Doolittle Raid

battle_name=Doolittle Raid

Execution

Sixteen North American Aviation B-25Bs were loaded onto USS Hornet, with 500 lb (230 kg) bombs and extra fuel tanks but with reduced guns. The planes were arranged on the flight deck in the order of launch and secured. The Hornet left port on April 2 and met with USS Enterprise in mid-ocean. The two carriers proceeded together with a fourteen vessel escort towards the launch point.

Related Topics:
North American Aviation - USS ''Hornet'' - April 2 - USS ''Enterprise''

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The bombers, however, were launched while the task force was still 800 miles (1,500 km) from Japan rather than the desired 450 to 650 miles, on April 18. The task force had spotted an enemy patrol boat, and although the patrol boat was sunk by U.S. gunfire, it was decided to launch the planes at once in case the patrol boat had radioed a warning message. All the B-25s reached the Japanese islands, dropped their bombs on oil stores, factory areas, and military installations in Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagoya, and then headed out across the East China Sea.

Related Topics:
April 18 - Tokyo - Yokohama - Nagoya - East China Sea

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The raiders, however, were facing numerous challenges: night was approaching, the planes began running low on fuel, and the weather was getting bad rapidly. The crews realized they could not reach the Chinese airfields and had the choice of either bailing out, ditching at sea, or crash-landing. One plane landed at Vladivostok where its crew was interned by the Russians.

Related Topics:
Ditching at sea - Vladivostok - Russians

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