RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Four Doolittle Raiders and a B-25 Mitchell bomber arrived here Tuesday during a ceremony kicking off the 65th Anniversary of one of the most famous historical examples of air power - the Doolittle Tokyo Raid, America's response to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
This year's reunion runs through Sunday with various events around San Antonio.
The 16-bomber, 80-volunteer raid's bold mission gave America a much-needed morale boost in the early days of World War II.
The raid is named for famed aviation pioneer Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, who led the attack from the deck of the USS Hornet on April 18, 1942. Colonel Doolittle died in 1993 and remains the only person to receive both America's highest military and civilian awards--the Medal of Honor and the Medal of Freedom.
Doolittle Tokyo Raider reunions began with a birthday party Doolittle hosted in Florida in 1947 and have evolved into an annual gathering of the members of one of the world's most elite military fraternities.
The primary reunion event was a private meeting to conduct a "goblet ceremony" in honor of their fallen Raider comrades, which was held Wednesday. The remaining Raiders turn over one goblet in honor of each deceased Raider following a roll call and toast. When only two Raiders remain, they will open a bottle of brandy from 1896, the year of Doolittle's birth, for the toast. The goblets are displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force between reunions.
The Air Force hosted several of the Raider reunion events this year, including the flying in of a B-25 Mitchell bomber, the aircraft used in the Doolittle Raid.
Randolph will hosted a lunch today for navigator students at the 562nd Flying Training Squadron to interact with the Raiders and hear their stories on a more personal level.
The Raiders will attend a basic military training graduation today at Lackland AFB, which will feature a B-25 flyover in the Raiders' honor.
Events scheduled for Saturday include a public book signing from 3-5 p.m. at Stinson Airfield, where five B-25 bombers will be on display with open cockpits beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Raiders will visit the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center that morning. Saturday evening, the Doolittle Raider Dinner and Dance will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel.
"As the Air Force looks to the future, we remember the Doolittle Raid as a significant contribution to the history of air power," said Maj. Jeffrey Welborn, reunion project officer. "Randolph is honored to be hosting these heroes, who serve as a legacy to future generations of aviators that will take the fight to anyone who threatens our freedom and way of life."
More information on the Doolittle Raider reunion can be found at
www.b-25yellowrose.com.