Raider Reunion

A recent reunion sponsored by the U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute program brought together four of the nine remaining pilots and crew members of the Doolittle Raiders who bombed Tokyo.

Any student of history or those who as a kid read “30 Seconds over Tokyo” know that 16 B-25 (Mitchell) bombers flew a dangerous and deadly mission off the flight deck of the USS Hornet on April 18, 1942. While the damage to Tokyo was not considered strategic, it did boost U.S. citizen and troop morale just less than five months after Pearl Harbor was attacked. Lt. Co. James Doolittle, a highly respected aviator, led the air raid against Tokyo and other targets.

“The men who flew with LTC Doolittle are all American military heroes,” said Colonel David Griffith, director of the Army’s Freedom Team Salute program, at the reunion event in Columbia, S.C. “We felt humbled to have the opportunity to present Freedom Team Salute Veteran Commendations to four of the remaining nine Raiders. Their contributions and sacrifices during World War II will always be remembered by the citizens of this nation and forever remain in the annals of Army history.”

Doolittle’s Raiders who attended the reunion were Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard E. Cole of Comfort, Texas; Major (Ret.) Thomas C. Griffin of Cincinnati, Ohio; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Robert L. Hite of Nashville, Tenn.; and Staff Sergeant (Ret.) David J. Thatcher of Missoula, Mont.

The Doolittle reunion was organized by the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, which sponsors the annual Celebrate Freedom Festival at Fort Jackson to honor Veterans. Freedom Team Salute was established in 2005 by the Secretary of the Army and the Army Chief of Staff to give the public the opportunity to thank all U.S. Army Veterans for their service by recognizing them with Commendations. The program also honors and recognizes the Parents, Spouses, Employers, and Supporters of Active Duty, Army Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers.