III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 418 

Commemorating the 70th anniversary and commending the brave men of 

the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) who became known as the 

‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’ for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and 

service to the United States in conducting the bombing of Tokyo on 

April 18, 1942. 

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, Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. LAUTENBERG, 

Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. 

AKAKA, and Mr. CORNYN) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

AUGUST 2, 2012 

Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended 

preamble and an amendment to the title 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 70th anniversary and commending the 

brave men of the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) 

who became known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’ 

for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the 

United States in conducting the bombing of Tokyo on 

April 18, 1942. 

Whereas brave American aircraft crewmen, led by Lieutenant 

Colonel James Doolittle, volunteered for an ‘‘extremely 

hazardous mission’’ without knowing the target, location, 


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SRES 418 ATS 

or assignment and willingly put their lives in harm’s way, 

risking death, capture, and torture; 

Whereas the conducting of medium bomber operations from 

a Navy aircraft carrier under combat conditions had 

never before been attempted; 

Whereas after the discovery of the USS Hornet by Japanese 

picket ships 170 miles further away from the prearranged launch point, the Raiders proceeded to take off 

670 miles from the coast of Japan; 

Whereas by launching more than 100 miles beyond the distance considered to be minimally safe for the mission, the 

Raiders deliberately accepted the risk that the B–25s 

might not have enough fuel to reach the designated airfields in China; 

Whereas the additional launch distance greatly increased the 

risk of crash landing in Japanese occupied China, exposing the crews to higher probability of death, injury, or 

capture; 

Whereas because of that deliberate choice, after bombing 

their targets in Japan, low on fuel and in setting night 

and deteriorating weather, none of the 16 airplanes 

reached the prearranged Chinese airfields; 

Whereas of the 80 Raiders who launched on the raid, 8 were 

captured, 2 died in the crash, and 70 returned to the 

United States; and 

Whereas of the 8 captured, 3 were executed and 1 died of 

disease: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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SRES 418 ATS 

1 (1) recognizes the valor, skill, and courage of 

2 the Raiders that proved invaluable to the eventual 

3 defeat of Japan during the Second World War; 

4 (2) acknowledges that the actions of the Raid5 ers helped to forge an enduring example of heroism 

6 in the face of uncertainty for the Army Air Force 

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

8 Force, and the United States as a whole; and 

9 (3) commends the 5 living members and 80 

10 original members of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders for 

11 their participation in the Tokyo bombing raid of 

12 April 18, 1942. 

Æ 


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