http://www.westernjournalism.com/trump-calls-last-surviving-member-doolittle-raiders-thank-service/
President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Sunday with Lt. Col. Dick Cole, the last surviving member of the famed Doolittle Raiders, the White House said Monday in a statement.
Trump “offered his best wishes and support to this 101-year-old veteran who was recently injured,” the White House said.
“The President congratulated Lt. Col. Cole on his courage, thanked him for his service, and wished him a full recovery in advance of his upcoming 102nd birthday,” the statement read.
Cole reportedly suffered a broken shoulder and elbow in late May.
During WWII, Cole served as co-pilot of the lead B-25 bomber, piloted by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, during an April 18, 1942, raid on Tokyo just months after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
According to Cole, the raid was designed to achieve two objectives. “One was to let the Japanese people know their leaders were not being truthful by saying Japan couldn’t be bombed by air. The other was to give the Allies, and particularly the United States, a morale shot in the arm,” he told HistoryNet in a 2016 interview.
http://www.westernjournalism.com/trump-calls-last-surviving-member-doolittle-raiders-thank-service/
“The damage we did wasn’t much. But the raid caused the Japanese to bring back forces from down around Australia and India and concentrate their power in the Central Pacific. They also transferred two carriers to Alaska, and that evened the odds with the U.S. Navy at Midway. Japanese naval forces were at a disadvantage from then on. It was a turning point in the war,” Cole explained.
Cole and the Doolittle Raiders “launched their aircraft knowing that they would not have enough fuel to return to friendly territory,” the White House statement said.
Every member of the Doolittle Raiders volunteered to go on the mission. “We knew it would be dangerous, but that’s all,” Cole said.
Doolittle offered every member of the volunteer force an opportunity to drop out of the mission, without any repercussions. “There were no takers,” Cole said.
It was the first combat mission for Doolittle, Cole and every other member of the crew.
Cole and his crew bailed out over China after the raid, where they received help from Chinese soldiers and civilians, as well as an American missionary based in China at the time.
Cole said the Chinese were instrumental in keeping the Japanese from capturing him and the rest of the crew.
“We couldn’t have done it without their help,” Cole said of the Chinese. “They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.”
Cole received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his involvement in the mission, but he’s never considered himself a hero.
“No, we were just doing our job, part of the big picture, and happy that what we did was helpful. We couldn’t have done it without the Navy. They risked two of their carriers and quite an armada,” he said.
“President Trump appreciates the service and sacrifice of all veterans as we celebrate Independence Day,” the White House said Monday.
President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Sunday with Lt. Col. Dick Cole, the last surviving member of the famed Doolittle Raiders, the White House said Monday in a statement.
Trump “offered his best wishes and support to this 101-year-old veteran who was recently injured,” the White House said.
“The President congratulated Lt. Col. Cole on his courage, thanked him for his service, and wished him a full recovery in advance of his upcoming 102nd birthday,” the statement read.
Cole reportedly suffered a broken shoulder and elbow in late May.
During WWII, Cole served as co-pilot of the lead B-25 bomber, piloted by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, during an April 18, 1942, raid on Tokyo just months after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
According to Cole, the raid was designed to achieve two objectives. “One was to let the Japanese people know their leaders were not being truthful by saying Japan couldn’t be bombed by air. The other was to give the Allies, and particularly the United States, a morale shot in the arm,” he told HistoryNet in a 2016 interview.
http://www.westernjournalism.com/trump-calls-last-surviving-member-doolittle-raiders-thank-service/
“The damage we did wasn’t much. But the raid caused the Japanese to bring back forces from down around Australia and India and concentrate their power in the Central Pacific. They also transferred two carriers to Alaska, and that evened the odds with the U.S. Navy at Midway. Japanese naval forces were at a disadvantage from then on. It was a turning point in the war,” Cole explained.
Cole and the Doolittle Raiders “launched their aircraft knowing that they would not have enough fuel to return to friendly territory,” the White House statement said.
Every member of the Doolittle Raiders volunteered to go on the mission. “We knew it would be dangerous, but that’s all,” Cole said.
Doolittle offered every member of the volunteer force an opportunity to drop out of the mission, without any repercussions. “There were no takers,” Cole said.
It was the first combat mission for Doolittle, Cole and every other member of the crew.
Cole and his crew bailed out over China after the raid, where they received help from Chinese soldiers and civilians, as well as an American missionary based in China at the time.
Cole said the Chinese were instrumental in keeping the Japanese from capturing him and the rest of the crew.
“We couldn’t have done it without their help,” Cole said of the Chinese. “They did everything they could to keep the Japanese from capturing our crews. But according to historians, the Japanese killed over 250,000 people.”
Cole received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his involvement in the mission, but he’s never considered himself a hero.
“No, we were just doing our job, part of the big picture, and happy that what we did was helpful. We couldn’t have done it without the Navy. They risked two of their carriers and quite an armada,” he said.
“President Trump appreciates the service and sacrifice of all veterans as we celebrate Independence Day,” the White House said Monday.
