B-25 Mitchell

When this plane flew over my head on a scouting visit I had no idea what I was taking a picture of.  My husband, who was along with me was overjoyed to be seeing this plane, which he knew was a bomber from the WWII era.

What we didn't know was that this was the type of plane responsible for a significant part of our attack against mainland Japan. Part of Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle's launch off of the the USS Hornet air craft carrier.

On April 18, 1942 sixteen B-25B's surprised the Japanese home islands after their attack on Pearl Harbor. While there was apparently little reported damage to targets, it aided the U.S. by boosting morale and leaving doubt in the minds of the Japanese military.

Each plane carried a 5 man crew, and was the first mission where USAAF planes launched off the US Navy vessel. During the battle, all 16 planes either crashed or where ditched causing some troops to be held captive and some later executed. 5 men where rescued by US Forces in August of 1945.  One of the men, Jacob DeShazer, returned to the area where he was captured as a missionary and died in 2008.

We are forever grateful to all those who served and those who gave their lives to keep this country strong. 



We thank God for the safety of some, and for giving those who knew Him a new home in Heaven.

For more information, please see the following links:
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/b25mitchell.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid