS, TO HELP THE SUCCESS OF THIS MISSION EVEN AT THE COST OF THEMSELVES.

>> LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD COLE FROM DAYTON, OHIO, IS ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVING RAIDERS.

COLE WAS PREPARED MORE THAN MOST WHEN WORLD WAR II BEGAN.

>> IN BETWEEN MY JUNIOR AND SOPHOMORE YEAR, I HEARD OF A PROGRAM CALLED THE CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM.

AND I APPLIED FOR IT AND WAS ACCEPTED.

>> EDWARD SAYLOR, BORN IN BRUSETT, MONTANA, JOINED THE ARMY AIR CORPS TWO YEARS BEFORE PEARL HARBOR.

>> PROBABLY THE BEST OFFER I WAS GONNA GET TO GET INTO THE WAR, SO I SAID, "I'LL GO."

>> WISCONSIN NATIVE TOM GRIFFIN BEGAN HIS MILITARY CAREER IN 1939 AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE COAST ARTILLERY BUT DECIDED IN 1940 TO BECOME A FLYING CADET.

>> WELL, I THINK YOU MIGHT SAY I LOVED TO FLY.

>> MONTANA-BORN DAVID THATCHER ALSO JOINED UP PRIOR TO PEARL HARBOR, ENLISTING IN 1940.

>> I WAS INTERESTED IN AVIATION.

I WAS EVER SINCE I'D SEEN AN AIRPLANE.

>> CODE-NAMED THE B-25B SPECIAL PROJECT, THE VOLUNTEER FLYERS REPORTED TO EGLIN FIELD IN FLORIDA, WHERE THEY TOOK THEIR SHOT -- LITERALLY -- AT THE CHANCE TO BE PART OF A MISSION THEY KNEW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT.

>> THE 95th BOMBER SQUADRON, THE 17th BOMB GROUP, WAS THE FIRST GROUP IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS TO BEGIN TRAINING IN B-25s.

THEY HAD MORE EXPERIENCE, SO ALL OF THE RAIDERS WERE PICKED OUT OF THAT BOMB GROUP.

>> AT EGLIN, FLIGHT CREWS TRAINED TO LAUNCH A STRIPPED-DOWN BUT FULLY LOADED WITH BOMBS MITCHELL B-25 BOMBER OFF THE DECK OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

HOWEVER, AT THE TIME, THE FLYERS HAD NO IDEA THAT WAS THE OBJECTIVE.

A MARKER WAS SET UP ON EGLIN'S AIRSTRIP TO SIMULATE THE TAKE-OFF DECK OF A CARRIER.

THE CREWS HAD TO GET THEIR B-25s AIRBORNE IN 450 FEET OR LESS.

THE MEDIUM BOMBER NORMALLY NEEDED 700 FEET OR MORE ON A REGULAR RUNWAY.

>> WE DID VERY INTENSIVE TRAINING SO THEY COULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE OFF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN THAT VERY SHORT DISTANCE.

>> AT EGLIN FIELD, LIEUTENANT RICHARD COLE WAS ASSIGNED TO CREW NUMBER 1.

COLE WAS EVENTUALLY JOINED ON THE B-25 BY THE MAN WHO WOULD COMMAND THE TOP-SECRET MISSION TO BOMB JAPAN -- JIMMY DOOLITTLE.

>> COLONEL DOOLITTLE WAS A... A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW AN AIRCRAFT COMMANDER SHOULD ACT.

HE WAS A CREW MEMBER, BUT HE ALSO WAS A TEAM MAN.

>> RICHARD COLE HAS LIVED A LONG LIFE -- LONG ENOUGH TO WATCH THE MAJORITY OF HIS FELLOW DOOLITTLE RAIDERS PASS ON INTO HISTORY.

HE THINKS OFTEN ABOUT THE MEN HE TRAINED WITH AT EGLIN -- ALL THE FACES OF THE CREWS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO THE OTHER 15 PLANES ON THE RAID.

HE ESPECIALLY REMEMBERS THE MAN WHO WOULD LEAD THE MISSION AND SIT TO HIS LEFT ON THAT HISTORIC DAY IN 1942 -- LIEUTENANT COLONEL JIMMY DOOLITTLE.

>> THEY COULDN'T HELP BUT HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM BECAUSE HE EXUDED AN ENERGY, AN ABILITY, AND HE WAS NOT POMPOUS.

HE CALLED EVERYBODY BY THEIR FIRST NAME.

>> MANY TIMES IN FLORIDA AND THEN HEADING ACROSS THE PACIFIC TOWARDS JAPAN ITSELF, JIMMY DOOLITTLE GAVE EACH OF HIS FLYERS EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BACK OUT OF THEIR DANGEROUS, TOP-SECRET MISSION.

NOT ONE OF THE OTHER 79 MEN ASSIGNED TO THE 16 B-25s TOOK DOOLITTLE UP ON HIS OFFER.

RICHARD COLE WOULD HAVE A FRONT-ROW SEAT TO HISTORY AS JIMMY DOOLITTLE'S COPILOT ON PLANE NUMBER 1.

THE LEAD CREW INCLUDED NAVIGATOR HENRY POTTER... DOOLITTLE AT THE CONTROLS OF THE MITCHELL B-25... BOMBARDIER FRED BRAEMER...

LIEUTENANT COLE AS COPILOT... AND ENGINEER GUNNER PAUL LEONARD.

DOOLITTLE'S LEADERSHIP INSPIRED ALL 16 CREWS.

>> HE WAS VERY INTELLIGENT.

HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

HE NOT ONLY KNEW HOW TO FLY BUT HE ALSO KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE AIRPLANES THAT WE WERE FLYING.

>> CREW NUMBER 2 ON THIS MISSION INCLUDED NAVIGATOR CARL WILDNER...

PILOT TRAVIS HOOVER... BOMBARDIER RICHARD MILLER... COPILOT WILLIAM FITZHUGH... AND ENGINEER GUNNER DOUGLAS RADNEY.

LIKE DOOLITTLE'S PLANE, THEIR TARGET WOULD BE TOKYO.

