A tribute to an American hero.

oldgoldlover · July 4, 2019 11:21PM

Given its the day we celebrate our independence I want to share an encounter I had six yeas ago with a true American hero. i realize its not coin related but hopefully you will find it interesting.

I was at an airshow in Houston, TX and my wife along with me. It was hot and sunny so we stood under the wing of a B 52 the stay comfortable. I looked across at a couple of WW ll aircraft and noticed a veterans tent so inside I went.

I saw a picture of a B 25 and a older gentleman sitting at a table behind it. I walked over and read what was printed on the poster and it was a Doolittle raider marked B 25 and and the fellow if he flew in it.

He was very sharp and mentioned he was 101 years old and was a raider. i ask about the raid and he gave me all the details.

I asked him if I could introduce my wife to him and he was very open to meeting her.

She introduced herself and i ask if a picture of the two would be ok. He was most agreeable and my wife went behind the table beside him for a couple of photos. She offered a hand shake and the raider then smiled and continued to hold her hand with a smile.

i thanked him for what he did for our country and the opportunity to get his picture. I read a bit more and realized he was the last surviving raider and in fact was Doolittle's copilot. He was no longer signing posters but he made and exception for my wife.

His name was C.E. Coles, a person i will never forget. Sadly he has since passed away but I would not trade the signed poster addressed to my wife for anything.

May they never be forgotten.

Justacommeman · July 4, 2019 11:41PM

Thank you for taking time to post this.

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thisistheshow · July 5, 2019 12:26AM

Amazing story. Thank you.

3keepSECRETif2rDEAD · July 5, 2019 1:48AM

...what a bunch to be remembered and may God be with them all!

http://www.doolittleraider.com/the_goblets.htm

https://www.history.com/news/one-final-toast-for-the-doolittle-raiders

Zoins · July 5, 2019 2:10AM

This is a great story and a great part of our history @oldgoldlover . Thanks for posting it.

A minor note, I believe the person you met was Richard Eugene "Dick" Cole who has been mentioned as Doolittle's co-pilot and the last survivor of the Doolittle raid. Here's some information from his Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cole

Richard Eugene Cole (September 7, 1915 – April 9, 2019) was an American career officer in the United States Air Force. He was one of the airmen who took part in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, serving as the co-pilot to Jimmy Doolittle in the lead airplane of the raid. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Cole remained in China after the raid until June 1943, and served again in the China Burma India Theater from October 1943 until June 1944. He later served as Operations Advisor to the Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. He retired from the Air Force in 1966 and became the last living Doolittle Raider in 2016.

Here's an interview and some photos from the Naval History and Heritage Command:

https://www.historynet.com/dick-cole-last-of-the-doolittle-raiders.htm

Here are more photos:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/retired-lt-col-richard-e-cole.html

USMarine6 · July 5, 2019 2:45AM

Awesome story! Unfortunately in a few more years there will be no more WWII veterans to have conversations with.

SaorAlba · July 5, 2019 3:11AM

These guys had the kahunas, they all knew that the mission was a one way - and that they likely wouldn't make it back. In fact, more made it back eventually than had been exprected.

thebeav · July 5, 2019 4:50AM

That's a great story......

As an aside......The latest "Medal of Honor" recipient, David Bellavia, is a local guy here. He had an afternoon radio show and is so likable you can't imagine......

ricko · July 5, 2019 5:11AM

What a great story, and what an honor to have met the man.....Truly heroes, every one of them. While we see so much of the opposite in today's media, we must remember - our military is filled with young heroes, every one of them have written a blank check to America for any amount - up to and including their lives. That is where real men and women are today.... SALUTE!!! Cheers, RickO

Peace_dollar88 · July 5, 2019 6:19AM

great story! thanks for sharing

silverpop · July 5, 2019 6:27AM

those men were fearless and brave knowing the cost would be their life but to them the mission had to be done at any cost that was the mindset back then do the job you were given , even if that job cost you your life you still did it

JBK · July 5, 2019 6:41AM

Yes, Richard Cole passed away just a few months ago. The last surviving Doolittle Raider.

I didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school. An interest in history and collecting signatures of famous people led me to correspond with Gen. James Doolittle many years ago.

If you are not familiar with the story of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in 1942, you should read a least a brief summary of what they did. Their accomplishments were amazing even by today's standards.

Zoins · July 5, 2019 8:28AM

@JBK said:
I didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school.

I also didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school. I was first introduced to it in the movie "Pearl Harbor" and the read about it on Wikipedia afterwards:

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

Of note:

"The bombing raid killed about 50 people, including civilians, and injured 400."
"Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union."
"Of the 80 crew members, 77 initially survived the mission."
"The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers."

The following describes the results of the raid. The Chinese loss of life for helping the Americans is staggering. I think their memory should be saluted and never forgotten as well, including the children.

From Dick Cole's response to the interview question "What happened to the Chinese?"

We couldn’t have done it without their help. They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.

From Wikipedia:

The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale. In Japan, it raised doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands, but the bombing and strafing of civilians also steeled the resolve to gain retribution and was exploited for propaganda purposes.[6] It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific—an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers.[6]

From cable to the U.S. government from China:

https://www.historynet.com/aftermath-doolittle-raid-reexamined.htm

Japan’s approximately three-month terror campaign infuriated the Chinese military, who recognized it as a byproduct of a raid meant to boost American morale. In a cable to the U.S. government, General Chiang Kai-shek claimed the Doolittle strike cost his nation 250,000 lives. “After they had been caught unawares by the falling of American bombs on Tokyo, Japanese troops attacked the coastal areas of China, where many of the American fliers had landed. These Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas,” Chiang wrote. “Let me repeat—these Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas.”

jabba · July 5, 2019 8:44AM

“There are no extraordinary men only extraordinary situations that ordinary men rise to”
Adm. William F. “Bull” Halsey Jr.
Thanks to the ordinary men who became extraordinary heroes

coinbuf · July 5, 2019 9:13AM

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story and encounter, one that you and your wife will never forget. It truly is very sad to read the comments from some who never learned about this at any point in school, so much about our history is under attack and being forgotten as a result of PC.

JBK · July 5, 2019 10:32AM

Thanks @Zoins for the expanded details on the Raid's aftermath. I must admit that while I was aware of atrocities committed against the Chinese by Imperial Japanese forces in the 1930s and later, I was not aware that there was such a direct connection between some of the violence and the Doolittle Raid.

As coin collectors most of us (in the US) are probably aware that the government issued special banknotes for use in the territory of Hawaii so that if Japanese forces invaded it could be demonitized. So, the threat of a Japanese invasion was real enough to warrant that. I wonder if the lingering sting from the raid served to dissuade the Japanese at all.

johnny9434 · July 5, 2019 10:57AM

An important post here. T.y for posting it

oldgoldlover · July 5, 2019 4:45PM

@Zoins said:
This is a great story and a great part of our history @oldgoldlover . Thanks for posting it.

A minor note, I believe the person you met was Richard Eugene "Dick" Cole who has been mentioned as Doolittle's co-pilot and the last survivor of the Doolittle raid. Here's some information from his Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cole

Richard Eugene Cole (September 7, 1915 – April 9, 2019) was an American career officer in the United States Air Force. He was one of the airmen who took part in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, serving as the co-pilot to Jimmy Doolittle in the lead airplane of the raid. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Cole remained in China after the raid until June 1943, and served again in the China Burma India Theater from October 1943 until June 1944. He later served as Operations Advisor to the Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. He retired from the Air Force in 1966 and became the last living Doolittle Raider in 2016.

Here's an interview and some photos from the Naval History and Heritage Command:

https://www.historynet.com/dick-cole-last-of-the-doolittle-raiders.htm

Here are more photos:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/retired-lt-col-richard-e-cole.html

That is him and he lived in the city i now live in. The pictures are great but the smile on his face was priceless as was his courage. Thanks for the input.

oldgoldlover · July 5, 2019 4:57PM

@USMarine6 said:
Awesome story! Unfortunately in a few more years there will be no more WWII veterans to have conversations with.

