This man's passing touched me in rare way.
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cole, USAAC, passed away at age 103.
The last living Doolittle Tokyo Raiders.
And an era closes. Losing the final few WWII vets now. The YOUNGEST veteran would be a man in his 90s.
My grandfather had met a bunch of the Doolittle men at one of their reunions. In the the 70s, I think. I am pretty sure. Younger men than he, he still looked up to them for what they did.
I am touched by the sacrifices they did and the world they left for me to enjoy. All of them.
Plus it's a decent Van Johnson movie!
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The sad thing about that raid was the Japanese reaction in China. They apparently killed about 250k in their attempt to find the fliers, and in retaliation for Chinese assistance in hiding them.
Doolittle expected to be court-martialed for all the bad results of the raid. Nothing went right from his perspective, but the Japanese panic on the home front combined with their military response, and the PR coup at home was enough to salvage his reputation.
Btw, HIGHLY recommend his autobiography: "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again". Very interesting guy.
Yes, this is sad. I was at the USAF Museum recently and noticed the one remaining silver cup in the upright position. I knew it wouldn't be that way long, but it still saddens me greatly. https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195854/a-raiders-toast-the-doolittle-raiders-goblets/
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