Jonna Doolittle Hoppes "Jimmy Doolittle Raid" presentation at Historic Flight Foundation
Biography of General James H. Doolittle ... by Col. C.V. Glines, USAF (Retired)
James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle was born in Alameda, California on December 14, 1896, and spent his early boyhood in Nome, Alaska. He returned to California to complete high school and go to college at the University of California at Berkeley. He enlisted in the Signal Corps Enlisted Reserve in the fall of 1917 and received his wings in March 1918. He did not go overseas during World War I, but was assigned as a flying instructor. He was later transferred to southern Texas for border patrol duty before being assigned to Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas as a test pilot and engineering officer.
James H. Doolittle
In 1922 he was the first pilot to fly coast-to-coast in less than a day. Although he had not finished college before he enlisted in the Army for flight training, he was given credit for his engineering experience and was granted a bachelor’s degree by the University of California. He received a master’s degree in 1924 and a doctor of science degree in 1925 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That same year, he won the Schneider racing trophy for flying a seaplane to a new world speed record. In 1929, Doolittle was assigned to Mitchel Field, NY to participate in the blind flying experiments that led to his making the world’s first “blind” flight entirely by the use of cockpit instruments.
Doolittle resigned his regular commission as a first lieutenant in 1930, received a commission as a major in the Air Corps Reserve and was appointed to head the Shell Oil Company aviation department. He won the Bendix Trophy in 1931, the Thompson Trophy in 1932, and set a number of point-to-point speed records to attract public attention to aviation. Meanwhile, he participated in the development of 100-octane gasoline that resulted in the production of more powerful aircraft engines. He volunteered to return to active duty in 1940 at Indianapolis and Detroit and helped the transition of the automobile industry to wartime production. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel and transferred to Washington in January 1942 where he began planning the raid on Japan.
After returning from China following the Tokyo Raid, Doolittle was assigned to head the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa and was promoted to major general. In late 1943, he was transferred to command the Fifteenth Air Force in Italy. In January 1944, he was assigned to command the Eighth Air Force in England and received his third star as a lieutenant general. After Germany surrendered, he was ordered to the Pacific to prepare for the participation of the Eighth Air Force in the final air assault on Japan. The war ended before the Eighth was engaged in further combat.
After World War II, Doolittle returned to Shell Oil Company. and subsequently served on a number of federal boards and commissions. In 1956, he was named Chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He retired from Shell in 1967 but served on the boards of, and as a consultant for, several major corporations. He was promoted in 1985 to four-star rank by special act of Congress and had his stars pinned on by President Ronald Reagan and Senator Barry Goldwater. In 1989, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George H. W. Bush. He died on September 27, 1993 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Reunion, 2003
In April of 2003, the Jimmy Doolittle Air and Space Museum Foundation in conjunction with Travis Air Force Base and the cities of Fairfield, Suisun, and Vacaville hosted the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’ 61st Reunion. It was a tremendous event that inspired the entire Solano/Napa/Yolo county region.
“The tremendous courage, sacrifice and honor exemplified by General Doolittle and each of you provides inspiration for us all.” ~ Major General John D. Beck, Hqtrs, 15th Air Force, Travis AFB
“We are proud of the men and women of Travis Air Force Base who serve our country and live within our community. Our City opens its arms to them and to all of you who are here to celebrate the spirit of America through the brave and extraordinary deeds of the 80 fearless young aviators who, in 1942, gave it their all to inspire and awaken the might of our great nation.” ~ Len Augustine, Mayor, Vacaville, California
During the Reunion, the Raiders once again inspired and thrilled us. There were well over 300 volunteers intimately involved with the success of the Reunion, organizing a parade, a reception, a gala dinner-dance, and a sit-down barbeque for over 800 people as well as for the 12 surviving Raiders and their families. Three vintage B-25s arrived at the Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville and many onlookers took a 15-minute flight over the green hills of Solano County.
For more “up close and personal” Doolittle Raiders’ 61st Reunion details check out the archived pages of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’ 61st Reunion official program, and several issues of the Travis Air Museum NEWS, below. (Note: These links load slowly. Please be patient.)
