1942-2008

May 28 - 31, 2008
Northwest Florida welcomes back the Doolittle Raiders

presented by

Tickets now available at all Beach Community Bank branches and the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce office.

In the tense atmosphere after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt continually asked his military leaders to seek some way to strike back at the heart of Japan. He wanted a daring air assault that would boost American morale and prove that the Unites States was capable of retaliation for the unprovoked attack.

His order was carried out on April 18, 1942 when Lt. Col. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle led sixteen Army B-25 bombers off the deck of the Navy carrier Hornet and bombed 5 major cities in the Japanese home islands, including the capital city of Tokyo. It was a surprise carrier-launched raid just as the Japanese had carried out against Hawaii.

The raid resulted in a tremendous boost in American morale and each of the Doolittle Raiders received the Distinguished Flying Cross for their epic mission.

Planning for this secret mission began several months earlier and the highly specialized flight training took place at Eglin Field.

May 28 - 31, 2008
Northwest Florida welcomes back the Doolittle Raiders

Special thanks to www.doolittleraider.com for use of historic photos and information.