The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, on Saturday, April 18, 1942,
was an air raid by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other
locations on the island of Honshu during World War II, the first air strike to strike
the Japanese Home Islands. It demonstrated that Japan itself was vulnerable to
American air attack, served as retaliation for the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941, and provided an important boost to
American morale. The raid was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James
"Jimmy" Doolittle (below) of the United States Army Air Forces.

Mission commander Jimmy Doolittle (left front) with members
of his Tokyo Raiders. 

Jimmy Doolittle in his North American B-25B

On May 19, 1942, President Roosevelt bestows Congressional
Medal of Honor on Brigadier General James Doolittle for the
successful raid on Tokyo.

James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle
(December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993)