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

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Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor Page 72

by Scott, James M.


  331 “His home was very lovely”: Kenneth Reddy diary, May 1, 1942.

  331 “I’ll bet”: William Bower diary, May 1, 1942.

  331 Born in Shanghai: Hannah Pakula, The Last Empress: Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the Birth of Modern China (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009), pp. 16–26; Seth Faison, “Madame Chiang Kai-shek, a Power in Husband’s China and Abroad, Dies at 105,” New York Times, Oct. 24, 2003, p. A15.

  331 “Scarlett O’Hara accent”: Pakula, The Last Empress, p. 24.

  331 “a clever, brainy woman”: Joseph Stilwell diary, April 1, 1942, in White, ed., The Stilwell Papers, p. 80.

  331 “Direct, forceful, energetic”: Ibid.

  331 “The Madame”: Kenneth Reddy diary, May 1, 1942.

  332 “It was”: Ibid.

  332 “He entered the room”: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 45.

  332 After lunch the raiders: Kenneth Reddy diary, May 1, 1942.

  332 “In order to get”: Ibid.

  332 “I had a bit”: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 44.

  332 “in a conspicuous place”: Kenneth Reddy diary, May 1, 1942.

  332 “This should make my girl”: Ibid.

  332 “The entire Chinese people”: Madame Chiang Kai-shek to the Valiant American Airmen Who Bombed Japan, May 4, 1942, in Jim Dustin, “Bombardier on Doolittle’s Plane Tells of Historic Flight over Tokio,” St. Petersburg Times, June 4, 1944, p. 25.

  333 “Praise be it”: William Bower diary, May 1, 1942.

  333 “almost as bad”: Ibid., April 30, 1942.

  333 Joseph Manske spent: Joseph Manske diary, April 30–May 2, 1942; Kenneth Reddy diary, April 30, 1942.

  333 The first group of twenty: Greening, Not As Briefed, p. 45; David Jones diary, April 26, 1942; Chungking to AGWAR, May 4, 1942, Microfilm Roll #A1250, AFHRA.

  333 Birch held a memorial: John M. Birch, Report on Death and Burial of Corporal Leland D. Faktor, United States Army Air Corps, included with Cooper, “The Doolittle Air Raid on Japan,” June 22, 1942.

  333 “Shall accept”: John M. Birch, Report on Activities in Ch’u Hsien (Also Called Chuchow), Chekiang, undated, included ibid.

  333 “On your truly wonderful”: Henry Arnold to AMMISCA, Chungking, China, April 22, 1942, Microfilm Roll #173, HHAP.

  333 “The President sends”: George Marshall to Joseph Stilwell, No. 527, April 22, 1942, Box 51, RG 165, Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, Office of the Director of Plans and Operations, NARA.

  334 Doolittle had learned: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, pp. 280–81.

  334 “He offered me a swig”: Ibid., p. 281.

  334 “We’re all as happy”: John Hilger diary, May 3, 1942, in Hilger, “On the Raid,” p. 100.

  334 Doolittle later: J. H. Doolittle to Clayton L. Bissell, July 25, 1942, Box 5, Merian C. Cooper Papers, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

  334 “My second in command”: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 281.

  334 “I realize you are”: Richard Cole to his parents, May 4, 1942, Richard E. Cole Collection, Vernon R. Alden Library, Ohio University.

  335 A forty-eight-year-old: Merian C. Cooper, State of Service and Bio, Official Military Personnel File, Iris #01155636, AFHRA; Merian Cooper to James Doolittle, April 7, 1971, Box 5, Merian C. Cooper Papers, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University; Dinitia Smith, “Getting That Monkey off His Creator’s Back,” New York Times, Aug. 13, 2005, p. B9.

  335 “T. E. Lawrence of the movies”: Smith, “Getting That Monkey off His Creator’s Back,” p. B9.

  335 “I can remember you well”: Merian Cooper to James Doolittle, April 7, 1971.

  335 “It seems that I have done”: John Hilger diary, May 5, 1942, in Glines, Doolittle’s Tokyo Raiders, p. 278.

  335 “Had it not been”: J. H. Doolittle to Mrs. Merian C. Cooper, May 21, 1942, Box 5, Merian C. Cooper Papers, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.

  335 “I told you”: Merian Cooper to James Doolittle, April 7, 1971.

  336 “I had used gold coins”: Ibid.

  336 “I told him”: Ibid.

  336 “I was pretty broken up”: Ibid.

