III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 418 

Commending the 80 brave men who became known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo 

Raiders’’ for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United 

States during the bombing of Tokyo and 5 other targets on the island 

of Honshu on April 18, 1942, during the Second World War. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 16, 2012 

Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. INOUYE, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. TESTER, and Mr. BAUCUS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the 80 brave men who became known as the 

‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’ for outstanding heroism, 

valor, skill, and service to the United States during the 

bombing of Tokyo and 5 other targets on the island 

of Honshu on April 18, 1942, during the Second World 

War. 

Whereas 80 brave American airmen volunteered for an ‘‘extremely hazardous mission’’ without knowing the target, 

location, or assignment and willingly put their lives in 

harm’s way, risking death, capture, and torture; 


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•SRES 418 IS 

Whereas the mission was the first offensive action by the 

United States military following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; 

Whereas the Doolittle Raid represented the first time in 

which the Army Air Corps and the Navy collaborated in 

a tactical mission by flying 16 Army B–25 medium 

bombers off of the USS Hornet; 

Whereas the flying of bombers from a Navy carrier had never 

been done before, making the mission extremely hazardous from the very start; 

Whereas after encountering Japanese picket ships 170 miles 

from the prearranged launch point, the Raiders, led by 

Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, proceeded to launch 

650 miles from the target of Tokyo; 

Whereas by launching more than 170 miles early the Raiders 

deliberately accepted the risk that the B–25s might not 

have enough fuel to make it beyond the Japanese lines 

in occupied China; 

Whereas the additional risk virtually sealed the fate of the 

Raiders to crash land in China or on the home islands 

of Japan, subjecting them to imprisonment, torture, or 

death; 

Whereas because of that deliberate choice, after hitting their 

military and industrial targets in Tokyo and five other 

cities on the island of Honshu, low on fuel and in setting 

night and deteriorating weather, none of the 16 airplanes 

reached the prearranged Chinese airfields; 

Whereas the total distance traveled averaged 2,250 nautical 

miles over a period of 13 hours is the longest combat 

mission ever flown in a B–25 Mitchell bomber; 


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•SRES 418 IS 

Whereas of the eight Raiders who were captured, three were 

executed, one died of disease, and four came home; and 

Whereas, the Doolittle Raid led the fight for the eventual victory of the United States in the Second World War: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the 5 living members and 80 

3 original members of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders for 

4 their participation in the Tokyo bombing raid of 

5 April 18, 1942; 

6 (2) recognizes the valor, skill, and courage of 

7 the Raiders that proved invaluable to the eventual 

8 defeat of Japan during the Second World War; and 

9 (3) acknowledges that the actions of the Raid10 ers helped to forge an enduring example of heroism 

11 in the face of uncertainty for the Army Air Corps 

12 of the Second World War, the future of the Air 

13 Force, and the United States as a whole. 

Æ 


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