Last remaining Doolitle Raider dies at 103

Rest in peace, Colonel Richard Cole

What a man, what a legacy.

Even in a war with a lot of crazy plans, that raid was a standout. I've heard that when James Doolittle finally made it back to US territory, he promptly apologized for losing all the planes and so many of the men, expecting he was in serious trouble. His superiors responded that they had signed off on the plan assuming it was supposed to be a suicide mission.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

I like the fact that Doolittle’s raid turned around America’s record. Before that America hadn’t wine a battle, after that raid America never lost a battle.  

In reply to frenchyd :

You mean other than the Coal Sea, Burma, the occupation of Mandaly, the loss of Tulagi, and Corregidor- all of which were Japanese victories post Doolittle.  

It was actually Midway where the post effect was that the US never lost a major battle.

Not to take away from the Doolittle raid, as it has a major psychological effect on both the US and Japan that worked in all cases to the US.

I  had the pleasure of meeting Col. Cole a few years ago at Oshkosh.  Still very sharp. 

I wonder if he ever cracked open the bottle of booze that was being saved for the last survivor to open and salute his fallen comrades?

Yes.  Two years ago the second to last goblet was turned over.

 

Appleseed said:

I  had the pleasure of meeting Col. Cole a few years ago at Oshkosh.  Still very sharp. 

I actually remember seeing Gen Doolittle at a Dayton Air Fair back in the 70s.  Pretty moving for the crowd- especially when you consider that I was likely under 10, and still remember it.

alfadriver said:

In reply to frenchyd :

You mean other than the Coal Sea, Burma, the occupation of Mandaly, the loss of Tulagi, and Corregidor- all of which were Japanese victories post Doolittle.  

I'd call Coral Sea a draw, as the US had slightly worse naval losses, but the invasion of Port Moresby was prevented. But yes, Midway was the true turning point.

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

Fair enough- but most of what I read calls it a loss on the order of Bunker Hill.  A loss that was also a win.  

Still, there were losses after Doolittle and before Midway, which is my overall point.  Can't alter history just becase.

(BEGIN SOAPBOX) Can I make a slightly related rant?  Why does Hollywood fictionalize characters from WWII when there are/were real living, breathing humans who lived better stories than they can make up?  I foolishly stopped on the dumpster fire that is "Pearl Harbor" while cruising through the high number channels on cable the other day.  My wife made me shut it off when I started ranting about "why do you fictionalize characters when Gabby Freakin' Gabreski is one of the actual pilots who got off the ground during the raid on Pearl?  Tell a real story for a change."  With the possible exception of Hacksaw Ridge, the characters they make up are shallow, stupid, cliche'-spewing silly-putty copies of the thousands of greater actual men and women.  And the stories they make up can't come close to what these people actually lived through.  (Read "Fly for Your Life" about Tuck and see if you think Hollywood could make up a better story about a Spitfire pilot)

It makes me both angry and sad to watch these great Americans fade over the horizon with their stories relatively untold.  (END SOAPBOX)

I found it somewhat refreshing that the media actually covered this event.  It is, however, sad that it only does so as the last of these great men passes.  Godspeed, sir.

In reply to kazoospec :

If they had not had the tradition of meeting each year for a toast, this event may have faded.  The last two survivors agreed to stop the toast before there was only one.  

They held a huge celebration in Columbia, SC on the 50th anniversary and invited all of the survivors.  I was saddened when I heard that Doolittle was too ill to make the trip from CA.  

I seem to remember a story about Doolittle trying to convince the Navy about the coming importance of naval aviation. 

If I remember correctly he flew a plane at a ship under fire and escaped unscathed. As ever the Brass ignored him just like they tried to ignore Higgins leaving the US behind until the war.

In reply to kazoospec :

Not everyone will embellish history. Indeed, in some cases the true story is far beyond what a script writer could conjure. Read Unbroken or Seabiscuit by

Laura Hillenbrand

Her books are amazingly well written and researched.

In reply to Floating Doc :

Yeah, I've read Unbroken.  Should have included that with Hatchsaw Ridge as an exception to the "rule".  

In reply to kazoospec :

i don't know if you have ever seen the movie "Battle Ground"?  It tells the story of just a single squad of solders in Bastonge.

I would rate it in the top 10 of "war movies".

Floating Doc said:

In reply to kazoospec :

Not everyone will embellish history. Indeed, in some cases the true story is far beyond what a script writer could conjure. Read Unbroken or Seabiscuit by

Laura Hillenbrand

Her books are amazingly well written and researched.

I would add Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides as well, it covers that Army Rangers rescue of the survivors of the Bataan Death March. Excellent read and no embellishment.