On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25s under the command of General James Doolittle avenged the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Doolittle Raid struck a hugs psychological blow to the Empire of Japan. Doolittle’s Raiders had to launch their raid hundreds of miles early, and the Doolittle Raiders believed there was a good chance they would have to ditch in the ocean. Doolittle’s Raiders caught a fortunate tail wind and made it to mainland China. Several of the Doolittle Raiders’ B-25s crashed off the shore of the province where I used to work in China. Doolittle’s crew bailed out near Tianmushan Mountain, also near where I used to live. And many of the other Doolittle Raiders’ B-25s crashed into the mountains around modern day Quzhou, the target airfield for the Doolittle Raiders to land. My wife and I did field research of those planes – #3 and #14 (in the order of takeoff).
Free Book on Sunday – April 18.
The story of the Doolittle’s Raiders in China is little known. I am posting my book “When Thunder Comes” for free on the anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid – April 18. I have always been a lover of peace and would like people to know more about how the American and Chinese people worked together during WWII. I met many wonderful people whose family helped evacuate the Doolittle Raiders back in 1942. I will never forget them.
If you would like to see some of the photographs of my research, you can visit the following link on my website.
If you read the book and would like to know more about this incredible harrowing time you can leave a comment below. Consider buying the book and leaving a review if you enjoyed the amazing story of the Doolittle Raiders and their Chinese rescuers.
C.E.Wheeler 