  336 Ted Lawson’s condition: Unless otherwise noted, this scene is based on Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, pp. 107–67; Ted Lawson, “Thirty Seconds over Tokyo,” pt. 4, Collier’s, June 12, 1943, pp. 40–44; Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” pp. 29–51; Thomas White diary, April 25–May 17, 1942, in White, “The Hornet Stings Japan,” pp. 45–46; T. R. White to Air Surgeon, “Report of Activities Covering the Period from March 1, 1942, to June 16, 1942,” June 23, 1942.

  336 “I had no means”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 29.

  337 “Installing the splint”: Ibid.

  337 The magistrate brought: Thomas White diary, April 26, 1942, in White, “The Hornet Stings Japan,” p. 45; Charles L. McClure as told to William Shinnick, “How We Bombed Tokyo: Enemy Perils Flyers,” Chicago Daily Tribune, May 5, 1943, p. 2.

  337 “We all sent letters”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 30.

  337 “Ted stopped breathing”: Ibid.

  337 White dressed his wounds: Thomas White diary, April 29, 1942, in White, “The Hornet Stings Japan,” p. 45.

  337 “Lawson no better”: Thomas White diary, May 3, 1942, ibid.

  337 White wired Chunking: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 31.

  337 “By Monday Lawson”: Ibid.

  338 “Yeah”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 113.

  338 “Doc didn’t ask me”: Ibid.

  338 “That’s all I wanted to know”: Ibid.

  338 “Above the knee”: Ibid., p. 114.

  338 “If I did that”: Ibid.

  338 “We had to make our skin incision”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 31.

  338 “I couldn’t see any blood”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 115.

  339 “Doc stepped away”: Ted Lawson, “Thirty Seconds over Tokyo,” pt. 4, p. 41.

  339 “Just a few more now”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 116.

  339 “Just one more”: Ibid.

  339 “The next day”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 32.

  340 “It was screwy”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 117.

  340 “He is very sick”: Charles L. McClure as told to William Shinnick, “How We Bombed Tokyo: Raiders Turn to Bible,” Chicago Daily Tribune, May 3, 1943, p. 3.

  340 “We were all solemn”: Ibid.

  340 “Lawson’s temperature normal”: Thomas White diary, May 11, 1942, in White, “The Hornet Stings Japan,” p. 46.

  340 “Had three more dentistry patients”: Thomas White diary, May 9, 1942, ibid.

  340 “A keepsake to the officers”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 35.

  340 “Whatever people can say”: Thomas White diary, May 17, 1942, in White, “The Hornet Stings Japan,” p. 46.

  341 “We whooped and yelled”: Charles L. McClure as told to William Shinnick, “How We Bombed Tokyo: Fliers Cheer for Navy,” Chicago Daily Tribune, May 4, 1943, p. 3.

  341 “It looked like white rubber”: McClure as told to Shinnick, “How We Bombed Tokyo: Enemy Perils Flyers,” p. 2.

  341 “News not so good”: Thomas White diary, May 17, 1942, in White, “The Hornet Stings Japan,” p. 46.

  341 “I want to show you”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 125.

  341 “It was a new one”: Ibid.

  341 “We crossed the pontoon bridge”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” pp. 36–37.

  341 “Many of the hills”: Ibid., p. 37.

  342 “En route Chushien”: Ibid.

  342 “The spirit and pluck”: Ibid., p. 38.

  342 “See you in Chungking”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, pp. 127–28.

  342 “It seemed to me”: Ibid., p. 128.

&nb
sp; 342 “Welcome to American Air Heroes”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 39.

  342 “Shift him into high-blower!”: Ibid., pp. 39–40.

  342 “It’s no use”: Ibid.

  342 “One had evidently”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” pp. 40–41.

  342 “Every time we’d hit a bump”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 132.

  342 “It was a real luxury”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 41.

  343 “Japanese too close”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 132.

  343 “The bus’s brakes”: Ibid., p. 133.

  343 “It must be some sort”: Ibid., p. 135.

  343 “It was my leg”: Ibid., p. 136.

  343 “We had talked of little else”: Ibid., p. 137.

  343 “All of us were welted”: Ibid.

  343 “It was his first crack”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” pp. 43–44.

  344 “There was no plane”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 140.

  344 “It was a battle”: Thomas White, “Memoirs of ‘Doc’ White,” p. 148.

  344 “I knew I’d start crying”: Lawson, Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, p. 146.

  CHAPTER 20

  345 “I was beaten”: George Barr, “Badger ‘Doolittle’ Flier Tortured by Japs Pleads for Foe,” Milwaukee Sentinel, May 12, 1946, p. 13.

