April 18, 1942. 77 years ago today. In one of the darkest hours of World War II, a moment – and a mission – changed the course of history.

Four months following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States was reeling. Ships were sunk, planes were lost. Troops were forced to surrender. Americans were in desperate need of a morale boost – to raise spirits at home and to signal to the Japanese military that they were not invincible.

A secret plan was conceived to bomb the Japanese mainland. It would not be easy. U.S. Army bombers would need to be outfitted to launch from aircraft carriers. Then they would fly - without escort - over hundreds of miles of enemy territory. If they even reached their targets, they would need to race toward friendly territory in China. Returning back to the USS Hornet, the ship from which they would launch, would not be an option.

Only one man could be trusted to lead such a mission: the famed aviator Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle.

77 years ago today, Doolittle led his 79 crewmen on 16 B-25 bombers as they launched from the deck of the USS Hornet, deep in enemy waters. Their target: Tokyo.

Sitting beside Doolittle in Plane #1 was co-pilot Richard E. Cole. Like all of the Doolittle Raiders, he volunteered for this secret mission. Like all of the Raiders, he knew the odds. Like all of the Raiders, he was given the option to back out when it became clear it could well be a suicide mission. And, like all 80 of the Doolittle Raiders, he took off anyway.

Eighty men took part in the Doolittle Raid. Sixty-two would survive World War II. As the years passed, so did the Doolittle Raiders, with Doolittle himself passing away in 1993.

In 2013, the four surviving Doolittle Raiders officially designated the American Veterans Center as the organization to guard their legacy and to keep it alive. We accept that designation as a sacred trust.

In 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cole became the sole survivor of the Doolittle Raid. He was the last witness to an impossible mission that changed the course of a war and defined a generation.

Last week, on April 9, 2019, Lt. Colonel Cole passed away at age 103.Help us remember his remarkable legacy. Please take a moment to watch his story, and share with family and friends.

The 80 men who took part in the Doolittle Raid did so because they believed in a cause larger than themselves. They embodied the honor, valor, courage, and willingness to sacrifice that has been the backbone of the United States military since its beginning.

But to expect future generations to rise when their time is called, we need to preserve the legacy of men like Lt. Colonel Richard Cole and the Doolittle Raiders. Let us not forget the bravery of the 80 men who took off into the unknown, 77 years ago today. Let us ensure that their legacy lives on. For now, there are none left to tell the story themselves. It is up to us.

Warmest regards,

James C. Roberts
President & Founder