You are correct. i was visiting my mom in her nursing home and met an island hopper. He was still sharp as a tack and participated in the iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions. Unfortunately i had very little time to visit with him. I also met a waste gun that spent his time in B 17s and a pilot that flew 38 mission over Europe in one. He to was very sharp and i did not have the opportunity to visit with him for long as i had to move my mom into a acute care facility.

The most interesting conversation i have ever had was a couple that were young during the war and were German civilians in hamburg and Berlin. They told my family for a hour and a half what it was like to have the U.S. bombers come over every day and the Brits at night.

Surviving was pure hell and not all German people were evil just victims of a very deranged regime. They immigrated to the U.S. in 1959, made a great life for themselves and loved the U.S. as much as anyone i ever spoke with.

They held no grudge and were thankful for the opportunities we take for granted in the U.S.

With each passing day i love this country more and those who fought for and maintain our rights.

I will close the thread by saying I lost my dad in January. He was a navigator in a B 24. He had a very tough job and did it well.

oldgoldlover · July 5, 2019 5:01PM

@JBK said:
Thanks @Zoins for the expanded details on the Raid's aftermath. I must admit that while I was aware of atrocities committed against the Chinese by Imperial Japanese forces in the 1930s and later, I was not aware that there was such a direct connection between some of the violence and the Doolittle Raid.

As coin collectors most of us (in the US) are probably aware that the government issued special banknotes for use in the territory of Hawaii so that if Japanese forces invaded it could be demonitized. So, the threat of a Japanese invasion was real enough to warrant that. I wonder if the lingering sting from the raid served to dissuade the Japanese at all.

Not near as much when General Lamay organized 323 B 29s, went in over Tokyo low and dropped tons of incendiary bombs. It happened on March 9, 1945 and to this day was the deadliest conventional bomb raid ever.

If I had no navy, air force and was getting pasted daily surrender would be my call but i do not think the same as all people.

ShadyDave · July 5, 2019 5:16PM

@oldgoldlover said:

@Zoins said:
This is a great story and a great part of our history @oldgoldlover . Thanks for posting it.

A minor note, I believe the person you met was Richard Eugene "Dick" Cole who has been mentioned as Doolittle's co-pilot and the last survivor of the Doolittle raid. Here's some information from his Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cole

Richard Eugene Cole (September 7, 1915 – April 9, 2019) was an American career officer in the United States Air Force. He was one of the airmen who took part in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, serving as the co-pilot to Jimmy Doolittle in the lead airplane of the raid. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Cole remained in China after the raid until June 1943, and served again in the China Burma India Theater from October 1943 until June 1944. He later served as Operations Advisor to the Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. He retired from the Air Force in 1966 and became the last living Doolittle Raider in 2016.

Here's an interview and some photos from the Naval History and Heritage Command:

https://www.historynet.com/dick-cole-last-of-the-doolittle-raiders.htm

Here are more photos:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/retired-lt-col-richard-e-cole.html

That is him and he lived in the city i now live in. The pictures are great but the smile on his face was priceless as was his courage. Thanks for the input.

Awesome story. Do you happen to still have that picture of your wife and CE Cole?

Both my grandparents on my dads side served in WWII and met each other when my grandfather was injured...my grandmother was a nurse and took care of him. I interviewed my grandmother in high school for my American history class. I wrote a paper on her time serving in the China Burma India Theater. I haven’t found the recording or the paper, but remember some of the stories she told me and I’m still not giving up finding either. My aunt, her daughter still had her military uniform that I hope one day to inherit.

SaorAlba · July 5, 2019 6:08PM

I got to meet Alexander Jefferson last year at an airshow:

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

Another truly great American who makes me proud to call myself an American. He must be living right, he is now 97 years old.

divecchia · July 6, 2019 9:46AM

Great story!!!

Thanks for taking the time to share it.

Donato

oldgoldlover · July 6, 2019 11:07PM

@SaorAlba said:
I got to meet Alexander Jefferson last year at an airshow:

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

Another truly great American who makes me proud to call myself an American. He must be living right, he is now 97 years old.

Is this the Red Tail you are referring to? If it is you are lucky as he is a straight shooter and calls everything like it is.

I met C.D McGee, a Red Tail at the airshow a year later. We talked for about an hour and a half about what it was like to escort the bombers over Europe.

He is quit a man as he flew 409 missions in WW ll, Korea and Vietnam. This is a person than does more for his country than it could ever do for him. He is a classic example of a class act. he knew Jefferson and thinks the world of him.

oldgoldlover · July 6, 2019 11:08PM

@oldgoldlover said:

@SaorAlba said:
I got to meet Alexander Jefferson last year at an airshow:

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

Another truly great American who makes me proud to call myself an American. He must be living right, he is now 97 years old.

Is this the Red Tail you are referring to? If it is you are lucky as he is a straight shooter and calls everything like it is.

I met C.D McGee, a Red Tail at the airshow a year later. We talked for about an hour and a half about what it was like to escort the bombers over Europe.

He is quit a man as he flew 409 missions in WW ll, Korea and Vietnam. This is a person than does more for his country than it could ever do for him. He is a classic example of a class act. he knew Jefferson and thinks the world of him.

Checked the link and that is him. Thanks for the post.

oldgoldlover · July 6, 2019 11:10PM

@ShadyDave said:

@oldgoldlover said:

@Zoins said:
This is a great story and a great part of our history @oldgoldlover . Thanks for posting it.

A minor note, I believe the person you met was Richard Eugene "Dick" Cole who has been mentioned as Doolittle's co-pilot and the last survivor of the Doolittle raid. Here's some information from his Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cole

Richard Eugene Cole (September 7, 1915 – April 9, 2019) was an American career officer in the United States Air Force. He was one of the airmen who took part in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, serving as the co-pilot to Jimmy Doolittle in the lead airplane of the raid. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Cole remained in China after the raid until June 1943, and served again in the China Burma India Theater from October 1943 until June 1944. He later served as Operations Advisor to the Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. He retired from the Air Force in 1966 and became the last living Doolittle Raider in 2016.

Here's an interview and some photos from the Naval History and Heritage Command:

https://www.historynet.com/dick-cole-last-of-the-doolittle-raiders.htm

Here are more photos:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/retired-lt-col-richard-e-cole.html

That is him and he lived in the city i now live in. The pictures are great but the smile on his face was priceless as was his courage. Thanks for the input.

Awesome story. Do you happen to still have that picture of your wife and CE Cole?

Both my grandparents on my dads side served in WWII and met each other when my grandfather was injured...my grandmother was a nurse and took care of him. I interviewed my grandmother in high school for my American history class. I wrote a paper on her time serving in the China Burma India Theater. I haven’t found the recording or the paper, but remember some of the stories she told me and I’m still not giving up finding either. My aunt, her daughter still had her military uniform that I hope one day to inherit.

@ShadyDave said:

@oldgoldlover said:

@Zoins said:
This is a great story and a great part of our history @oldgoldlover . Thanks for posting it.

A minor note, I believe the person you met was Richard Eugene "Dick" Cole who has been mentioned as Doolittle's co-pilot and the last survivor of the Doolittle raid. Here's some information from his Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Cole

Richard Eugene Cole (September 7, 1915 – April 9, 2019) was an American career officer in the United States Air Force. He was one of the airmen who took part in the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, serving as the co-pilot to Jimmy Doolittle in the lead airplane of the raid. He eventually reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Cole remained in China after the raid until June 1943, and served again in the China Burma India Theater from October 1943 until June 1944. He later served as Operations Advisor to the Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. He retired from the Air Force in 1966 and became the last living Doolittle Raider in 2016.

Here's an interview and some photos from the Naval History and Heritage Command:

https://www.historynet.com/dick-cole-last-of-the-doolittle-raiders.htm

Here are more photos:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/retired-lt-col-richard-e-cole.html

That is him and he lived in the city i now live in. The pictures are great but the smile on his face was priceless as was his courage. Thanks for the input.

Awesome story. Do you happen to still have that picture of your wife and CE Cole?

Both my grandparents on my dads side served in WWII and met each other when my grandfather was injured...my grandmother was a nurse and took care of him. I interviewed my grandmother in high school for my American history class. I wrote a paper on her time serving in the China Burma India Theater. I haven’t found the recording or the paper, but remember some of the stories she told me and I’m still not giving up finding either. My aunt, her daughter still had her military uniform that I hope one day to inherit.

I do and will get my wife to help me upload from her camera. After meeting these people the term "The greatest Generation " is very well deserved.

oldgoldlover · July 6, 2019 11:17PM

@Zoins said:

@JBK said:
I didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school.

I also didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school. I was first introduced to it in the movie "Pearl Harbor" and the read about it on Wikipedia afterwards:

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

Of note:

"The bombing raid killed about 50 people, including civilians, and injured 400."

"Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union."

"Of the 80 crew members, 77 initially survived the mission."

"The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers."

The following describes the results of the raid. The Chinese loss of life for helping the Americans is staggering. I think their memory should be saluted and never forgotten as well, including the children.

From Dick Cole's response to the interview question "What happened to the Chinese?"

We couldn’t have done it without their help. They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.

From Wikipedia:

The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale. In Japan, it raised doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands, but the bombing and strafing of civilians also steeled the resolve to gain retribution and was exploited for propaganda purposes.[6] It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific—an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers.[6]

From cable to the U.S. government from China:

https://www.historynet.com/aftermath-doolittle-raid-reexamined.htm

Japan’s approximately three-month terror campaign infuriated the Chinese military, who recognized it as a byproduct of a raid meant to boost American morale. In a cable to the U.S. government, General Chiang Kai-shek claimed the Doolittle strike cost his nation 250,000 lives. “After they had been caught unawares by the falling of American bombs on Tokyo, Japanese troops attacked the coastal areas of China, where many of the American fliers had landed. These Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas,” Chiang wrote. “Let me repeat—these Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas.”

@Zoins said:

@JBK said:
I didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school.

I also didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school. I was first introduced to it in the movie "Pearl Harbor" and the read about it on Wikipedia afterwards:

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

Of note:

"The bombing raid killed about 50 people, including civilians, and injured 400."

"Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union."

"Of the 80 crew members, 77 initially survived the mission."

"The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers."

The following describes the results of the raid. The Chinese loss of life for helping the Americans is staggering. I think their memory should be saluted and never forgotten as well, including the children.

From Dick Cole's response to the interview question "What happened to the Chinese?"

We couldn’t have done it without their help. They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.

From Wikipedia:

The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale. In Japan, it raised doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands, but the bombing and strafing of civilians also steeled the resolve to gain retribution and was exploited for propaganda purposes.[6] It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific—an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers.[6]

From cable to the U.S. government from China:

https://www.historynet.com/aftermath-doolittle-raid-reexamined.htm

Japan’s approximately three-month terror campaign infuriated the Chinese military, who recognized it as a byproduct of a raid meant to boost American morale. In a cable to the U.S. government, General Chiang Kai-shek claimed the Doolittle strike cost his nation 250,000 lives. “After they had been caught unawares by the falling of American bombs on Tokyo, Japanese troops attacked the coastal areas of China, where many of the American fliers had landed. These Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas,” Chiang wrote. “Let me repeat—these Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas.”

The Japanese killed over 300,000 Chinese in the mid to late 1930s before the war. most were civilians, women, elderly and children. This was before the raid. It was about natural resources as much as anything else.

The Japanese have a history of abusing the Chinese but the growth of China has the Japanese in a tough spot from an economic standpoint.

Zoins · July 7, 2019 8:15AM

@oldgoldlover said:

@Zoins said:

@JBK said:
I didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school.

I also didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school. I was first introduced to it in the movie "Pearl Harbor" and the read about it on Wikipedia afterwards:

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

Of note:

"The bombing raid killed about 50 people, including civilians, and injured 400."

"Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union."

"Of the 80 crew members, 77 initially survived the mission."

"The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers."

The following describes the results of the raid. The Chinese loss of life for helping the Americans is staggering. I think their memory should be saluted and never forgotten as well, including the children.

From Dick Cole's response to the interview question "What happened to the Chinese?"

