Every Single American Should Know Who the "Doolittle Raiders" Are

DAYTON, Ohio – Known as the Doolittle Raiders, the 80 men who risked their lives on a World War II bombing mission on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor were toasted one last time by their surviving comrades and honored with a Veterans Day weekend of fanfare shared by thousands. Their late commander, Lt. Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, started the tradition but they decided this autumn’s ceremony would be their last. “May they rest in peace,” Lt. Col. Richard Cole, 98, said before he and fellow Raiders — Lt. Col. Edward Saylor, 93, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, 92 — sipped cognac from specially engraved silver goblets. The 1896 cognac was saved for the occasion after being passed down from Doolittle. Hundreds invited to the ceremony, including family members of deceased Raiders, watched as the three each called out “here” as a historian read the names of all 80 of the original airmen. The fourth surviving Raider, Lt. Col. Robert Hite, 93, couldn’t travel to Ohio because of health problems. But son Wallace Hite said his father, wearing a Raiders blazer and other traditional garb for their reunions, made his own salute to the fallen with a silver goblet of wine at home in Nashville, Tenn., earlier in the week.
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Acting Air Force Secretary Eric Fanning said America was at a low point, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and other Axis successes, before “these 80 men who showed the nation that we were nowhere near defeat.” He noted that all volunteered for a mission with high risks throughout, from the launch of B-25 bombers from a carrier at sea, the attack on Tokyo, and lack of fuel to reach safe bases. The Raiders’ names are engraved twice, the second upside-down. During the ceremony, white-gloved cadets presented each of the three with their personal goblets and their longtime manager poured the cognac. The deceased’s glasses are turned upside-down.

I’m embarrassed to say that before reading this article I had no idea who the Dolittle Raiders were. That’s why I blogged this. In case I wasn’t the only one. Because these guys should be a household names. The 80 guys who just jumped into their B-25 bombers without any real clue what they were doing and attacked Tokyo after Pearl Harbor. They don’t want to be thanked. They don’t think they were doing anything special. They were just fighting back. Doing what had to be done. American heroes in every sense of the word. And how about this Cognac tradition and the turning over off the silver goblet to honor the fallen? It’s straight out of Hollywood movie except it’s real. Unreal stuff.

Even on Veterans Day I don’t think people including myself can really fathom the sacrifice that our troops make. The fact that freedom isn’t free. Probably the only people who truly understand it are the troops themselves and their families. Risking their lives everyday to protect the way of life we take for granted. I know it’s cliche but you can never say thank you enough to all who have served and continue to serve.

PS – I obviously saw the movie Pearl Harbor but that was more of a love triangle between Josh Harnett, Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale.  Like I didn’t even know the Doolittle Raiders were a thing after watching that.