Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor

by Scott, James M.

  166 “One of the most vivid”: Thad Blanton, “We Bombed Japan,” Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics, Intelligence Reports, no. 17 (Oct. 1943): 8.

  166 “It would take more”: Kenneth Reddy diary, April 18, 1942.

  166 He kept his instructions brief: Greening, “The First Joint Action,” p. 26.

  166 “If all goes well”: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 272.

  166 “When we get to Chungking”: Ibid., p. 273.

  166 Across the task force: Field, “With the Task Force,” p. 90.

  166 “Listen, you fellows”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 45.

  166 Lieutenant Colonel Edward Alexander: Details of Alexander’s mission, unless otherwise noted, are drawn from the following sources: E. H. Alexander to Briefing Officer, First Special Aviation Project, June 17, 1942, Report of Flight Operations in Support of First Special Aviation Project, Microfilm Box 3200, Box 46, RG 407, Classified Decimal File, 1940–42, NARA; S. L. A. Marshall, “Tokyo Raid,” undated (ca. 1944), Box 1, RG 319, Records of the Army Staff, Historical Branch, Background Files to the Study “Tokyo Raid,” 1942–1944, NARA, pp. 62–64. A copy of Marshall’s report is also on file with the U.S. Army Center of Military History.

  167 “My instructions”: E. H. Alexander to Briefing Officer, First Special Aviation Project, June 17, 1942.

  167 “Signal transmitted”: Chungking msg. to AGWAR for AMMISCA, No. 524, April 16, 1942, Microfilm Roll #A1250, AFHRA.

  168 “Neither Lieut. Spurrier”: Clayton L. Bissell, Note for Record, Instructions Issued to Lieut. Spurrier, April 3, 1942, Microfilm Box 3200, Box 46, RG 407, Classified Decimal File, 1940–42, NARA.

  168 Spurrier’s plane crashed: Chungking msg. to AGWAR for AMMISCA, No. 524, April 16, 1942.

  168 Japanese bombers: Ibid., No. 446, April 2, 1942, and Chungking msg. to Adjutant General, No. 459, April 4, 1942, both in Microfilm Roll #A1250, AFHRA.

  168 Tokyo claimed: “China Offers Closest Belligerent Bases for an Aerial Assault on Japanese Capital,” New York Times, April 18, 1942, p. 3.

  168 “Three essential fields”: Joseph Stilwell diary, April 4, 1942, in White, ed., The Stilwell Papers, p. 81.

  168 “The surface weather”: E. H. Alexander to Briefing Officer, First Special Aviation Project, June 17, 1942.

  169 “It is to be particularly noted”: Ibid.

  169 Chiang Kai-shek had initially agreed: “Contributory Material Submitted to Lt. Col. Sam Marshall for His Story on Tokyo Raid,” undated (ca. 1943), p. 7, included in Doolittle Raid, Misc. Special Study, Iris #00116402, AFHRA. Pages 6–11 of this document include a detailed synopsis of the message traffic related to preparations for the raid that I depended on to construct this scene.

  169 prompting Chiang to urge: Ibid., p. 9.

  169 “Execution of first special mission”: George Marshall to AMMISCA, War Dept. No. 449, April 12, 1942, Box 51, RG 165, Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, NARA.

  169 “First project cannot”: Arnold msg. to AMMISCA, No. 461, April 13, 1942, Iris #00116401, AFHRA.

  169 Stilwell met with Chiang: Stilwell msg. to Adj. Gen., No. 522, April 15, 1942, ibid.; “Contributory Material Submitted to Lt. Col. Sam Marshall for His Story on Tokyo Raid,” undated (ca. 1943), p. 10.

  170 “We regret the apparent misunderstanding”: George Marshall to AMMISCA, War Dept. No. 479, April 15, 1942, Box 51, RG 165, Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, NARA.

  170 “The project is now”: Ibid.

  170 “Please report”: Ibid.

  170 Chiang’s repeated objections: Memorandum for the President, First Special Bombing Mission (China), April 16, 1942, Box 55, RG 165, Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, NARA.

  170 “I want personally”: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Memorandum to the War Department Classified Message Center, Far Eastern Situation, April 17, 1942, Box 51, ibid.; Chief of Staff (Marshall) to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, April 17, 1942, in U.S. Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, China, p. 32.

  171 “Desire that there be no”: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Memorandum to the War Department Classified Message Center, Far Eastern Situation, April 18, 1942, Box 51, RG 165, Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, NARA.

  CHAPTER 10

  172 “Measures now in hand”: Franklin Roosevelt to Winston Churchill, April 16, 1942, in Warren F. Kimball, ed., Churchill & Roosevelt: The Complete Correspondence, vol. 1, Alliance Emerging, October 1933–November 1942 (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1984), p. 455.

