80 years later, The Doolittle Raid

[Ombligo]

There are only 365 days in the year (alright 366 on leap years), which means that something noteworthy has happened on every one of those days.

Today is no different, it is the anniversary of Paul Revere's Ride, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, the first game played in the old Yankee Stadium. It is also the 80th year since a group of Army airmen took off from the deck of the USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo. The bombing was supposed to be symbolic and a morale boost to the homefront. But it triggered a series of events to lead to the Japanese defeat.

Because of the bombing, the Japanese military want to prevent it from happening again and decided to invade Midway Island, putting land-based bombers within range of Pearl Harbor. Things did not go as planned and four front-line Japanese Aircraft Carriers were sunk. That was a blow the Imperial navy never recovered from.

All because 80 very brave men did the unthinkable.

[Numo]

The Doolittle raid is a stirring story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid

[MikeF]

I was a recipient of the Doolittle Raiders scholarship in 1972. Attended their reunion to be presented with it.

[ztirffritz]

I have a friend who is related to Doolittle. His middle name is actually Doolittle. Great story.

[Rick-o]

It was a great psychological victory for the U.S.

Although little damage was done in the raid, it showed the Japanese they're homeland wasn't free from attack.

And as far as the battle of Midway, we got lucky and handed Japan a decisive defeat that like Ombligo said, broke the back of the Japanese navy, which never recovered.

[raz]

Rick-o wrote:
And as far as the battle of Midway, we got lucky and handed Japan a decisive defeat that like Ombligo said, broke the back of the Japanese navy, which never recovered.

IIRC, the Japanese Navy war-gamed the attack on Midway, and they lost the battle and 2 carriers. Protesting the results to the refs got them one carrier back.

No way to protest the decision on the real attack, though

[freeradical]

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the naval battle that actually finished the Japanese.

[Yoyodyne ArtWorks]

“Strange thing is they make such bloody good cameras.“