On April 18, 1942, 16 American B-25 bombers, launched from the
aircraft carrier USS Hornet 650 miles east of Japan and commanded
by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, attack the Japanese
mainland.
The now-famous Tokyo Raid did little real damage to Japan (wartime Premier Hideki Tojo was inspecting military bases during the raid;
one B-25 came so close, Tojo could see the pilot, though the
American bomber never fired a shot)–but it did hurt the Japanese government’s prestige. Believing the air raid had been launched
from Midway Island, approval was given to Admiral Isoroku
Yamamoto’s plans for an attack on Midway–which would also
damage Japanese “prestige.” Doolittle eventually received the
Medal of Honor.
James Harold Doolittle
(December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993)
