AUSTIN, Texas – Airmen of the Texas Military Department helped the Texas Senate honor the World War II veterans who participated in an air raid over Japan, during a ceremony held at the Texas Capitol on March 6.
April 18, 2017, marks the 75th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, which is sometimes referred to as the Tokyo Raid.
This combat operation involved a formation of 16 American B-25 Mitchell bombers. The mission was commanded by then-Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the precursor organization of the now independent U.S. Air Force.
"The raid was an extremely important event in the development of American air power," wrote Rob Bardua of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in a previous report. "It marked the first combat use of strategic bombardment by U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II."
This mission brought offensive action to the Japanese home islands for the first time during the war.
The Doolittle Raid was credited with boosting American morale following the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attacks on American equities at Pearl Harbor and on the Philippine Islands, which led to the death of more than 2,300 Americans and directly precipitated the entry of the United States into the Second World War.
"While the attack itself caused little actual damage to Japanese war industry, the psychological impact on the Japanese military and the American public proved to be immense," Bardua wrote. "It forced the Japanese military to pull forces back from the front lines to protect the home islands and showed Americans that the war could be won."
Doolittle was later awarded the Medal of Honor by then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his actions in planning and leading the raid with pilots who volunteered for the daring mission.
State Sen. Donna Campbell, M.D., of New Braunfels, Texas, authored Senate Resolution (SR) 262 of the 85th Legislature, which recognized retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole of Comfort, Texas, as the last surviving Doolittle Raider.
"There were 80 men on that raid," Campbell said, "and now, at 101 years of age, Lt. Col. Cole is the last living member of that illustrious group of warriors."
"He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry in action and was also decorated by the Chinese government," she said. "Lt. Col. Doolittle wrote (of Cole) that, 'He comported himself with conspicuous bravery and distinction.'"
In addition to serving as Cole's state senator, Campbell chairs the Texas Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security.
Also in attendance was Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, the adjutant general of Texas, and Brig. Gen. Dawn M. Ferrell, deputy adjutant general for air, both gubernatorial appointees.
Nichols and Ferrell led a group of airmen from the Texas Air National Guard's headquarters in Austin and from each of the major wings, which are located in Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. They had the opportunity to visit with Cole during a reception before the event and to watch the reading of the resolution from the Senate gallery.
"As Texans serving Texas, we are humbled by Dick Cole's example," said Nichols, the state's senior military officer and a command fighter pilot who flew combat missions during the Persian Gulf War. "Lt. Col. Cole has that courageous Texas spirit we all admire. Whether serving at home or overseas, all service members can all learn from his example of selfless service."
Additionally, three members of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing, based at Houston's Ellington Field, joined Cole on the Senate floor during the reading of the resolution.
One Airman in particular had a very personal connection to Cole's generation, often described as the "Greatest Generation" of Americans.
"My grandfather flew 30 missions in a B-17 (Flying Fortress) in World War II and is the reason I became an Air Force pilot," said Lt. Col. Paul Alford, commander of the 147th RW's 111th Operations Support Squadron. "I have always held this generation to be my true heroes."
"Having studied the Doolittle Raiders' story through books," Alford said, "this opportunity to represent the Texas Military Department and Texas Air National Guard was truly a once-in-a-lifetime event and the highlight of my career."
The books Alford mentioned, include: "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" by Capt. Ted W. Lawson, "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again" by Doolittle and "Dick Cole's War" by Dennis R. Okerstrom.
Cole and his fellow veterans of the Doolittle Raid were an inspiration to another Texas airmen who came to meet him from San Antonio's 149th Fighter Wing.
"Lt. Col. Cole is an icon for us," said Tech. Sgt. Guillermo L. De La Cruz, an aircraft structural maintenance craftsman with the 149th FW. "It was a great honor to meet him in person."
"He is a great example for all of us to follow," De La Cruz said, "because he accepted the call to defend his nation with his life on a one-way trip mission."
Cole did not make any public comments during the Texas Capitol events, but Campbell said he wanted the Lone Star State senators to know that there were 13 other Texans who also participated in the raid. They were:
- Lt. Thad H. Blanton of Gainsville
- Lt. William N. Fitzhugh of Galveston
- Capt. Robert Gray of Killeen (killed in action)
- Lt. Dean E. Hallmark of Greenville
- Lt. Nolan A. Herndon of Greenville
- Maj. John A. Hilger of Sherman
- Lt. Robert L. Hite of Erath County
- Lt. Edgar E. McElroy of Ennis
- Lt. James M. Parker, Jr. of Houston
- Sgt. Douglas V. Radney of Mexia
- Lt. Kenneth E. Reddy of Bowie
- Lt. Rodney R. Wilder of Taylor
- Lt. Lucian N. Youngblood of Pampa
"Thank you for all you did for our nation, and the free world, on that raid almost 75 years ago," Campbell said to Cole. "I know you reject the title of a Texas hero, but I hope you will give us this latitude to use it in referring to you today. Because that's what you are to us."
In addition to Campbell, others rose to praise Cole after the reading of the SR 262, including state Sen. Paul Bettencourt of Houston, who said his father served with Doolittle later in the war.
"At 101, [Cole] is living history," Bettencourt posted to his Facebook page after the event, the raid "brought all Americans new hope in the war with the Empire of Japan."
"Until that moment the war news had been a steady stream of AXIS victories and the bombing raid of an enemy capital was a huge moral boost to the ALLIES," Bettencourt wrote. "So much so that the Imperial Japanese Empire War Cabinet advanced plans to extend their defensive perimeter to Midway Island in the Pacific, which resulted in the U.S. Navy sinking all 4 of the Imperial Navies' finest aircraft carriers and their planes."
"This shortened the war in the Pacific," wrote Bettencourt, "and allowed time for the industrial capacity of the United States to ramp up European efforts."
Before SR 262 was adopted without objection, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Texas Senate's presiding officer, said he was also a son of a WWII veteran and praised Cole for his bravery.
"So many millions of Americans owe their life to you," Patrick said.
"Today, a rare privilege to meet and shake the hand of a living legend, a hero," Patrick said. "And you know he's a hero when he doesn't want to be called one. He really is a hero."