The sole remaining Raider is 101-year-old retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, who plans to be at the anniversary Tuesday at the museum. Cole, a Dayton native who lives in Texas, was Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot during the raid.
Here are five things to know about the historic raid:
1. Crews: Early that morning, five-man crews boarded 16 B-25B Mitchell bombers on the Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the Western Pacific. It was the first time the long-range bombers took off from the deck of an aircraft carrier for a strategic attack. The modified B-25s had the ability to take off from the Hornet but could not safely land on the carrier.
2. Targets: Six hours after taking off from the Hornet, the crews bombed 10 military and industrial targets in Tokyo, as well as others in Kobe, Nagoya, Osaka and Yokohama.
3. Headed to China: Because the crews couldn't return to the Hornet, the plan was to set down at airfields in China. Low fuel and poor weather forced crew members to ditch, crash land or bail out. Fifteen of the planes made it to China, and one ended up in the Soviet Union.
4. Initial casualties: Of the initial 80 crewmen, 69 survived and evaded enemy capture, three were killed during the mission and eight were captured by the Japanese.
5. Repercussions: While the damage to the targets was in no way crippling to the Japanese, the raid forced the Japanese to reposition forces and planes due to the new threat to its cities.
» PHOTOS: Doolittle Raiders through the years
» RELATED: Big celebration in Dayton to honor WWII's Doolittle Raiders
Schedule of events: National Museum of the United States Air Force’s 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid
Tuesday, April 18
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
B-25 bombers on static display
Location: Runway behind the museum
Enter grounds through gate at the corner of Col. Glenn Highway and Spinning Rd.
All vehicles must be removed from runway grounds by 12 p.m.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Public commemorative postmark cancellation
Location: NMUSAF gift shop
1:30 p.m.
B-25's depart runway in preparation for the formation fly-over
Public Viewing Location: Backside of Memorial Park
2:15 p.m.
B-25 bomber flyover
Location: Memorial Park
2:30 p.m.
Memorial service and wreath laying
Location: Memorial Park
Approx. 3:15 p.m.
B-1 bomber flyover from the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons
Location: Memorial Park
Throughout day
Author book signings*
Location: Air Force Museum Store
Authors include:
Stan Cohen, "Destination Tokyo"
James Scott, "Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor"
Frank Goldstein, "The Last Reunion: A Salute to The Jimmy Doolittle Tokyo Raiders"
Dennis Okerstrom, "Dick Cole's War: Doolittle Raider, Hump Pilot, Air Commando"
6:30 p.m.
"Doolittle's Raiders: The Final Toast"
Living History Film Series presented by Mr. W. Craig Willan
Location: Air Force Museum Theatre
This event is sold out
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