We couldn’t have done it without their help. They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.

From Wikipedia:

The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale. In Japan, it raised doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands, but the bombing and strafing of civilians also steeled the resolve to gain retribution and was exploited for propaganda purposes.[6] It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific—an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers.[6]

From cable to the U.S. government from China:

https://www.historynet.com/aftermath-doolittle-raid-reexamined.htm

Japan’s approximately three-month terror campaign infuriated the Chinese military, who recognized it as a byproduct of a raid meant to boost American morale. In a cable to the U.S. government, General Chiang Kai-shek claimed the Doolittle strike cost his nation 250,000 lives. “After they had been caught unawares by the falling of American bombs on Tokyo, Japanese troops attacked the coastal areas of China, where many of the American fliers had landed. These Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas,” Chiang wrote. “Let me repeat—these Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas.”

@Zoins said:

@JBK said:
I didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school.

I also didn't learn about the Doolittle Raid in school. I was first introduced to it in the movie "Pearl Harbor" and the read about it on Wikipedia afterwards:

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

Of note:

"The bombing raid killed about 50 people, including civilians, and injured 400."

"Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union."

"Of the 80 crew members, 77 initially survived the mission."

"The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers."

The following describes the results of the raid. The Chinese loss of life for helping the Americans is staggering. I think their memory should be saluted and never forgotten as well, including the children.

From Dick Cole's response to the interview question "What happened to the Chinese?"

We couldn’t have done it without their help. They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.

From Wikipedia:

The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale. In Japan, it raised doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands, but the bombing and strafing of civilians also steeled the resolve to gain retribution and was exploited for propaganda purposes.[6] It also contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway Island in the Central Pacific—an attack that turned into a decisive strategic defeat of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy in the Battle of Midway. The consequences were most severely felt in China, where Japanese reprisals caused the deaths of 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers.[6]

From cable to the U.S. government from China:

https://www.historynet.com/aftermath-doolittle-raid-reexamined.htm

Japan’s approximately three-month terror campaign infuriated the Chinese military, who recognized it as a byproduct of a raid meant to boost American morale. In a cable to the U.S. government, General Chiang Kai-shek claimed the Doolittle strike cost his nation 250,000 lives. “After they had been caught unawares by the falling of American bombs on Tokyo, Japanese troops attacked the coastal areas of China, where many of the American fliers had landed. These Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas,” Chiang wrote. “Let me repeat—these Japanese troops slaughtered every man, woman, and child in those areas.”

The Japanese killed over 300,000 Chinese in the mid to late 1930s before the war. most were civilians, women, elderly and children. This was before the raid. It was about natural resources as much as anything else.

The Japanese have a history of abusing the Chinese but the growth of China has the Japanese in a tough spot from an economic standpoint.

R. J. Rummel, a professor of political science at the University of Hawaii, estimated that the Japanese killed over 10.2 million Chinese through the course of the war between the 2 countries, with approximately 3.9 million from 1937–45, the period of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Pretty horrifying. The relationships between countries in Asia is interesting and long standing as they have numerous open issues with each other. The long-lasting conflicts reminds me of the multi-century conflicts in Western Europe, which thankfully don't happen any more.

The Doolittle Raid was important to help US morale but we shouldn't forget the 250,000 civilians and 70,000 soldiers who were killed in the aftermath. One reason for the high death toll is that the Japanese didn't want similar US attacks with Chinese support in the future. Dick Cole said the mission wouldn't have been doable without the Chinese who protected American crews and we should be thankful to them for saving American lives. Of the 75 that landed in China (5 landed in Russia), 8 were captured by the Japanese. Of the 80 total crew, at least 70 were able to return to the US or other territories.

The economic growth of China now is interesting, not only with respect to Japan but also Europe. US trade deficits with China and Hong Kong are in the news now, but are both also related to the events in 1842 when the British won the First Opium War, started over the British selling drugs into China to offset trade deficits. Hong Kong was transferred to the British at the end of the conflict. Wikipedia notes "In China, the war is considered the beginning of modern Chinese history." It's interesting to think the start of US history focuses on a win against the British but the start of modern Chinese history starts with a loss to the British.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Opium_War

Here's a UK medal I was following that commemorates their win in that war. It sold for over $26k on an estimate of $4k-$8k.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/982919/china-defeated-1842#latest

From a coin perspective, I just realized one of my Seated Dollars is from 1842. Never made that connection before.