ALSO BOUND FOR THE JAPANESE CAPITAL IN THEIR PLANE NAMED "WHISKEY PETE" WAS CREW 3 WITH NAVIGATOR CHARLES OZUK...

PILOT ROBERT GRAY... BOMBARDIER ADEN JONES... COPILOT JACOB MANCH... AND ENGINEER GUNNER LELAND FAKTOR ABOARD.

[ WIND WHISTLING ] IN APRIL OF 1942, THE FLYERS FROM "WHISKEY PETE" AND THE OTHER AIR CREWS CROSSED THE PACIFIC ABOARD THE U.S. NAVY'S NEWEST AIRCRAFT CARRIER, THE USS HORNET.

THE B-25s WERE STRAPPED TO THE DECK OF THE HORNET AS PART OF A CONVOY CALLED TASK FORCE 16.

THE FLYERS WERE TOLD THEIR MISSION WAS TO BOMB JAPAN.

>> ALL 16 AIRPLANES WERE ON THE BACK HALF OF THE FLIGHT DECK.

AND THAT WAS A MOMENT OF TRUTH.

WE KNEW -- I EVEN KNEW THEN WE WERE GONNA BE TAKING OFF FROM THE CARRIER.

THEN CAME THE WORD ABOUT TOKYO.

>> THE FLIGHT CREWS WERE WELL AWARE THAT PRACTICING ON A RUNWAY IN FLORIDA WAS ONE THING.

GETTING 16 B-25 BOMBERS OFF THE DECK OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER, DEALING WITH HIGH WINDS AND ROLLING IN ROUGH SEAS, WAS ANOTHER CHALLENGE ALTOGETHER.

TOM GRIFFIN WAS NAVIGATOR ON PLANE NUMBER 9.

>> IT WASN'T FUN.

WE WEREN'T HAVING "HO-HO, WE'RE HAVING A BIG FIGHT HERE."

WE WERE VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE WAS A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF CHANCE THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE IT OUT OF THIS.

BUT YOU WERE IN THE AIR FORCE, YOU WERE FIGHTING THE ENEMY, AND YOU JUST -- THIS WAS PART OF YOUR WORK.

>> THE B-25 CREWS UNDERSTOOD THEIR MISSION WAS PAYBACK FOR PEARL HARBOR.

MEDALS GIVEN TO SOME EX-NAVY ENLISTED MEN BY THE JAPANESE IN 1908 WERE AFFIXED TO BOMBS BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL DOOLITTLE.

THEY WERE TO BE RETURNED BY HIS RAIDERS TO JAPAN WITH A LOUD BANG.

THE 16 AMERICAN BOMBERS WERE SCHEDULED TO TAKE OFF FROM THE USS HORNET ROUGHLY 400 MILES FROM THE JAPANESE COAST AT DUSK ON APRIL 19th, PUTTING THEIR CREWS OVER JAPAN IN DARKNESS.

BUT ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 18th, A JAPANESE FISHING BOAT SPOTTED THE 16-SHIP U.S. NAVY CONVOY.

EQUIPPED WITH RADIOS, THE TRAWLER SENT WARNING MESSAGES BACK TO JAPAN.

THE JAPANESE SHIP WAS SUNK WITH SOME SURVIVORS PICKED UP.

BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE.

>> NOW, THEY JUST ANNOUNCED OVER THE LOUDSPEAKER, "PILOTS, MAN YOUR PLANES."

SO THAT -- THAT'S WHEN WE HAD TO GET READY TO GO.

>> LIEUTENANT COLONEL JIMMY DOOLITTLE MADE THE CALL TO LAUNCH ALL HIS PLANES IMMEDIATELY.

>> WE WERE AFRAID THAT THEY HAD RADIOED TO JAPAN THAT THERE WAS A TASK FORCE OUT THERE.

SO WE HAD TO TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY.

AND WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE JAPANESE PICKET SHIP, BEFORE IT WAS SUNK, HAD RADIOED TO JAPAN THAT THERE WAS A TASK FORCE THERE.

BUT THE JAPANESE KNEW THERE WAS NO U.S. AIRCRAFT OFF A CARRIER COULD FLY THAT FAR AND RETURN TO THE CARRIER.

SO THEY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR US.

>> THE 16 B-25s WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OFF FROM THE USS HORNET SOME 600 MILES AWAY FROM JAPAN JUST AFTER 8:00 A.M. ON APRIL 18th MORE THAN 200 MILES FARTHER FROM THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS AND 10 HOURS EARLIER THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED.

THE RAIDERS' PRE-MISSION BRIEFING MAP WOULD STILL BE USEFUL FOR FINDING THEIR TARGET, BUT NOW THE OVERALL GAME PLAN HAD CHANGED.

THE PLANES WOULD BE SHORT ON FUEL AND UNLIKELY TO MAKE THEIR PRE-ARRANGED LANDING FIELDS IN CHINA.

THE RAIDERS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO DROP THEIR BOMBS OVER JAPANESE CITIES IN DAYLIGHT.

JIMMY DOOLITTLE'S PLANE, NUMBER 1, WITH LIEUTENANT RICHARD COLE AT COPILOT, WAS FIRST OFF THE HORNET AT 8:20 A.M.

IN ROLLING SEAS, ALL EYES WERE ON THE FIRST B-25 OFF THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

ANY PROBLEMS WITH DOOLITTLE AND COLE'S PLANE WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY SPELLED DISASTER FOR THE ENTIRE MISSION.

>> IN THE CASE OF ACTUALLY DOING IT, WE HAD ABOUT A 23-KNOT WIND ACROSS THE DECK FROM THE CARRIER'S SPEED AND ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF AIR MOVEMENT FROM THE WIND.

>> I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO BE NERVOUS.

WE WERE SO CONCENTRATED ON WHAT WE WERE DOING.

[ CHUCKLES ] >> ONE BY ONE, THE OTHER B-25s FOLLOWED DOOLITTLE AND COLE'S LEAD PLANE OFF THE HORNET, INCLUDING CREW NUMBER 4 WITH NAVIGATOR HARRY McCOOL...

