The Doolittle Raid
Author: Yeager & Janos
Publisher: Bantam Books NY
Edition: First
Cover: Hardcover w/Dust Cover
ISBN: 0-553-05093-1
Bio
Synopsis: Carroll Glines' detailed account chronicles the planning, execution, and aftermath of the audacious April 1942 bombing raid on Japan led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, which provided a crucial morale boost for American forces and civilians following the Pearl Harbor attack. Glines' narrative reveals how this seemingly impossible mission was conceived, planned, and executed despite enormous technical and logistical challenges that required innovative solutions and exceptional courage from participating aircrews. The book details the secret training program that prepared sixteen B-25 bomber crews for the unprecedented task of launching medium bombers from an aircraft carrier deck, something these aircraft were never designed to accomplish. Through extensive interviews with surviving participants and access to classified documents, Glines reconstructs the mission from conception through the eventual fate of all eighty participants, many of whom were captured, killed, or faced harrowing escapes through China. The narrative explains the technical modifications required to enable B-25 bombers to operate from the USS Hornet, including fuel system changes, weight reductions, and the development of specialized takeoff procedures for short-deck operations. The work examines the strategic and psychological objectives of the raid, showing how the mission was designed more for its morale impact than for physical damage to Japanese industrial targets. Glines' account reveals the international dimensions of the operation, including the crucial role of Chinese assistance in helping downed aircrews escape and the diplomatic complications created by the mission's impact on neutral nations. The book provides detailed descriptions of the bombing attacks on Tokyo and other Japanese cities, showing how individual crews navigated to their targets and attempted to minimize civilian casualties while maximizing military impact. The narrative includes the tragic aftermath for captured aircrews, revealing how Japanese authorities executed some prisoners and subjected others to harsh treatment that violated international law regarding prisoners of war. The work demonstrates how innovative thinking and willingness to accept risk could achieve strategic objectives even with limited resources and overwhelming enemy advantages. Glines' research preserves the individual stories of raid participants while analyzing the broader military and political significance of this daring operation. The book serves as both tactical study and inspirational account, showing how creative planning and personal courage could overcome seemingly impossible obstacles during wartime.
The Doolittle Raid, is one of the many primary source materials in the Army Air Corps Museum collection.
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