  345 The plane carrying: Unless otherwise noted this scene is drawn from the following sources: C. Jay Nielsen, “Doolittle Fliers’ Saga of Living Death: Japanese Vainly Attempt to Gain More Information,” News and Courier, Sept. 20, 1945, p. 9; Chase J. Nielsen, Robert L. Hite, and Jacob D. DeShazer testimonies in the case of United States of America vs. Shigeru Sawada et al. All dialogue is from the News and Courier article.

  345 “The gendarmerie is the worst”: Intelligence Report, Sept. 12, 1942, “Description of Conditions at Bridge House, Shanghai; Character Sketch of the Japanese Gendarmie,” Box 9, RG 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Casualty Branch, NARA.

  347 “We didn’t get the brutal treatment”: Nielsen, “Doolittle Fliers’ Saga of Living Death: Japanese Vainly Attempt,” p. 9.

  347 “The first two weeks”: Hite oral history interview with Hasdorff, Dec. 16–17, 1982.

  347 “Japanese method scientee-fic”: George Barr, “Rough Draft of a Story by Capt. George Barr, Pertinent to the Trials in Shanghai of Those Japanese Officials Held Responsible for Execution of Three Doolittle Fliers Who Participated in the Raid on Tokyo,” March 30, 1946, Box 20, DPLOC.

  347 one such hit: Barr, “Badger ‘Doolittle’ Flier Tortured by Japs Pleads for Foe,” p. 13.

  347 “Hose don’t make marks”: Nielsen oral history interview with Erickson, July 11, 2000.

  347 “Well”: Ibid.

  347 “Is it chance”: Barr, “Rough Draft of a Story by Capt. George Barr.”

  347 “You were the bombardier”: DeShazer’s exchanges with the Japanese interrogators come from DeShazer oral history interview with Hasdorff, Oct. 10, 1989.

  348 “Sanitation facilities”: Nielsen, “Doolittle Fliers’ Saga of Living Death: Japanese Vainly Attempt,” p. 9.

  348 “Nothing is the hardest”: Ibid.

  348 “We had just come”: Hite oral history interview with Hasdorff, Dec. 16–17, 1982.

  348 “You can’t smoke”: Nielsen, “Doolittle Fliers’ Saga of Living Death: Japanese Vainly Attempt,” p. 9.

  348 “What’s a Hornet?”: Chase Nielsen oral history interview with Winston P. Erickson, July 11, 2000.

  349 “We confessed”: Chase J. Nielsen testimony in the case of United States of America vs. Shigeru Sawada et al.

  350 “What were your feelings”: All excerpts, with the exception of some of Farrow’s, are from Nakamura Akihito, Commander of Gendarmerie, to Gen. Hajime Sugiyama, C of S, Gendarmerie 3, Special Secret Service Report #352, May 26 1942, in the case of United States of America vs. Shigeru Sawada et al. Portions of Farrow’s excerpts, because of the deterioration of the original document on file in the NARA, are drawn from Glines, Four Came Home, p. 88.

  351 ambassador to Russia: William H. Standley and Arthur A. Ageton, Admiral Ambassador to Russia (Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1955), pp. 221–24.

  352 A four-star admiral: “Adm. William H. Standley Dies,” New York Times, Oct. 26, 1963, p. 27.

  352 “Of course, Mr. Ambassador”: Standley and Ageton, Admiral Ambassador to Russia, p. 222.

  352 “no annoyance”: William Standley to Cordell Hull, April 24, 1942, in U.S. Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, vol. 3, Europe (Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1961), p. 548.

  352 “regretted”: Ibid.

  352 “What would happen”: This exchange comes from Standley and Ageton, Admiral Ambassador to Russia, pp. 222–23.

  352 “Look, fellows”: Ibid., p. 223.

  353 “wholly unintentional”: William Standley to Cordell Hull, April 26, 1942, in U.S. Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, vol. 3, p. 548.

  353 “After thanking me”: Ibid., pp. 548–49.

  353 Standley followed up: U.S. Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, vol. 3, p. 550.

  353 “stating in effect”: Ibid.

  353 “Of course, information”: Cordell Hull to William Standley, May 2, 1942, in U.S. Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, vol. 3, pp. 550–51.

  353 “If the Soviet merely intern”: War Department, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, May 3, 1942, “Magic Summary,” in The Magic Documents, Microfilm Roll #1.

  354 “merely intern the planes”: War Department, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, May 13, 1942, ibid.

  354 “endeavor to avoid”: War Department, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, May 3, 1942, ibid.

  354 “Whatever steps”: War Department, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, May 16, 1942, ibid.