ENGINEER GUNNER BERT JORDAN...

PILOT EVERETT HOLSTROM... BOMBARDIER ROBERT STEPHENS... AND COPILOT LUCIAN YOUNGBLOOD ABOARD.

THEIR TARGET WAS TOKYO, AS WELL.

PLANE NUMBER 5 FOLLOWED A SHORT TIME LATER WITH NAVIGATOR EUGENE McGURL...

PILOT DAVID JONES... BOMBARDIER DENVER TRUELOVE... COPILOT ROSS WILDER... AND ENGINEER GUNNER JOSEPH MANSKE ALSO BOUND FOR TOKYO.

FLYING AT 200 FEET ABOVE THE PACIFIC OCEAN TO AVOID JAPANESE RADAR, RICHARD COLE REMEMBERS LIEUTENANT COLONEL JIMMY DOOLITTLE AS BEING ALL BUSINESS ON THEIR FOUR-HOUR FLIGHT TO TOKYO.

>> COLONEL DOOLITTLE WASN'T A CHITCHAT MAN IN THE AIRPLANE.

THERE WERE NO CONVERSATIONS UNTIL WE... WE WERE OVER CHINA IN THE BAD WEATHER... AT 9,000 FEET.

AND HE GOT ON THE INTERPHONE AND SAID WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO BAIL OUT.

>> LIKE CREW NUMBER 1, PLANE NUMBER 6, NICKNAMED "THE GREEN HORNET," WAS BOUND FOR TOKYO.

NAVIGATOR CHASE NIELSEN PLOTTED THE COURSE FOR PILOT DEAN HALLMARK.

ENGINEER GUNNER DONALD FITZMAURICE... COPILOT ROBERT MEDER... AND BOMBARDIER WILLIAM DIETER FOCUSED ON THE COAST OF JAPAN.

CREW NUMBER 7 ABOARD "THE RUPTURED DUCK" WAS ALSO BOUND FOR JAPAN'S CAPITAL.

WITH NAVIGATOR CHARLES McCLURE...

PILOT TED LAWSON... BOMBARDIER ROBERT CLEVER... COPILOT DEAN DAVENPORT... AND ENGINEER GUNNER DAVID THATCHER ABOARD.

>> THE CREW GOT ALONG VERY WELL.

>> FUNNY WE WEREN'T MORE NERVOUS.

IT WAS ALMOST AS IF WE WERE GOING ON A REGULATION TRAINING FLIGHT.

REMEMBER THE DAY DOOLITTLE TIED THAT JAP MEDAL ON A BOMB?

THE GUY WHO SENT IT IN SAID WE SHOULD RETURN IT WITH INTEREST, AND WE DID.

IT WAS ON OUR PLANE, WASN'T IT?

>> I THINK SO.

MAYBE IT WAS THE BOMB THAT BLEW THAT STEEL SMELTER TO SMITHEREENS.

>> WE WERE A WELL-ADJUSTED CREW.

>> DOOLITTLE SAID IT COULD BE DONE, AND HE WAS RIGHT.

>> YEAH, THE MORNING OF THE TAKE-OFF, HE LOOKED LIKE A MAN WITHOUT A WORRY IN THE WORLD.

A GREAT GUY.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT MORNING.

>> PLANE 8, WITH NAVIGATOR BOMBARDIER NOLAN HERNDON...

PILOT EDWARD "SKI" YORK...

ENGINEER THEODORE LABAN... COPILOT ROBERT EMMENS... AND GUNNER DAVID POHL WOULD ALSO DROP THEIR BOMBS OVER THE JAPANESE CAPITAL CITY.

AT 12:20 TOKYO TIME ON APRIL 18, 1942, LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES DOOLITTLE, WITH LIEUTENANT RICHARD COLE AT HIS SIDE AND B-25 CREW NUMBER 1, DROPPED THEIR 500-POUND BOMBS AND INCENDIARIES OVER A FACTORY COMPLEX IN TOKYO.

DESPITE ALL THE PROPAGANDA FROM JAPAN'S MILITARY LEADERS, WORLD WAR II HAD COME TO THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS.

>> WE SAW NUMEROUS AIRPLANES ABOVE US.

AND THEY DID NOT SEE US.

IF THEY DID, THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND CHINESE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME TOOK THIS AS A SORT OF A GET-EVEN BALANCE VIS-à-VIS THE PEARL HARBOR AND ALSO SHOWS THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME THE AMERICAN FORCE CAN REACH JAPANESE HOMELAND.

AND THIS IS A BIG MORALE BOOSTER FOR THE WARTIME REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AS WELL.

>> NAVIGATOR TOM GRIFFIN...

ALONG WITH PILOT HAROLD WATSON...

ENGINEER GUNNER ELDRED SCOTT... COPILOT JAMES PARKER... AND BOMBARDIER WAYNE BISSELL AND PLANE NUMBER 9, NICKNAMED "THE WHIRLING DERVISH," EVENTUALLY DROPPED THEIR BOMBS ON TOKYO, AS WELL.

OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, MORE OF THE AMERICAN B-25s DROPPED THEIR BOMBS ON JAPAN.

>> IT WAS ONE STEP.

IT WASN'T GOING TO END THE WAR.

BUT IT WAS A GOOD THING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE INVULNERABLE AND WE WERE TEACHING THEM OTHERWISE IN THOSE WEEKS AND MONTHS RIGHT THERE THAT THEY COULD EXPECT US TO VISIT THEM AT ANYTIME, AND WE DID.

AND GAVE THEM SEVERE PUNISHMENT.

>> I WAS IN A TURRET ON TOP.

I COULD SEE EVERYTHING FROM UP THERE.

AND THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF ANTIAIRCRAFT FIRE OVER THE CITY WHEN IT REACHED THERE, BUT IT WASN'T ACCURATE.

OUR TARGET WAS A NIPPON STEEL FACTORY IN TOKYO.

