Remembering Bill Bower 80 Years Later

sheepherder · 04-18-2022, 01:18 AM

"...For Bill Bower and all those crazy bastards who flew off the USS Hornet and into those cold, gray skies on the morning of April 18, 1942..."

(Book dedication by Craig Johnson, 'Another Man's Moccasins')

Eighty years ago. Those 'crazy bastards' restored hope to my parents generation...

Bill Bower was the last surviving pilot of the 'Doolittle Raiders'; he passed on in 2011.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Bower

Mac Cat · 04-18-2022, 10:17 AM

That was an amazing feat and I'm surprised anyone survived the mission.

Salute !

gunnertwo · 04-18-2022, 06:53 PM

One of the Raiders was from the Southern Oregon area. Robert Emmens. After his military service he became a real estate broker. I met him as my mother was in real estate at the time. I visited his home on a few occasions. The award document for his DFC for the raid was on the wall of his office. Next to that was a Japanese award document for the Order of the Sacred Treasure. One of Bob's last assignments was as Air Attache to the Japanese Air Defense (their AF). He related that Hirohito had presented the award personally. Hirohito made a comment about the path of history between our two nations. After retiring from real estate Bob would play piano at a local club. I spent several Saturday nights listening to him play. This was when I was in my early twenties, time normally spent chasing girls at some of the local hangouts. I did that too.

Bob and his crew were held by the Russians for a time. Bob wrote a book about that adventure, "Guests of the Kremlin".

Link:
http://www.childrenofthedoolittlerai...embers/emmens/

G2

Edward Tinker · 04-18-2022, 08:05 PM

The sad thing is that many of the pilots felt it was a mission that didn't mean anything. Later they found it made a bid difference to the Allies and made the Japanese realize they could get hit.

MikeP · 04-18-2022, 10:11 PM

Through history you will find people who will throw themselves into something like this regardless of the meaning or relevance of the mission. The results secondary to the effort.
People who take that extra step as a matter of course and a way of life.
Rangers, Airborne, SF types and others.
Pretty sure the guys flying those missions were well aware of the physical insignificance and results way ahead of taking off. Point is they volunteered, did it, and rode it out.
Fortunate that I got to spend some years in the company of guys like that.
The saying goes something like "Don't mourn these men, just be thankful they once existed."

jeb111 · 04-18-2022, 11:38 PM

The last survivor died only in 2019, Dick Cole, the second to last David Thatcher died in 2016 I believe. He was in our local 4th of July parade in 2012 or13. They were really heroes in my eyes knowing that they didn't have enough fuel to make their bases in China because the Japanese busted them before their takeoff point. To a man they went anyway even though there was backup flight crews. That's guts!
Jim

gunnertwo · 04-18-2022, 11:48 PM

Like MikeP and jeb111 said, examples to emulate.

G2

04-18-2022, 01:18 AM	#1
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,183 Thanks: 1,400 Thanked 4,442 Times in 2,330 Posts	Remembering Bill Bower 80 Years Later "...For Bill Bower and all those crazy bastards who flew off the USS Hornet and into those cold, gray skies on the morning of April 18, 1942..." (Book dedication by Craig Johnson, 'Another Man's Moccasins') Eighty years ago. Those 'crazy bastards' restored hope to my parents generation... Bill Bower was the last surviving pilot of the 'Doolittle Raiders'; he passed on in 2011. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Bower __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

04-18-2022, 10:17 AM	#2
Mac Cat Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 731 Thanks: 2,095 Thanked 610 Times in 329 Posts	That was an amazing feat and I'm surprised anyone survived the mission. Salute !

04-18-2022, 06:53 PM	#3
gunnertwo User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nampa, Idaho Posts: 623 Thanks: 826 Thanked 930 Times in 363 Posts	One of the Raiders was from the Southern Oregon area. Robert Emmens. After his military service he became a real estate broker. I met him as my mother was in real estate at the time. I visited his home on a few occasions. The award document for his DFC for the raid was on the wall of his office. Next to that was a Japanese award document for the Order of the Sacred Treasure. One of Bob's last assignments was as Air Attache to the Japanese Air Defense (their AF). He related that Hirohito had presented the award personally. Hirohito made a comment about the path of history between our two nations. After retiring from real estate Bob would play piano at a local club. I spent several Saturday nights listening to him play. This was when I was in my early twenties, time normally spent chasing girls at some of the local hangouts. I did that too. Bob and his crew were held by the Russians for a time. Bob wrote a book about that adventure, "Guests of the Kremlin". Link: http://www.childrenofthedoolittlerai...embers/emmens/ G2

04-18-2022, 08:05 PM	#4
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,935 Thanks: 2,033 Thanked 4,533 Times in 2,093 Posts	The sad thing is that many of the pilots felt it was a mission that didn't mean anything. Later they found it made a bid difference to the Allies and made the Japanese realize they could get hit.

04-18-2022, 10:11 PM	#5
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Through history you will find people who will throw themselves into something like this regardless of the meaning or relevance of the mission. The results secondary to the effort. People who take that extra step as a matter of course and a way of life. Rangers, Airborne, SF types and others. Pretty sure the guys flying those missions were well aware of the physical insignificance and results way ahead of taking off. Point is they volunteered, did it, and rode it out. Fortunate that I got to spend some years in the company of guys like that. The saying goes something like "Don't mourn these men, just be thankful they once existed."

04-18-2022, 11:38 PM	#6
jeb111 Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: May 2018 Location: wyoming Posts: 277 Thanks: 712 Thanked 331 Times in 133 Posts	The last survivor died only in 2019, Dick Cole, the second to last David Thatcher died in 2016 I believe. He was in our local 4th of July parade in 2012 or13. They were really heroes in my eyes knowing that they didn't have enough fuel to make their bases in China because the Japanese busted them before their takeoff point. To a man they went anyway even though there was backup flight crews. That's guts! Jim

04-18-2022, 11:48 PM	#7
gunnertwo User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nampa, Idaho Posts: 623 Thanks: 826 Thanked 930 Times in 363 Posts	Like MikeP and jeb111 said, examples to emulate. G2