  172 The darkened task force: Enterprise and Hornet deck logs, April 18, 1942; Enterprise war diary, April 18, 1942; Task Force Sixteen war diary, April 18, 1942, Box 61.

  172 throughout the carrier: Field, “With the Task Force,” p. 90.

  172 “Two enemy surface”: Ibid.

  173 Halsey ordered: Task Force Sixteen war diary, April 18, 1942.

  173 The contacts faded: Enterprise deck log, April 18, 1942; Enterprise war diary, April 18, 1942.

  173 Low broken clouds: M. F. Leslie to Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Enterprise, Reports of Action, April 19, 1942, Box 386, RG 38 Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, World War II Action and Operational Reports, NARA.

  173 “Went on deck”: Robert Casey diary, April 18, 1942, in Casey, Torpedo Junction, p. 426.

  173 “The sea was rough”: Kenneth Reddy diary, April 18, 1942.

  173 Lieutenant j.g. Osborne Wiseman: Excerpts of War Diary, VB-3, for April 1942, included with “The Navy’s Share of the Tokyo Raid,” Box 118, RG 38, NHHC, WWII Command Files, NARA.

  173 Halsey again: Task Force Sixteen war diary, April 18, 1942; Hornet deck log, April 18, 1942.

  173 “Three enemy carriers”: Military History Section, Headquarters, Army Forces Far East, “Homeland Defense Naval Operations: December 1941–March 1943,” Japanese Monograph #109, pt. 1, 1953, p. 8.

  173 The Nashville sounded: Details on the Nashville’s engagement are drawn from Nashville war diary, April 18, 1942, Box 1249, RG 38, Records of the Chief of Naval Operations, World War II War Diaries, NARA; F. S. Craven to Chester Nimitz, “Report of Sinking of Two Enemy Patrol Boats on 18 April, 1942,” April 21, 1942, Box 1264, RG 38, Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, World War II Action and Operational Reports, NARA; W. Kirten Jr., “Report by Gunnery Officer on Firing at Japanese Patrol Boats on 18 April, 1942,” April 19, 1942, ibid.

  174 “Terrific barrage”: Robert Casey diary, April 18, 1942, in Casey, Torpedo Junction, p. 426.

  174 “Her guns blazed”: Field, “With the Task Force,” p. 91.

  174 “I remember thinking”: Sutherland oral history interview with the Navy, May 14, 1943.

  174 “Well, if it’s all”: Ibid.

  174 “I could see the salvos”: The Reminiscences of Captain Stephen Jurika, Jr., vol. 1, p. 466.

  175 “What’s going on?”: Holstrom, “General Recollections,” p. 32.

  175 The Nashville’s thunderclap: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 7.

  175 “The whole side”: DeShazer oral history interview with Hasdorff, Oct. 10, 1989.

  175 Eight Enterprise fighters: Lundstrom, The First Team, pp. 149–50.

  175 Enterprise bomber pilot: Report of U.S. Aircraft Action with Enemy by Ensign J. Q. Roberts, A-V(N), USNR, included with M. F. Leslie to Commander in Chief, United States Fleet, Report of Action, April 18, 1942, Box 386, RG 38, Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, World War II Action and Operational Reports, NARA; Bombing Squadron Three war diary, April 18, 1942.

  175 “Liquidation of enemy”: R. W. Mehle, “U.S. Aircraft—Action with Enemy,” April 18, 1942, Box 436, RG 38, Records of the Office of the Chi
ef of Naval Operations, World War II Action and Operational Reports, NARA.

  175 “a bloodthirsty”: Lundstrom, The First Team, p. 150.

  175 The Nitto Maru erupted: Nashville war diary, April 18, 1942; F. S. Craven to Chester Nimitz, “Report of Sinking of Two Enemy Patrol Boats on 18 April, 1942,” April 21, 1942.

  176 “Expenditure of 915 rounds”: F. S. Craven to Chester Nimitz, “Report of Sinking of Two Enemy Patrol Boats on 18 April, 1942,” April 21, 1942.

  176 “It looks like”: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 4.

  176 “Launch planes”: Ibid.

  176 “Now hear this!”: Ibid.

  176 Ross Greening had just: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 22; McElroy, “When We Were One,” p. 28.

  176 “I happened to be”: Sims, First over Japan, p. 26.

  176 “Would you help”: The Reminiscences of Rear Admiral Henry L. Miller, vol. 1, p. 40.

  176 “We had spent months”: C. Jay Nielsen, “Doolittle Fliers’ Saga of Living Death: First Day Was Bad But the Worst Was Yet to Come,” News and Courier, Sept. 16, 1945, p. 3.

  177 Davy Jones had suffered: David M. Jones, Narrative Report, May 15, 1942; Jones oral history interview with Hasdorff, Jan. 13–14, 1987.

  177 Ross Greening ordered: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 23.

  177 “When the alarm sounded”: Carrol V. Glines, The Doolittle Raid: America’s Daring First Strike against Japan (Atglen, Pa.: Schiffer Military/Aviation History, 1991), p. 114.

  177 “Hey”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 48.

  177 “I wish to hell”: Ted W. Lawson, “Thirty Seconds over Tokyo,” pt. 2, Collier’s, May 29, 1943, p. 82.

  177 Crews knew: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 5.

  177 “Captain Greening”: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 23.

  177 “I wasn’t concerned”: Potter oral history interview with Hasdorff, June 8–10, 1979.

  177 “The way things are now”: Eierman, “I Helped Bomb Japan,” p. 66.

  178 “This couldn’t have”: Macia oral history interview with Hasdorff, July 15–16, 1987.

  178 “Not a man withdrew”: Eierman, “I Helped Bomb Japan,” p. 66.

  178 “What the hell”: Holstrom, “General Recollections,” p. 32.

  178 “We just got one chance”: Watson, DeShazer, p. 26.

  178 “We knew that the pilots”: The Reminiscences of Rear Admiral Henry L. Miller, vol. 1, p. 41.

  178 “I was scared”: Carl R. Wildner, “The First of Many,” American Man 1, no. 2 (Jan. 1966): 9.

  179 “It’s the only time”: “Halsey Remembers Day Doolittle Struck Tokyo,” Arizona Daily Star, April 18, 1959, p. B1.

  179 “It sure was windy!”: Russell, No Right to Win, p. 18.

  179 “Look at me”: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 275.

  179 “We all stood around”: Eierman, “I Helped Bomb Japan,” p. 66.

  179 “Hornet preparing”: Field, “With the Task Force,” p. 91.

  179 “Sailors, like stockbrokers”: Alvin B. Kernan, Crossing the Line: A Bluejacket’s Odyssey in World War II (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2007), p. 47.

  180 “Everything all right”: This exchange comes from Reynolds, The Amazing Mr. Doolittle, pp. 203–4.

  180 The time required: The Reminiscences of Captain Stephen Jurika, Jr., vol. 1, pp. 471–72.

  180 The bomber roared: All bomber takeoff times come from J. H. Doolittle, Report on the Aerial Bombing of Japan, June 5, 1942.

  180 “The scream of those two engines”: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 24.

  180 “He’ll never make it”: Field, “With the Task Force,” p. 91.

  180 “Doolittle’s gone”: Chas. L. McClure as told to William Shinnick, “How We Bombed Tokio: Flyers Locate Targets,” Chicago Daily Tribune, April 29, 1943, p. 2.

  180 “Yes!”: McElroy, “When We Were One,” p. 29.

  180 “The shout that went up”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 8.

  181 “First bomber off”: Robert Casey diary, April 18, 1942, in Casey, Torpedo Junction, p. 426.

  181 In the skies overhead: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 7; Potter oral history interview with Hasdorff, June 8–10, 1979.

  181 “I was running out of deck”: Hoover oral history interview with Hasdorff, June 20–21, 1988.

  181 “Up! Up!”: McElroy, “When We Were One,” p. 29.

  181 “I felt wonderful”: Hoover oral history interview with Hasdorff, June 20–21, 1988.

  181 “kangaroo”: Sutherland oral history interview with the Navy, May 14, 1943.

  181 “They are the most comfortable”: “Details of Individual Adventures in China: For Possible Use of Bureau of Public Relations,” included with Cooper, “The Doolittle Air Raid on Japan,” June 22, 1942.

  181 “We watched his plane”: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 24.

  182 “He got away with it”: Henry L. Miller to D. B. Duncan, May 7, 1942, Report on Temporary Additional Duty Assignment.

  182 “Nice take-off, Ski”: This exchange comes from Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, p. 3. Despite York’s claim, Miller’s records show he made at least one practice takeoff at Eglin.

  182 “It seemed like”: William R. Pound, “We Bombed ‘The Land of the Dwarfs,’” in Glines, Doolittle’s Tokyo Raiders, pp. 240–41.

  182 “I could see many faces”: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 24.

  182 “Sailors, slipping”: Robert “Bobby” L. Hite, “Doolittle Raider and Japanese POW,” in Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, comp., Just Doing My Job: Stories from Service in World War II (Santa Monica, Calif.: Santa Monica Press, 2009), p. 43.

  182 “Give them hell”: DeShazer oral history interview with Hasdorff, Oct. 10, 1989; David Thatcher undated letter to author.