WE DROPPED OUR FOUR BOMBS ON THAT AND THEN HEADED FOR TOKYO BAY AND GOT OUT OF THERE AS SOON AS WE COULD, AND THEN WE FOLLOWED THE COAST OF JAPAN NOT OVER LAND BUT OVER THE OCEAN, ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTHERN TIP OF JAPAN, THEN TURNED WEST TO CHINA.

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ] >> EVERY YEAR SINCE 1947, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO YEARS DURING THE KOREAN AND VIETNAM CONFLICTS, THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAIDERS HAVE GATHERED FOR ANNUAL REUNIONS TO RECOGNIZE THEIR RAID ON JAPAN.

THE FLYERS GET TOGETHER AROUND APRIL 18th, THE ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR BOMBING MISSION AGAINST THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS.

JIMMY DOOLITTLE ACTUALLY HELD THE FIRST UNOFFICIAL GET-TOGETHER HIMSELF IN NORTH AFRICA IN 1943 WITH A SMALL GATHERING OF SOME OF HIS RAIDERS, WHO WERE NOW FIGHTING THE GERMANS.

BY THEN, JAMES HAROLD DOOLITTLE HAD BEEN PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL.

OFFICIALLY, IT WAS TWO YEARS AFTER THE END OF WORLD WAR II THAT THE REUNIONS BECAME AN ANNUAL EVENT AND WERE HELD IN CITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES.

>> IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE OTHER RAIDERS THROUGH THE YEARS, SEE HOW THEY WERE DOING.

KEEP TRACK OF THEM.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> DOOLITTLE HIMSELF ATTENDED MANY OF THE REUNIONS PRIOR TO HIS DEATH IN 1993.

CHINESE WHO HELPED THE RAIDERS ESCAPE THE JAPANESE AFTER THE RAID ALSO ATTENDED SOME OF THE GATHERINGS.

>> OUR PEOPLE, YOU CAN SAY, WERE VERY GRATEFUL.

AND WE -- WE DON'T FORGET OUR FRIENDS.

WE REMEMBER THE STORIES.

>> IT WAS IN TUCSON, ARIZONA, IN 1959 THAT THE RAIDERS WERE FIRST PRESENTED THE SILVER GOBLETS AS A GIFT FROM THE CITY.

OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES, THE CUPS WERE USED TO TOAST THOSE RAIDERS WHO HAD PASSED ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

IN 1960, A DECISION WAS MADE THAT WHEN THERE WERE JUST TWO SURVIVORS OF THE RAID STILL ALIVE, AN 1896 BOTTLE OF HENNESSY COGNAC WOULD BE OPENED, AND A FINAL TOAST WOULD BE MADE TO ALL THE RAIDERS WHO TOOK PART ON THE RAID ON JAPAN.

THAT WAS THE PLAN, ANYWAY.

THE GOBLETS WOULD THEN BE RETURNED TO THEIR CASE AND A CHAPTER IN HISTORY CLOSED.

THE 1896 COGNAC BOTTLE RECOGNIZING THE YEAR JAMES HAROLD DOOLITTLE WAS BORN WOULD ALSO BE RETIRED.

>> IN MEMORY OF THE ONES THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND THE OTHER THING WAS THAT...

IT BROUGHT BACK MANY MEMORIES THAT YOU HAD WITH INDIVIDUALS OR AS A GROUP, WHICH WAS INSPIRING.

>> OVER THE YEARS, ATTENDANCE AT THE DOOLITTLE RAIDER REUNIONS HAS DWINDLED AS THE MEN WHO TOOK PART IN THE RAID HAVE PASSED ON.

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ] ALL THE FLYERS ABOARD PLANE 10, BOUND FOR TOKYO, SUCH AS NAVIGATOR BOMBARDIER HORACE CROUCH...

PILOT RICHARD JOYCE... COPILOT ROYDEN STORK...

ENGINEERS GEORGE LARKIN... AND EDWIN HORTON ARE NOW ALL GONE.

IT'S THE SAME FOR CREW 11, BOUND FOR YOKOHAMA ABOARD THE "HARI KARI-ER."

NAVIGATOR FRANK KAPPELER...

PILOT ROSS GREENING...

ENGINEER GUNNER MELVIN GARDNER... COPILOT KENNETH REDDY... AND BOMBARDIER WILLIAM BIRCH HAVE ALSO PASSED AWAY.

TOO MANY GOBLETS HAVE BEEN TURNED OVER.

TOO MANY SEATS AT THE TABLE NOW EMPTY.

TOO FEW RAIDERS LEFT TO PROPOSE THE YEARLY TOASTS.

SO, AS WAS THE CASE WITH THE ACTUAL DOOLITTLE RAID ITSELF IN 1942, PLANS WERE SPED UP AND THE MISSION ALTERED A BIT.

A HANDFUL OF THE FLYERS DECIDED THAT A FINAL TOAST SHOULD BE HELD IN DAYTON, OHIO, WHILE SOME OF THE CREWMEN, NOW ALL IN THEIR 90s, COULD STILL TAKE PART.

>> WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE FOUR.

>> I THINK IT WAS THE PROPER DECISION THAT WE DO SOMETHING WHILE THERE WAS SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAN TRY AND ROCK ALONG AND END UP WITH AN AFFAIR THAT NOBODY'S ABLE TO COME TO.

>> IT'S BEEN OVER SEVEN DECADES NOW, BUT DICK COLE STILL SEES THE YOUTHFUL FACES OF HIS FELLOW DOOLITTLE RAIDERS.

LIKE THOSE OF CREW NUMBER 12 ABOARD THEIR B-25 NICKNAMED "FICKLE FINGER OF FATE," BOUND FOR YOKOHAMA.

THERE WAS NAVIGATOR WILLIAM POUND...

PILOT WILLIAM BOWER...

ENGINEER GUNNER OMER DUQUETTE... COPILOT THADD BLANTON... AND BOMBARDIER WALDO BITHER.

CREW 13 WAS MADE UP OF NAVIGATOR CLAYTON CAMPBELL... COPILOT EDGAR McELROY...

ENGINEER GUNNER ADAM WILLIAMS...

PILOT RICHARD KNOBLOCH... BOMBARDIER ROBERT BOURGEOIS.

