The Doolittle Raiders... RIP

Salute...

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Blue Skies, Sir.

I had the privilege to eat breakfast with, and listen to Lt. Col. Cole at Oshkosh 2017 during the Veteran's day/Tokyo Raider's Anniv./Midway Anniv/B-29 "Doc" celebration. A very friendly, knowledgeable, talkative gentleman. R.I.P. Sir.
 
Dad had been in the Coast Artillery Corps guarding San Francisco from enemy attack since January 1941, and after Pearl Harbor happened, and the rumors were flying about the hammering the US Pacific Fleet had taken there, he and his battery-mates were very well aware their efforts might have been called upon in earnest in the near future, with the Japanese Imperial Fleet now on the loose, with nothing between it and the West Coast. He told me after the Doolittle Raid happened everyone's early elation at what had happened was balanced by the conviction it was a near certainty they would very shortly see practically that entire Japanese fleet come over the horizon with the intention of getting even for what had happened over Tokyo. I guess everyone was thrilled with this event, but there were some in uniform who realized we needed to be more on guard than at any time previous to the raid.

As it turned out his educated guesswork wasn't too far off the mark. Midway had to happen first, though.
 
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