Doolittle's Tokyo Raid

Honoring the 70th Anniversary of Doolittle’s Tokyo Raid, The Washington Times provides exclusive reunion multimedia coverage interviewing the last five surviving members of the Doolittle Tokoyo Raiders; Tom Griffin, Ed Saylor, Dick Cole, Robert Hite and David Thatcher.

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Doolittle Reunion Coverage
ON APRIL 19, SEE NEW VIDEO AND STORIES FROM THE CELEBRATION AT U.S. AIR FORCE MUSEUM AT WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE MARKING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOOLITTLE RAID AND VIDEO FROM INSIDE A RESTORED B-25B BOMBER.

DAVID J. THATCHER, 91
A LIFELONG MONTANA RESIDENT, MR. THATCHER WAS FASCINATED WITH FLIGHT FROM AN EARLY AGE. HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS IN DECEMBER 1940 AND WAS JUST 20 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE RAID. MR. THATCHER'S PLANE CRASHED INTO WAIST-DEEP WATER OFF THE CHINESE COAST AFTER THE BOMBING, AND HE LATER WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR AND OTHER HONORS FOR PULLING FOUR INJURED CREW MATES FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THE PLANE. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN THE SUMMER OF 1945. MR. THATCHER, 91, LIVES IN MISSOULA, MONT.

EDWARD J. SAYLOR, 92
BORN AND RAISED ON A MONTANA CATTLE RANCH, MR. SAYLOR, 92, SIGNED UP FOR THE MILITARY IN 1939 AS A 19-YEAR-OLD. HE WAS 22 AT THE TIME OF DOOLITTLE'S TOKYO RAID. HIS PLANE, THE SECOND-TO-LAST B-25 OFF THE DECK OF THE USS HORNET, CRASHED IN THE WATERS OFF THE CHINA COAST, AND THE FIVE CREW MEMBERS BOARDED LIFE RAFTS TO MAKE IT ASHORE. WITH THE HELP OF A YOUNG CHINESE GUIDE, THE MEN WALKED MORE THAN 100 MILES ACROSS THE COUNTRYSIDE, SCROUNGING FOR WHATEVER FOOD THEY COULD FIND BEFORE EVENTUALLY BEING RESCUED. HE SERVED FOR THE REMAINDER OF WORLD WAR II AND AFTER THE WAR WORKED AS AN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE OFFICER. MR. SAYLOR LIVES IN PUYALLUP, WASH., AND REGULARLY ACCEPTS INVITATIONS TO SPEAK ABOUT THE RAID BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER GROUPS.

THOMAS C. GRIFFIN, 95
BORN IN GREEN BAY, WIS., HE JOINED THE MILITARY AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN 1939. MR. GRIFFIN AND THE REST OF HIS CREW BAILED OUT OF THEIR PLANE OVER CHINA AFTER THE RAID, AND HE WENT ON TO SERVE AS A NAVIGATOR IN NORTH AFRICA FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS. IN 1943, MR. GRIFFIN WAS SHOT DOWN BY NAZI SOLDIERS AND WAS KEPT IN A GERMAN PRISONER-OF-WAR CAMP FOR 22 MONTHS. HE AND FELLOW PRISONERS ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE BY DIGGING UNDERGROUND TUNNELS, BUT THEIR CAPTORS DISCOVERED THE ROUTES AND FLOODED THEM. MR. GRIFFIN WAS SET FREE WHEN THE ALLIES LIBERATED EUROPE IN 1945. MR. GRIFFIN, 95, LIVES IN CINCINNATI.

THE STORY OF DOOLITTLE'S RAID TOLD BY THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBERS

Doolittle's Tokyo Raid

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