Zoins · July 7, 2019 9:10AM

Here's a great website by the son of one of the pilots, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Outcalt Joyce.

It has a profile page for each raider. The profile page for Colonel Richard E. Cole includes a letter he wrote detailing his experience which I've transcribed below:

Website: http://www.doolittleraider.com/
Cole Pofile: http://www.doolittleraider.com/raiders/cole.htm

R. E. COLE
RT. 1 BOX 33
ALAMO, TX 78516

September 17, 1973

Dear Doctor Fossier,

An authentic publication concerning the raid is "The Tokyo Raiders" by C.V.Glines. This book contains all the general information concerning the raid which you can read and which I will suppletment with my personal experience.

As we ran out of gasoline we bailed out in order of gunner, bombadier, navigator, co-pilot and pilot. We were flying on instruments at approximately 9,000 feet at night with moderate to heavy rain. Our indicated air speed was approximately 166 miles an hour and so on the indication of fuel warning lights; we bailed out. At that speed there was considerable distance between each crewman. I was fortunate in that I never touched the ground. My parachute drifted over a tall pine tree and caught on top leaving me about 10 feet off the ground. I carried a flashlight, but due to fog and heavy rain; it was practically useless, so I decided to spend the night in the tree rather than look around. I cut the seat away from my parachute and made a hammock out of the canopy and tried to sleep the rest of the night, without much luck. At day-break I was able to see that the terrain was very rough and had I tried to look around at night; probably would have fallen down a very steep hill. After eating one of the chocolate bars that I carried with me; I oriented myself with my compass and started walking in a westerly direction, keeping to the high ridges. During the whole time, I saw one woodcutter at quite some distance who seemed not to notice me. About 4 O'clock the next day, I came out into a type of clearing on top of a high bluff which over looked a small housing compound which had the Chinese National flag flying above it. Being dubious at first, then decided to descend the hillside and at that time made contact with an outpost of Chinese Nationalist guerillas who were operating behind Japanese lines. I discovered that General Doolittle had arrived there first and had been taken to another outpost where they also took me. The rest of the crew were rescued and brought to the same assembly point. We remained there a few days and then started toward an unknown point where the Chinese would try to get us back into free China. We traveled by foot, horse, bus and seating chair. We finally arrived at a point on a large river where we waited until early the next morning. At that time we were smuggled aboard a river boat. The boat proceeded down stream for about an hour and on several occasions, Japanese boats shined lights on us, but luckily we were not challenged. A short time later we came to an intersection of two rivers. We had been traveling more or less south east, at the intersection we turned west. We proceeded in this direction and eventually arrived at the town of Hang Yang. After a short stay at Hang Yang, a U.S. C 47 airplane from the provisional capital of Chungking flew in and picked us up and took us to Chungking.

R. E. Cole

DIMEMAN · July 7, 2019 11:32AM

Great story and you are so fortunate to have his picture and autograph. I'm sure you will treasure that always.

asheland · July 8, 2019 10:35AM

Great story!

Zoins · July 14, 2019 12:37AM

How can we relate this to coins?

Well, get this....

Oscar Henry Dodson was aboard the USS Hornet when the Doolittle Raid took off from its decks. The USS Hornet was sunk in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands from October 25-27, 1942. During that battle, Lieutenant Commander Oscar Henry Dodson received the Silver Star award for re-establishing radio and visual communications after they were shut down by enemy fire and also entering a compartment with an unexploded bomb to destroy secret documents before the ship was sunk by the enemy during the battle. Dodson later became a Rear Admiral and then President of the ANA! Of note, Dodson's wife, Polly, was a Red Cross Grey Lady during WWII and appointed to the US Assay Commission by President Kennedy. They really were members of the Greatest Generation, coins and all.

A tribute to an American hero.

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