  182 “Help me get him”: Ibid.

  183 “The seaman’s arm”: George Barr, “Destination: Forty Months of Hell,” in Glines, Doolittle’s Tokyo Raiders, p. 307.

  183 “Should I tell”: DeShazer oral history interview with Hasdorff, Oct. 10, 1989.

  183 “When the last plane”: Press Release, Seventh Naval District, Public Relations Office, undated, Box 148, RG 428, General Records of the Department of the Navy, Office of Information Subject Files, 1940–1958, NARA.

  183 “We all cheered loudly”: Kernan, Crossing the Line, p. 48.

  183 “For a few minutes”: Field, “With the Task Force,” p. 91.

  183 “Quiet on the horizon”: Robert Casey diary, April 18, 1942, in Casey, Torpedo Junction, p. 426.

  183 The veteran aviator had tensed up: Taylor, The Magnificent Mitscher, p. 120.

  183 “With only one exception”: Marc Mitscher to Chester Nimitz, April 28, 1942, “Report of Action, April 18, 1942, with Notable Events Prior and Subsequent Thereto.”

  184 “The job that was done”: Frederick L. Riefkohl oral history interview with the Navy, Jan. 26, 1945, Box 24, RG 38, Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, World War II Oral Histories and Interviews, 1942–1946, NARA.

  184 “Without a doubt”: The Reminiscences of Rear Admiral Henry L. Miller, vol. 1, p. 44.

  184 “Take-off was easy”: James H. Doolittle, Personal Report, May 4, 1942, included as Appendix 1 to J. H. Doolittle, Report on the Aerial Bombing of Japan, June 5, 1942.

  184 He reviewed plans: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, pp. 7–8.

  184 “It never once occurred”: Richard Cole undated questionnaire, Box 1, Series II, DTRAP.

  184 “One time”: Ibid.

  184 Hoover spotted: Travis Hoover, Personal Report, May 15, 1942.

  185 “Why am I here”: Wildner, “The First of Many,” p. 10.

  185 “There was no rendezvous”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 54.

  185 some buzzing so low: McElroy, “When We Were One,” p. 30; Hite oral history interview with Hasdorff, Dec. 16–17, 1982.

  185 pilot Davy Jones: Joseph W. Manske, “Doolittle Raider Ha
d Close Calls,” Sunday Express-News, Aug. 11, 1985, p. 2L.

  185 “Well, boys”: Tedesco, “Thirty Seconds over Tokyo,” p. H1.

  185 “What in the world”: J. Michael Parker, “Doolittle Raid Changed Course of War for U.S.,” San Antonio Express-News, Dec. 1, 1991, p. 8W.

  185 “Being brought up”: Joseph Manske to Duane Schultz, Nov. 4, 1987, Box 4, Series II, DTRAP.

  185 The harried takeoff: Bert M. Jordan, Personal Report, May 5, 1942.

  185 Davy Jones realized his bomber: David M. Jones, Narrative Report, May 15, 1942; Eldred V. Scott, Personal Report, May 14, 1942.

  186 “We’ve got a hole”: This exchange comes from DeShazer oral history interview with Hasdorff, Oct. 10, 1989.

  186 “We’re entering the danger zone”: This exchange comes from Gene Casey, “Conversation over Kobe,” Collier’s, Sept. 5, 1942, p. 23.

  186 “A twin-engined land plane”: David M. Jones, Narrative Report, May 15, 1942.

  186 “It immediately dove”: Richard O. Joyce, Report of Tokyo Raid, undated (ca. May 1942).

  186 “Damn, boy”: Lawson, “Thirty Seconds over Tokyo,” pt. 2, Collier’s, May 29, p. 84.

  186 “Let’s drop one”: This exchange comes from Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 56.

  187 “A normal program”: Donald G. Smith, Personal Report, May 14, 1942.

  187 “That’s what you’ve”: Chase Nielsen oral history interview with Rick Randle, Feb. 22, 2005.

  187 “We kept going in”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 57.

  187 “We were too busy”: Nielsen, “Doolittle Fliers’ Saga of Living Death: First Day Was Bad,” p. 3.

  187 “Conversations were short”: Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, p. 4.

  187 “I thought about the stack”: Ibid.

  188 “Forty precious gallons”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 55.

  188 “Navy got jittery”: David Jones diary, April 18, 1942, Box 3, Series II, DTRAP.

  188 “Hey, Bob”: This exchange comes from Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, pp. 5–7.

  188 “Great”: David Pohl as told to Don Dwiggins, “We Crash Landed in Russia—and Escaped,” Cavalier, p. 12, in Box 5, Series II, DTRAP.

  188 The crew had few options: Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, p. 6.