The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-20
General Doolittle Had
 Eight New Englanders
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Continued they were involved. And no hint came from anyone else whether they started their hazardous and important" flight from China, air. craft carriers or a secret base.
 For the present everyone let President Roosevelt's words on the subject stand-that the planes started from Shangri-La and land- ed at Shankri-La. Shangri-La is the Utopia of the naval Lost Hori- zon," to which the president refers when people ask, From where did we bomb Tokyo?"
 That technique seems to be work ing well. At least one partner of the Axis appears to be wondering where Shangri-La is. A German radio broadcast last night, describ- ing Doolittle's raid, reported that 1t started from Shangri-La, which was not otherwise described by President Roosevelt"
 Doolittle revealed at his press conference some hitherto unknown details about the raid. First he spiked Japanese claims that some of the American raiders had been shot down.
 There were no planes left in Japan" he said. Some were dam aged, but none was shot down and none was damaged to an extent that precluded its proceeding to its destination"
 Doolittle, whose own plane was attacked by nine Japanese fighters and avoided them before either the enemy or its gunners could fire a shot, revealed that he issued special instructions to his men before talk. ing of that the imperial palace in Tokyo was to be spared.
 Just Before Taking Of
 Weeks before the raid, the men who accompanied h:m had volun- teered for what then was described as hazardous and important" mission. Just before they took of, after weeks of special training, they were informed that their objective was Tokyo.
 They took of in specially equipped B-25's, the same type of medium bomber that accompanied army fly ing fortresses on the recent raid on the Philippine Islands. In the words of their commander, it was the finest group of men I ever have had the good fortune to be aso- ciated with"
 Japanese anti-aircraft fire was so inaccurate that the enemy shot down many of their own barrage balloons. The American bombers were faster than any Japanese fighters sent aloft to intercept them except the Japanese zeros.
 The raid covered an area 40 miles long and five to 20 miles wide, Doo- little said, and extended from the north of Tokyo down south to Kanagawa, Yokohama and the navy yard at Yokosuka. Bombs also were dropped on Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe.
 Eight New EngIanders
 Boston, May 20-(UP)-A couple of Arlington lads-pals since their kneepant days-were among eight New Englanders who helped bomb Tokyo on the eve of 167th anniver- sary of the American revolution.
 One was 25-year-old It. Eugene McGurl who Successively proposed to Maiden girl by telephone from Oregon shortly before starting on the mission. The other was It. How ard A. Sessler, 24, described by his mother as always the daring type just crazy about flying"
 Lights burned late in the eight heroes homes last night as friends poured in to offer congratulations on the families whose sons now wear the distinguished service cross.
 Mrs. Walter E. SeSSler, wife of a grocery salesman, and Mrs. Owen McGurl, mothers of the Arlington boys, exchanged congra- tulations by telephone.
 I'm so proud-I'm so happy-I only hope my boy is all right" said Mrs. Sesser.
 Its wonderful to know he's safe," said Mrs. McGurl. I'm terribly proud of him. We hadn't heard from Eugene since a week before Easter when he wrote and told us not to worry"
 Birthday Yesterday
 Mrs. August J. Wildner of Am herst revealed that her son, It. Carl M. Wildner, born in Holyoke, cele- 1 brated his 27th birthday yesterday the day it was announced he had in the raid.
 Eve been pretty worried" she said. ~The last time I heard from him was in March when he wrote | and said he wouldn't write for six pr eight weeks"
 In Jamaica Plain, Mrs. Virginia Hilger received the news that her | Maj. John J. HiIger, was | ,afe. A S2-year-old native of Texas, | he had sent his wife to her mothers i nome before leaving.
 At North Eastman, Mrs. Edwin W. | Horton said the news was the first l Ihe had had concerning her son Sgt. l Edwin Edwin, 1T.. 10 more than two ]