  354 “If the United States sees”: War Department, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, May 19, 1942, ibid.

  354 “Since the other planes”: Ibid.

  354 “I advise that we discard”: War Department, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, May 20, 1942, ibid.

  354 Guards at the dacha: Background on York and his crew comes from Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, pp. 59–72; Emmens oral history interview with Hasdorff, July 8–9, 1982; York oral history interview with Hasdorff, July 23, 1984; “Interview with B-25 Crew That Bombed Tokyo and Was Interned by the Russians,” transcript, June 3, 1943; Pohl as told to Dwiggins, “We Crash Landed in Russia—and Escaped,” pp. 56–57.

  355 “It didn’t take us long”: Emmens oral history interview with Hasdorff, July 8–9, 1982.

  355 “The children”: Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, p. 63.

  355 “One of the children”: Ibid., pp. 63–64.

  355 “I think your people”: Ibid., p. 66.

  356 “We shined our brass”: Ibid., p. 67.

  356 “Not one word”: Emmens oral history interview with Hasdorff, July 8–9, 1982.

  356 “The same sad”: Emmens, Guests of the Kremlin, p. 70.

  356 “Well, here we are!” This exchange is ibid., p. 72.

  CHAPTER 21

  357 “As parents of one”:, Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Miller telegram to James H. Doolittle, May 20, 1942, Box 22, DPLOC.

  357 Doolittle arrived back: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, pp. 283–88.

  358 “With the 15 planes”: H. H. Arnold to Franklin Roosevelt, Raid on Tokyo, May 3, 1942, Microfilm Roll #A1250, AFHRA.

  358 “Jim”: This exchange comes from Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 287.

  358 “was successful far beyond”: George Marshall to William Harm, Nov. 4, 1942, in Larry I. Bland, ed., The Papers of George Catlett Marshall, vol. 3, “The Right Man for the Job,” December 7, 1941–May 31, 1943 (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins Un
iversity Press, 1991), p. 425.

  358 “It will be necessary”: Memorandum for General Arnold, May 12, 1942, ibid. p. 197.

  358 “General, that award”: This exchange comes from Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, p. 287.

  358 “This was the only time”: Ibid.

  359 The officers arrived: Details of the Medal of Honor ceremony are drawn from the following sources: Doolittle, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, pp. 287–88; W. H. Lawrence, “Airman Decorated,” New York Times, May 20, 1942, p. 1; “Tells How U.S. Bombed Japan without a Loss,” Chicago Daily Tribune, May 20, 1942, p. 1; “Raid Leader’s Success No Surprise to His Wife,” New York Times, May 22, 1942, p. 25.

  359 “Brigadier General James H. Doolittle”: W. H. Lawrence, “Airman Decorated,” New York Times, May 20, 1942, p. 1.

  359 The War Department handed: Press Release, “Congressional Medal of Honor Awarded to Leader of Tokyo Raid,” May 19, 1942, Box 22, DPLOC; Press Release, “Statement by Brigadier General James H. Doolittle Regarding Bombing Raid Led by Him on Japan,” May 19, 1942, Box 23, DPLOC.

  359 “No group of men”: Press Release, “Radio Talk by Brigadier General James H. Doolittle,” May 20, 1942, Box 1, Series XI, DTRAP.

  360 “We flew low enough”: This exchange comes from Lawrence, “Airman Decorated,” p. 1.

  360 “I was able to run away”: Ibid.

  360 “Are you going”: This exchange comes from “N.E. Men in Tokio Raid,” Daily Boston Globe, May 20, 1942, p. 1.

  360 “Why”: “Shock from Tokyo,” Newsweek, May 3, 1943, p. 22.

  360 “No planes were left in Japan”: John G. Norris, “Bombs Dropped within Sight of Imperial Palace, Hero Discloses,” Washington Post, May 20, 1942, p. 1.

  360 “The Japanese do not have”: Richard L. Turner, “Leader of Recent Air Raid on Japan Revealed at White House Medal Presentation,” Schenectady Gazette, May 20, 1942, p. 1.

  360 “I’m too thrilled to speak”: Ibid.

  360 “Doolittle emphasized”: “Tells How U.S. Bombed Japan without a Loss,” Chicago Daily Tribune, May 20, 1942, p. 1.

  361 “His Life Story”: Bob Considine, “His Life Story Reads like a Thriller, but with Perfect Timing,” Washington Post, May 20, 1942, p. 1.

  361 “Jimmy Doolittle is a man”: “Much Done by Doolittle,” Sun, May 20, 1942, p. 4.

 

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