The Doolittle Raid
At a time when their army and naval forces were advancing all over Asia and the Pacific, the Japanese got a shock when North-American B-25B Mitchells, led by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, bombed Tokyo on April 18, 1942. The bombers were launched from the deck of the aircraft carrier Hornet, and after striking their targets, flew on to China. Most of their crews eventually made it back to the United States.
This image was taken on the USS Hornet (CV-8) while en route to the mission’s launching point.
Photo: U.S. Naval Historical Center
