Home > Upcoming > Doolittle Tokyo Raid 75th Anniversary

Upcoming

Featured Links


Plan Your Visit
E-newsletter Sign-up
Explore Museum Exhibits
Browse Photos
Visit Press Room
Become a Volunteer
Air Force Museum Foundation

Social Media

B-25 Mitchell bombers to highlight events B-25 Mitchell bombers to highlight events

B-25 Mitchell bombers to highlight events

75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid
Doolittle Tokyo Raid Doolittle Tokyo Raid

Doolittle Tokyo Raid

75th Anniversary
B-25 Mitchell bombers to highlight events B-25 Mitchell bombers to highlight events

B-25 Mitchell bombers to highlight events

75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid
75th Anniversary 75th Anniversary

Doolittle Tokyo Raid

75th Anniversary

75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid

On April 18, 1942, 80 men achieved the unimaginable when they took off from an aircraft carrier on a top secret mission to bomb Japan. These men, led by Lt. Col. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, came to be known as the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders.

 

Today, just one of the men survive: Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” E. Cole, who served as Doolittle’s co-pilot on Crew Number 1. Cole, now 101 years old, plans to return to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in April to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the raid and to pay tribute to fellow Raider SSgt. David Thatcher, who passed away in 2016.

 

Current plans include 17 B-25 bombers on static display on the runway behind the museum on April 17-18, B-25 flyover prior to the start of a memorial service on 18 April, B-1 flyover at the conclusion of the memorial service, book signings by several authors, and special film screening on the evening of April 18 of “Doolittle’s Raiders:  The Final Toast.” 

See the full schedule below.

Previous Event Photos

"One Hundred Years A Hero," a new biopic documenting the extraordinary life and career of Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard E. Cole, will premiere April 22, 2016, in the Air Force Museum Theatre. (Photo provided) Doolittle Raider Lt. Col. Richard Cole presents the Raiders’ Congressional Gold Medal to Museum Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Hudson. The medal is on display in the museum’s World War II Gallery in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Niki Jahns) Doolittle Raider Lt. Col. Richard Cole presents the Raiders’ Congressional Gold Medal to Museum Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Hudson. The medal is on display in the museum’s World War II Gallery in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Niki Jahns) Doolittle Raiders Lt. Col. Richard Cole, co-pilot of Crew No. 1, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, engineer-gunner of Crew No. 7, with the Congressional Gold Medal. The medal is on display in the museum’s World War II Gallery in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Doolittle Raiders Lt. Col. Dick Cole and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher pose with the Congressional Gold Medal after it arrived at Wright-Patterson AFB following a ceremonial flight on board the B-25 “Panchito.” (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas) Doolittle Raiders Lt. Col. Dick Cole and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher pose with the Congressional Gold Medal after it arrived at Wright-Patterson AFB following a ceremonial flight on board the B-25 “Panchito.” (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas) Doolittle Raiders Lt. Col. Dick Cole and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher pose with the Congressional Gold Medal after it arrived at Wright-Patterson AFB following a ceremonial flight on board the B-25 “Panchito.” (U.S. Air Force photo) Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association Sgt. at Arms Brian Anderson hands the Congressional Gold Medal to Doolittle Raiders Lt. Col. Dick Cole and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher after a ceremonial flight on board the B-25 “Panchito.” (U.S. Air Force photo)
Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association Sgt. at Arms Brian Anderson prepares to hand the Congressional Gold Medal to Doolittle Raiders Lt. Col. Dick Cole and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher after a ceremonial flight on board the B-25 “Panchito.” (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas) B-25 “Panchito,” owned by Larry Kelley and Lorie Thomsen, arrives at Wright-Patterson AFB following a ceremonial flight with the Doolittle Raiders Congressional Gold Medal on board. (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas) B-25 “Panchito,” owned by Larry Kelley and Lorie Thomsen, arrives at Wright-Patterson AFB following a ceremonial flight with the Doolittle Raiders Congressional Gold Medal on board. (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas) B-25 “Panchito,” owned by Larry Kelley and Lorie Thomsen, arrives at Wright-Patterson AFB following a ceremonial flight with the Doolittle Raiders Congressional Gold Medal on board. The aircraft was welcomed with a water arch by the Wright-Patterson AFB Fire Department. (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas)
DAYTON, Ohio -- Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Lt. Col. Richard Cole, co-pilot of Crew No. 1, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, engineer-gunner of Crew No. 7, see their Congressional Gold Medal for the first time on April 17, 2015. During a ceremony on April 18 at the museum, the medal will be presented to the museum for inclusion in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo) DAYTON, Ohio -- Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Lt. Col. Richard Cole, co-pilot of Crew No. 1, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, engineer-gunner of Crew No. 7, see their Congressional Gold Medal for the first time on April 17, 2015. During a ceremony on April 18 at the museum, the medal will be presented to the museum for inclusion in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo) DAYTON, Ohio -- Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Lt. Col. Richard Cole, co-pilot of Crew No. 1, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, engineer-gunner of Crew No. 7, see their Congressional Gold Medal for the first time on April 17, 2015. During a ceremony on April 18 at the museum, the medal will be presented to the museum for inclusion in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo) DAYTON, Ohio -- Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association Sgt. at Arms Brian "Bear" Anderson shows Raiders Lt. Col. Richard Cole, co-pilot of Crew No. 1, and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, engineer-gunner of Crew No. 7, their Congressional Gold Medal for the first time on April 17, 2015. During a ceremony on April 18 at the museum, the medal will be presented to the museum for inclusion in the Doolittle Raid exhibit. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Washington D.C. -- National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Hudson speaks to guests at the Doolittle Raiders Congressional Gold Medal Presentation at Emancipation Hall where he accepted the medal on behalf of the Raiders on April 15, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo) Washington D.C. -- National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Hudson accepts the Doolittle Raiders Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the Raiders on April 15, 2015. (left to right) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Museum Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Hudson, Representative Pete Olson (R-TX-22nd District), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). (U.S. Air Force photo)

Event Schedule

(All activities are subject to change).


April 17

 

10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.     B-25 bombers on static display

                                     Location:  Runway behind the museum

                                     Enter grounds through gate at the corner of Col Glenn Hwy & Spinning Rd

 

Throughout Day         Author Book signings*

                                     Location:  Air Force Museum Store

                                     Authors include:

                                     Stan Cohen, "Destination Tokyo"
                                             James Scott, "Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor"

             Frank Goldstein, "The Last Reunion: A Salute to The Jimmy Doolittle Tokyo Raiders"

             Dennis Okerstrom, "Dick Cole's War: Doolittle Raider, Hump Pilot, Air Commando"

 

April 18

 

9 a.m. – 12 p.m.          B-25 bombers on static display

                                     Location:  Runway behind the museum

                                     Enter grounds through gate at the corner of Col Glenn Hwy & Spinning Rd

                                     All vehicles must be removed from runway grounds by 12 p.m.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.          Public Commemorative postmark cancellation
                                     Location: NMUSAF gift shop

 

2:15 p.m.                     B-25 bomber flyover

             Location:  Memorial Park

 

2:30 p.m.                     Memorial Service and Wreath Laying

             Location:  Memorial Park

 

Approx. 3:15 p.m.      B-1 bomber flyover from the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons

                                     Location:  Memorial Park

 

Throughout Day         Author Book signings*

                                      Location:  Air Force Museum Store

              Authors include:

              Stan Cohen, "Destination Tokyo"

                 James Scott, "Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor"

              Frank Goldstein, "The Last Reunion: A Salute to The Jimmy Doolittle Tokyo Raiders"

              Dennis Okerstrom, "Dick Cole's War: Doolittle Raider, Hump Pilot, Air Commando"

               

 

6:30 p.m.                    “Doolittle’s Raiders:  The Final Toast”

                                    Living History Film Series presented by Mr. W. Craig Willan*

            Location:  Air Force Museum Theatre

          Please note: This event is Sold Out

  • Event will be opened by Lt. Col. Dick Cole
  • Question and Answer session following film screening with Cindy Cole Chal and Jim Bower (Raiders’ Children)        
  • A limited number of packages will include the book “Dick Cole’s War:  Doolittle Raider, Hump Pilot, Air Commando” signed by Lt. Col. Dick Cole

    Event ticket  $15.00      Book & event package $50.00
    Call (937) 253-4629 or click here to purchase tickets

Note:  All outdoor events are weather dependent. The memorial service will still take place indoors at the Carney Auditorium in the event of inclement weather.

 

* Air Force Museum Foundation hosted events.  Federal endorsement is not implied.

 
Updated 3/16/17

Area Lodging

For information on lodging in the area, please check with the local convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs):

Dayton/Montgomery County CVB
Greene County CVB
Butler County Visitors Bureau
Greater Springfield CVB
Miami County CVB
Warren County CVB

Security Notice

Please note that for security reasons, all bags are subject to search, and weapons are not permitted within the museum. In addition, all adults may be asked to show their picture identification card upon entering the museum.

Media Registration

  Media interested in covering the 75th Anniversary of the

  Doolittle Tokyo Raid must register here.

  All media must have credentials from a news organization.


75th Anniversary News

Doolittle Raider Videos