Doolittle Raider, WWII vet dies in Ohio at 96

CINCINNATI (AP) — A B-25 bomber navigator in the daring World War II bombing raid on mainland Japan has died.

Maj. Thomas "Tom" Griffin was 96, and his death leaves four surviving Doolittle's Raiders.

Griffin died Tuesday in a VA nursing home. Funeral services are March 9.

Griffin was among 80 volunteers for the April 18, 1942, mission. The bombing run, planned by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, was credited with lifting American morale and shaking Japan in Pearl Harbor's aftermath.

Griffin parachuted over China and eluded capture, eventually returning to service on bombing runs from North Africa. His plane was shot down in 1943, and he spent nearly two years in a German prison camp.

He was preceded in death by his wife, and survived by two sons.

Huh!



Not one mention of the fact that this was a flight of Air Force bombers lifting off a US Navy aircraft carrier!

They were discovered nearing Japan by Japanese fishing boats, and were met with hails of A-A fire. Few made through the mission alive, what with parachuting into Japan—alive—and getting killed by the pitchforks of the populace! Those who continued to overfly Japan to a "landfall" in China were still not assured of living from Imperial-Japan's army. It was a surprise to Japan, and was the only "good" news in the months after Pearl Harbor.

There were still months yet to go before major sea battles would turn the tide of the war in the Pacific. We lost a lot of good men.

A neighbor served on board the USS Oklahoma City, which had, as its best moment, being witness to the signing of end of the war treaty in Toyko Bay.

When I asked how many men the ship had lost during his time on it in the Pacific, he said, "225 men".

"How many to Kamikazis?"

"None".

Although they were able to bring AA fire onto Japanese aircraft, all 225 men died just in keeping the ship running for the 2½ years of duty!

I found this site really interesting. http://www.doolittleraider.com/

The Military Channel had a great documentary on the raid a few months ago. They all new that the chances of them surviving were tiny. What amazing brave men.