THEY DROPPED THEIR BOMBS OVER YOKOSUKA ABOARD THEIR PLANE NICKNAMED "THE AVENGER."

CREW 14 WAS BOUND FOR NAGOYA WITH NAVIGATOR BOMBARDIER JAMES MACIA...

PILOT JOHN HILGER...

ENGINEER JACOB EIERMAN... COPILOT JACK SIMS... AND GUNNER EDWIN BAIN.

CREW 15 -- NAVIGATOR BOMBARDIER HOWARD SESSLER...

PILOT DONALD SMITH... GUNNER THOMAS WHITE... COPILOT GRIFFITH WILLIAMS... AND ENGINEER ED SAYLOR BOMBED KOBE ABOARD THE APTLY NAMED "TNT."

>> I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE SHOOTING AT US.

KEPT WAITING -- DIDN'T HAPPEN.

WE PASSED OVER A DOZEN OR SO NAVY VESSELS.

AND THEY IGNORED US, AND WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING US.

>> SAYLOR'S PLANE ALMOST DIDN'T EVEN EVEN MAKE THE ATTACK ON JAPAN.

THREE DAYS PRIOR TO THE RAID, AN ENGINE PROBLEM ON PLANE 15 HAD JIMMY DOOLITTLE CONSIDERING PUSHING THE B-25 OFF THE HORNET TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY.

BUT SAYLOR CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION -- BUILDING THE PART HE NEEDED HIMSELF IN THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER'S MAINTENANCE SHOP.

ON APRIL 18th, "TNT" WAS DROPPING ITS BOMBS OVER KOBE THANKS TO ED SAYLOR.

>> WE SURPRISED THE JAPANESE.

>> "BAT OUT OF HELL" WAS THE FINAL PLANE OFF THE HORNET ON APRIL 18th.

CREW 16 INCLUDED NAVIGATOR GEORGE BARR...

PILOT WILLIAM FARROW...

ENGINEER GUNNER HAROLD SPATZ... COPILOT ROBERT HITE... AND BOMBARDIER JACOB DeSHAZER.

THEY DROPPED THEIR BOMBS ON NAGOYA.

>> THE JAPANESE THOUGHT THEY KNEW EVERY AIRPLANE WE HAD THAT COULD OPERATE OFF A CARRIER.

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GET WITHIN 200 MILES OF TOKYO TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE CARRIER.

THEY DID NOT KNOW WE WERE NEVER GOING BACK TO THE CARRIER.

>> IT WAS INEVITABLE ALL THE DOOLITTLE RAIDER PLANES WOULD RUN OUT OF GAS BEFORE FINDING THEIR ASSIGNED LANDING ZONES IN CHINA.

FLYING THROUGH A TERRIBLE STORM, ONE BY ONE, THE B-25s RAN OUT OF FUEL.

EACH CREW WAS NOW ON THEIR OWN.

THE MAJORITY OF CREWS WERE ABLE TO BAIL OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURBULENT THUNDERSTORM OVER CHINA.

IN PLANE 1, LIEUTENANT RICHARD COLE'S FIRST-EVER PARACHUTE JUMP WAS ONE TO REMEMBER.

>> FOR ME, THAT WAS THE... SCARIEST TIME.

I PULLED THE RIPCORD SO HARD AND LOOKING DOWN THAT I GAVE MYSELF A BLACK EYE.

[ WIND WHISTLING ] >> OTHER CREWS CRASH-LANDED IN THE WATER OFF THE CHINESE COAST.

>> THE CHINESE FISHERMAN TRIED TO COMMUNICATE.

THEY TOOK US IN A LITTLE HUT, AND WE SAT AROUND, AND... SOMEBODY SHOWED UP WITH A BOOK THAT HAD THE FLAGS OF THE WORLD IN IT.

PICKED OUT OUR FLAG.

AND THEY RECOGNIZED US.

AS SOON AS WE ESTABLISHED THAT WE WERE AMERICANS, WE WERE IN GOOD HANDS.

>> 15 B-25s RAN OUT OF GAS AND CRASHED IN JAPANESE-OCCUPIED CHINA, INCLUDING DOOLITTLE'S ON A MOUNTAINSIDE.

AT SUNRISE, JIMMY DOOLITTLE GOT HIS FIRST LOOK AT THE WRECKAGE OF HIS PLANE.

AT THAT MOMENT, HE DEEMED THE ENTIRE MISSION A FAILURE.

ONE B-25, CREW 8, LED BY "SKI" YORK, LANDED SAFELY IN RUSSIA AFTER HAVING BOMBED A SECONDARY TARGET IN JAPAN.

>> HEADED FOR VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA, AND THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE PLANES OF THE 16 THAT LANDED ON ITS WHEELS.

>> ITS CREW WOULD BE DETAINED MORE THAN A YEAR BEFORE ESCAPING TO REJOIN THE WAR EFFORT.

THE SOVIET UNION HELD YORK'S CREW UNDER HOUSE ARREST SINCE THEY WERE NOT YET FORMALLY AT WAR WITH THEIR JAPANESE NEIGHBOR.

FOR THE SURVIVORS AND WOUNDED, GETTING OUT OF JAPAN-OCCUPIED CHINA WOULD REQUIRE THE HELP OF THOUSANDS OF CHINESE FROM DOCTORS AND PEASANTS TO FARMERS AND GUERILLA FIGHTERS.

FOREIGN MISSIONARIES ALSO AIDED THE RAIDERS' ESCAPE.

FROM VILLAGE TO VILLAGE, THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS, SEVERAL SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, WERE PASSED VIA CART, RICKSHAW, BUS, BOAT, AND ON FOOT TO SAFETY.

>> THE CHINESE TREATED US ROYALLY OVER THERE.

WE HAD DONE SOMETHING THAT THEY HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR FOUR YEARS FIGHTING THE JAPANESE, AND THAT WAS TO BOMB THE JAPANESE HOMELAND.

SO THEY GAVE US ROYAL TREATMENT WHILE OVER THERE.

EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T HAVE VERY MUCH, THEY GAVE US THE BEST.

>> THE CHINESE PEOPLE HID THE RAIDERS AS JAPANESE PATROLS PASSED BY.

WORD TRAVELED FAST AROUND THE CHINESE COUNTRYSIDE WITH UPDATES ON THE DOWNED AMERICAN FLYERS, THEIR WHEREABOUTS, AND THE LOCATION OF JAPANESE SEARCH PARTIES.

>> THE TOP LEADERS DOWN TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE -- THEY ALL TRIED TO HELP.

>> CHINA WAS RUNNING ITS OWN VERSION OF AMERICA'S UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, THE FAMOUS ESCAPE ROUTE OF SLAVES DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

>> SINCE WE LANDED IN OCCUPIED TERRITORY, THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP US MOVING AHEAD OF THE JAPANESE.

>> THE CHINESE PEOPLE RISKED MUCH TO GET THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS TO SAFETY.

THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY WERE THANKFUL THAT THE AMERICAN FLYERS HAD FINALLY BROUGHT THE WAR TO JAPAN.

JAPANESE TREATMENT OF THE CHINESE BEFORE THE RAID HAD BEEN HORRIFIC WITH THE MURDER AND TORTURE OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHINESE CITIZENS.

>> THE JAPANESE LATER ACCUSED AMERICANS FOR VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW BECAUSE THEY BOMBED THE CIVILIANS.

BUT CHIANG KAI-SHEK SAID, "THIS IS FUNNY BECAUSE THEY HAD BOMBED OUR CIVILIANS FOR FIVE YEARS ALREADY."

>> WHILE MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK PINNED MEDALS ON LIEUTENANT COLONEL JIMMY DOOLITTLE, DICK COLE, AND THE RAIDERS FOR THEIR HEROICS ON APRIL 18th, JAPAN WAS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF PAYING BACK THE CHINESE FOR HELPING THE AMERICAN FLYERS TO ESCAPE.

>> ONE DOWN IN THE -- RIGHT HERE WAS ORDERED BY MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK.

>> ANY VILLAGE SUSPECTED OF ABIDING THE AMERICANS IN ANY WAY WAS WIPED OUT... ITS INHABITANTS MURDERED.

BY THE END OF THEIR VENGEFUL THREE-MONTH RAMPAGE, 250,000 CHINESE WERE DEAD.

A MESSAGE HAD BEEN SENT BY JAPAN, BUT IT WOULD NOT DETER THE PEOPLE OF CHINA FROM HELPING OTHER DOWNED ALLIED FLYERS IN THE FUTURE JUST AS THEY HAD HELPED THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS.

>> COST A LOT OF CHINESE LIVES.

>> THE DAMAGE INFLICTED BY THE DOOLITTLE RAID WAS CONSIDERED MINIMAL IN A MILITARY SENSE.

SOME 165 BUILDINGS AND FACTORIES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AND 87 JAPANESE KILLED WITH MANY MORE WOUNDED, BUT A MESSAGE HAD BEEN DELIVERED TO JAPAN'S LEADERS AND ITS POPULATION.

NEWS OF THE ATTACK MADE HEADLINES ACROSS AN ALREADY-WAR-TORN WORLD.

>> THE UNITED STATES AIRCRAFT CARRIER HORNET, PART OF A TASK FORCE STEAMING INTO JAPANESE WATERS, IS NOW REVEALED AS THE SECRET BASE FROM WHICH AMERICAN PLANES FIRST BOMBED TOKYO.

>> THE PUBLIC WAS NOT INFORMED VERY MUCH ABOUT THE RAID UNTIL ONE YEAR AFTERWARD, SO IT WAS TOP SECRET THEN.

THEY DIDN'T TELL WHERE WE TOOK OFF FROM OR WHERE WE LANDED.

>> THOSE WERE PRETTY DANGEROUS TIMES, AND OUR COUNTRY WAS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND...

I THINK THAT...

BEING PART OF THE BIG PICTURE IS LEGACY ENOUGH.

>> THE RAIDERS DIDN'T EMERGE FROM THE MISSION UNSCATHED.

ALL 16 B-25s WERE LOST.

15 HAD CRASHED, AND ONE WAS NOW THE PROPERTY OF THE RUSSIANS.

ONE FLYER, LELAND FAKTOR FROM CREW NUMBER 3, DIED AFTER PARACHUTING OUT OF HIS PLANE AND LANDING ON A MOUNTAINSIDE.

TWO OTHER RAIDERS, DONALD FITZMAURICE AND WILLIAM DIETER FROM CREW 6, HAD DROWNED WHEN THEIR B-25 CRASHED IN WATERS OFF THE COAST OF CHINA.

TED LAWSON, PILOT OF CREW 7, LOST A LEG.

LAWSON'S "RUPTURED DUCK" HIT THE WATER 1/4 OF A MILE OFF THE CHINESE COAST.

>> IT WAS NEARLY DARK AND RAINING, AND THE PILOT SPOTTED A STRIP OF BEACH THAT HE THOUGHT HE COULD SET THE AIRPLANE DOWN ON.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE MISJUDGED IT.

I THINK HE MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE 'CAUSE IT WAS PRETTY DARK, AND SO WE HIT THE WATER WITH OUR WHEELS DOWN.

IMMEDIATELY TURNED US UPSIDE DOWN.

THE OTHER FOUR OF THE CREW WERE THROWN OUT THROUGH THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE.

I WAS IN THE BACK.

I WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS FOR A WHILE.

FINALLY REALIZED THAT THERE WAS WATER COMING INTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE.

>> IN THE CRASH, ALL BUT SERGEANT DAVID THATCHER WERE INJURED.

THATCHER MADE SURE HIS WOUNDED CREW RECEIVED MEDICAL CARE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CHINESE UNDERGROUND AND HELPED HIS FELLOW INJURED FLYERS OF CREW 7 TO EVADE THE JAPANESE.

>> AND WE FOUND OUT LATER, ABOUT 3:00, THERE WERE A COMPANY OF JAPANESE SOLDIERS LANDED RIGHT ON THAT SPOT AND CAME LOOKING FOR US.

BUT WE'D ALREADY STARTED ACROSS THE ISLAND, SO THEY NEVER CAUGHT UP TO US.

>> DAVID THATCHER RECEIVED A SILVER STAR FOR HIS ACTIONS.

>> I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY.

YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT.

>> EIGHT ADDITIONAL DOOLITTLE RAIDERS WERE CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE.

THREE OF THEM -- DEAN HALLMARK... HAROLD SPATZ... AND BILL FARROW -- WERE EXECUTED.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEIR MURDERS CAME WELL AFTER THE MISSION WAS COMPLETE, ENRAGING AN AMERICAN PUBLIC WHO HAD ONLY THEN BEGUN TO RECEIVE WORD OF THE BRUTALITY OF THE JAPANESE TOWARDS PRISONERS OF WAR.

>> THOSE MEN DIED AS HEROES.

WE MUST NOT REST.

WE MUST REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS UNTIL THE INHUMAN WARLORDS WHO COMMITTED THIS CRIME HAVE BEEN UTTERLY DESTROYED.

>> ANOTHER CAPTURED RAIDER, BOB MEDER, DIED IN CAPTIVITY FROM MALNUTRITION.

FOUR OTHER FLYERS -- CHASE NIELSEN FROM CREW 6... AND JACOB DeSHAZER, GEORGE BARR, AND ROBERT HITE FROM PLANE 16 -- SURVIVED OVER 40 MONTHS IN P.O.W.

CAMPS TO RETURN HOME IN 1945.

>> HOW THEY WERE TREATED WAS VERY DISHEARTENING BECAUSE THEY -- THEY WERE KEPT IN...

ISOLATION ALL THE TIME THEY WERE IN PRISONER.

AND THAT'S VERY UPSETTING.

>> FOR HIS ROLE IN HISTORY, LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD COLE, JIMMY DOOLITTLE'S COPILOT ON PLANE NUMBER 1, AND THE OTHER SURVIVING RAIDERS REMAIN AMERICAN ICONS -- HEROES WHO ARE STILL AMONG US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DID.

>> THANK YOU.

>> COLE CAN BE FOUND AT VARIOUS AIR SHOWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS AND MEETING PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT KNOW WHAT A B-25 IS, BUT THEY'VE CERTAINLY HEARD ABOUT THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAIDERS AND THEIR ROLE IN HISTORY.

WHEREVER THE LIVING RAIDERS APPEAR, THERE ARE USUALLY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WAITING TO WELCOME THEM.

>> IF PEOPLE WANT -- ARE SERIOUS AND WANT TO LISTEN AND ASK... GOOD QUESTIONS, THEN I DON'T MIND TALKING ABOUT IT.

GOOD DAY TO BE ANYWHERE.

>> [ CHUCKLES ] >> "ANYWHERE" INCLUDES WASHINGTON, D.C., ON A MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND WHERE RICHARD COLE IS HONORED AS A GUEST... >> GOOD MORNING.

>> ...AT THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL.

ALL ANYONE AT THE CEREMONY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IS AN EVENT THAT OCCURRED ON APRIL 18, 1942.

IT'S BEEN DECADES SINCE COLE'S PLANE NUMBER 1 STRUGGLED OFF THE DECK OF THE USS HORNET.

>> THAT WAS QUITE A DAY, AND THE DAY YOU FLEW, THAT DAY, THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY.

>> [ CHUCKLES ] OH, TODAY?

>> I WAS 12 YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME.

>> OH, OKAY.

>> SO, IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS, BUT YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT WAS SOME JOB.

>> THAT SAME WEEKEND IN WASHINGTON, RICHARD COLE ALSO SERVES AS THE GRAND MARSHAL OF THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE, WHERE THERE WAS A VISIT WITH ASTRONAUT "BUZZ" ALDRIN, THE SECOND MAN ON THE MOON, AND A MEETING WITH A FELLOW WORLD WAR II VETERAN, WHO HIMSELF WENT ON TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY IN PUBLIC FOR MANY DECADES.

>> SENATOR DOLE, I'M DICK COLE.

>> RICHARD COLE, DOOLITTLE RAIDERS.

>> VERY NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOURS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

>> PRESENTING THE WREATH FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE IS MR. FRIEDRICH ST. FLORIAN AND WORLD WAR II VETERANS LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD COLE, WHO WAS THE COPILOT WITH GENERAL JIMMY DOOLITTLE DURING THE FAMOUS BOMBING MISSION ON THE MAINLAND OF JAPAN.

>> ACTOR GARY SINISE IS ALSO IN WASHINGTON.

MEETING LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD COLE OF THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS IS SOMETHING HE HAS LOOKED FORWARD TO FOR MANY YEARS.

>> GOOD LUCK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO MEET YOU.

IT'S SO SIGNIFICANT TO OUR HISTORY AND THAT PERIOD OF TIME TO RALLY THE COUNTRY AND GIVE US HOPE THAT WE COULD FIGHT BACK AND WE COULD SUCCEED.

AND, OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS A BIG, BIG, BIG MOMENT.

SO, HE'S A -- HE'S A GREAT AMERICAN HERO.

>> AND TO HONOR THOSE GREAT AMERICAN HEROES, THE 80 FLYERS WHO TOOK PART IN THE APRIL 18, 1942, BOMBING MISSION TO JAPAN THAT SHOCKED THE ENEMY AND RAISED THE MORALE OF A NATION, THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL HAS BEEN AWARDED TO THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS BY A GRATEFUL NATION.

JUST BEFORE ANOTHER MEMORIAL DAY, LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD COLE FINDS HIMSELF IN THE OVAL OFFICE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, LOOKING OVER THE SHOULDER OF UNITED STATES PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AS HE OFFICIALLY SIGNS THE ACT, AWARDING THE GOLD MEDAL TO THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS FOR THEIR BRAVE AND HISTORIC MISSION THAT TURNED THE TIDE OF A WORLD WAR THAT AMERICA WAS LOSING.

[ PATRIOTIC MUSIC PLAYING, APPLAUSE ] >> WELL, FOR ME, I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD THAT I'M ABLE TO BE HERE AND RECEIVE THE AWARD IN HONOR OF COLONEL DOOLITTLE, THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> AND IT WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM IN DAYTON, OHIO, PERMANENTLY.

>> IT'S A BITTERSWEET TRIP BECAUSE IT'S NICE TO BE HERE TO RECEIVE THE AWARD, BUT YOU ALSO WISH THAT THE OTHER GUYS COULD BE HERE.

>> JUST ACROSS THE BRIDGE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IS ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY IN VIRGINIA.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ] LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARD COLE STOPS BY THIS QUIET PLACE THAT HONORS OUR MILITARY DEAD.

HE WALKS SLOWLY TOWARD ONE GRAVE IN PARTICULAR -- THE MAN WHO LED THE MISSION.

"THE BOSS," COLE CALLS HIM.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES HAROLD DOOLITTLE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FOR THE RAID ON JAPAN AFTER HE RETURNED TO THE STATES IN 1942.

DOOLITTLE, WHO THOUGHT THE MISSION A FAILURE THAT DAY IN CHINA WHILE LOOKING OVER HIS CRASHED B-25, REMAINS A NATIONAL HERO.

COLE'S RESPECT FOR THAT MAN HE SAT NEXT TO IN PLANE NUMBER 1 IS ETERNAL.

>> IMMEDIATELY, YOU SEE THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT HIM AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THIS COUNTRY.

AND, LIKE I SAID, AGAIN, IT'S A BITTERSWEET TRIP.

>> THERE ARE OTHER RAIDERS TO VISIT AT ARLINGTON, AS WELL.

COPILOT DEAN HALLMARK FROM CREW NUMBER 7, WHO WAS EXECUTED BY THE JAPANESE, IS BURIED HERE AS IS ROBERT MEDER FROM PLANE 6, WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY.

>> THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PAY YOUR RESPECTS TO THEM AND REMEMBER THEM, I GUESS THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME.

>> WILLIAM BOWER, THE PILOT OF CREW NUMBER 12, ALSO LIES IN ARLINGTON.

>> HE HAD THE BIGGEST HANDS OF ANYBODY I'VE EVER KNOWN.

COLONEL DOOLITTLE... >> HEART OF GOLD.

>> ...SAID IF HE EVER...

IF HE EVER GOT LOST IN THE WILDERNESS, HE'D WANT BILL BOWER TO LOOK FOR HIM.

[ CHUCKLING ] 'CAUSE HE WAS QUITE AN OUTDOORSMAN.

>> COLE ALSO VISITS THE MEMORIAL TO THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE NEAR ARLINGTON.

DESPITE ALL THE HONORS AND MEDALS BESTOWED UPON THEM BY A PROUD MILITARY AND A GRATEFUL NATION AS A RESULT OF THEIR HISTORIC MISSION, THE WAR WAS FAR FROM OVER.

THE DOOLITTLE RAID HAD JUST BEEN A PREVIEW OF WHAT WAS TO COME OVER THE ENSUING THREE YEARS UNTIL WORLD WAR II ENDED IN 1945.

STILL, THESE MEN WOULD ALWAYS BE KNOWN COLLECTIVELY AS THE FIRST TO STRIKE BACK, THE FIRST TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE ENEMY SHORES.

ONE HEROIC ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS PAYBACK FOR DECEMBER 7, 1941, AT PEARL HARBOR.

16 B-25 PLANES AND 80 MEN WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR A JOB THAT CHANGED THE TIDE OF WAR FOR A NATION THAT HAD BEEN ON THE LOSING END OF EVERY FIGHT UNTIL APRIL 18, 1942.

>> DO YOU THINK YOU'RE A HERO?

>> NO.

NO.

>> WELL, YOU THINK ABOUT THEM.

AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW FORTUNATE YOU WERE... AND ABLE TO SURVIVE.

>> WE JUST WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH OUR JOB THE BEST WAY WE COULD DO IT.

AND I WASN'T TOO -- I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WERE TOO CONCERNED AT THAT TIME ABOUT THE CHANCES OF US PULLING THROUGH.

NATURALLY, EACH ONE OF US THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE ONE OF THE ONES THAT PULLED THROUGH ON THIS DEAL.

WE WEREN'T GONNA DO DOWN IN THE WATER.

>> WE HAD A FIGHT ON OUR HANDS, AND THERE WAS NO POINT IN WORRYING ABOUT IT.

JUST GET ON WITH IT.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

WE DID WHAT WE WERE TRAINED TO DO AND DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

IT ALL WORKED OUT.

WE...

WHOLE BUNCH OF KIDS WON THE WAR.

>> COLONEL COLE, WILL YOU PLEASE PERFORM THE FINAL TOAST?

>> BEFORE LONG, ALL THE SILVER CUPS WILL BE TURNED OVER, AND DOOLITTLE'S RAIDERS WILL HAVE ALL PASSED ON, BUT THERE IS TIME FOR ONE FINAL TOAST IN RICHARD COLE'S HOMETOWN OF DAYTON, OHIO, AT THE MUSEUM THAT HONORS AMERICA'S AIR FORCE HERITAGE.

CUPS RAISED TO THE AMERICAN FLYERS WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR A TOP-SECRET ASSIGNMENT SO LONG AGO, LED BY A LEGENDARY PILOT -- A MISSION THAT WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON IN HISTORY AS THE DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAID.

>> GENTLEMEN, I PROPOSE A TOAST TO THOSE WE LOST ON THE MISSION AND THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY SINCE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.

[ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE CONTINUE ] ♪ ♪ ♪ >> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED BY... >> WARGAMING, DEVELOPER OF ONLINE WORLD WAR II GAMES "WORLD OF TANKS" AND UPCOMING "WORLD OF WARSHIPS."

WARGAMING HONORS THE GREATEST GENERATION BY SUPPORTING HERITAGE PROJECTS, EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES, AND STORIES LIKE THIS.

>> ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY...