THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ALAMO CHAPTER 34 WWW.ALAMOAFA.ORG SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: THE DEFENDER Alamo Chapter 34 V O L U M E 9 N O A P R - J U N 0 1 4 Doolittle Moment On The Air Toast To The Raiders By Douglas Nelson 18 APR 014 Chapter Leadership President: Paul Weseloh Exec VP: Debbie Landry Secretary: Tom Peterson Treasurer: Alan Beaty INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Spreading the word Honoring One of our own AFA Texas Award Community Parners...Join Us! 3 When I got into the Parr Club, I saw Dave Pope, Alamo AEF President, talking to Lt Col Cole I took Dave s picture while he was telling the Col he had presented an award to his grandson and at that time, Dave had not realized who his grandfather was. Also, I got a picture of the Col standing next to Col Landry, Alamo EVP. When we caught up with Lt Col Cole, he ask Col Landry, What was he was supposed to do? Just smile said Col. Landry Lt Col Cole smiled a big warm smile and I snapped a picture of the two together After I pressed the flesh of living history, I got the chance to ask Lt Col Cole, who is now 9, my burning question. What did Doolittle say when you were about to take off from the deck of the aircraft carrier Hornet? I could tell his mind flashed back decades to 0800 on the morning of April 18, 194. He thought for a little bit and said, He didn t say anything. No wonder Doolittle had nothing to talk about he had a lot on On The Air Message...Support AFA his mind. Seventy-two years ago, Doolittle was in command of the most audacious air mission of World War II and it was as close to a suicide mission as you could get. He was about to lead a mission to bomb Tokyo the largest city in Japan with no fighter escort and no place to land. Seated next to Doolittle in the B-5B was his copilot Lt Cole--whose hand I had just shaken. Doolittle handpicked Lt Dick Cole because Doolittle knew Dick could take over the controls and take Cont d on page 4 Congrats 3 Doolittle 4 (Cont d) Membership 5 Info Chapter President Paul H. Weseloh and Community Partner John Thurman talk about local San Antonio support to the military on KLUP AMS Movers & Shakers. Both were interviewing Maj Gen (Ret) Al Flowers a member of the Alamo Chapter. Mr. Thurman invited the Chapter President and helped get the word out about AFA and the Alamo Chapter. Thanks John for the support!
PAGE Spreading The Word About AFA with the NCOA Robert D. Gaylor NCOA Class 14-5 Want to know more about the Force Behind The Force? Chapter leadership take time to talk with our local Robert D. Gaylor NCOA class throughout the year. The Alamo Chapter is the sponsor of the Distinguished Graduate awards and also present them during class graduation events. The students learn about the history of AFA and how the enlisted leadership has made an impact over the years. Students are offered an opportunity to ask questions and join AFA. This outreach program continues to be a success and is now spreading to our local Airman Leadership School. Honoring one of our own Educate, Advocate and Support Brent Boller receives the Texas Aerospace Education Foundation "Fortress Fellow" award from Chapter President Paul Weseloh and past President Al Swaim for his years of dedicated support to AFA and the Alamo Chapter. Brent was the editor of our Defender newsletter and made a great impact on the local area by informing San Antonio about the Alamo Chapter and events. Thanks Brent for all the support! AFA Texas Award Alamo Chapter Member receives a AFA Texas award for his outstanding leadership during 01. THE DEFENDER
VOLUME 9 NO PAGE 3 Community Partners...Join Us! The Alamo AFA enjoys a robust relationship with its partners. These local firms go above and beyond for our members, providing sponsorship and assistance during our banquets and other events. They are the linchpin that helps hold our chapter together. If you have any questions about becoming a Alamo Community Partner please contact Darin Defendorf. CONGRATS TO SOME OF OUR BEST 1. CMSgt Katie McCool receives AFA Texas Award from Alamo Chapter President. David Lipsey receiving the inaugural Alamo Chapter AEF President's Education Award, with his father Col (ret) Richard Lipsey and Alamo Chapter President. 3. Becka Landry receives a pen set from Alamo Chapter President for her AEF Family Education Award. Photo also includes her mother Col Deborah Landry, Alamo Chapter EVP.
PAGE 4 Raider (cont d) When the gas gauges read zero, Dolittle told his men to jump. command if anything happened to him. Early that same day at 0600 a scout plane dropped a beanbag with a note, secure communication, on the flight deck of the Enterprise saying they had been spotted by Japanese fishing vessel. At 0800 Admiral Halsey flashed a message to the Hornet: LAUNCH PLANES X TO COL DOOLITTLE AND GAL- LANT COMMAND GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU The Hornet was immediately turned directly into the wind and ran up to its full speed of 0-knots. The wind was blowing directly down the flight deck at 30- knots with waves 30 feet high. Doolittle started the engines with Lt Cole reading the checklist, warmed the engines up, and checked the magnetos, rpm and oil pressure and the position of the flaps. He gave the thumps-up to the deck officer holding the checkered flag. Hanging on to the rail in gale force winds the deck officer started waving the checkered flag in circles. Doolittle pushed the throttles up as far as they would go. When the Hornet was on top of a 30-foot wave, the deck officer gave the go signal, the brakes were released, and the yoke pulled back. Either the B5B was going to be an airplane or submarine. The master risk taker got it right. Amazingly, aircraft number 1 had feet to spare when the flight deck dropped out from under it. Aircraft #1 left the deck of the Hornet at 080. They were 85 miles from the center of Tokyo. The original plan was to launch 500 miles from Tokyo; Doolittle the master of the calculated risk had just added another risk to his raid-- fuel. Doolittle made a 360 turn and lined the aircraft up with the Hornet. Hank Potter the navigator used the ship to calibrate the aircraft s magnetic compass. They were using dead reckoning to get to Tokyo and needed to make sure the compass was dead on. As Aircraft #1flew to Tokyo Doolittle and Dick took turns at the controls. About hours into the flight, a Japanese flying boat flew directly overhead without seeing them. Dick kept Sergeant Paul Leonard the engineer-gunner advised of enemy fighters. In total, Dick counted 80 enemy fighters but none gave chase. Finally, they spotted the large factory buildings that were the intended targets. Fred Braemer toggled off the four incendiary bombs in rapid succession at noon Tokyo time. The incendiary bombs were intended to light the way for the other 16 B5B bombers. Mission complete Dolittle turned the aircraft towards Yakushima, China. Before leaving Japan, five fighters spotted Doolittle s aircraft and gave chase. He flew the B5B bomber down to the deck between two small hills as terrain masking and the fighters lost sight of him. As they turned west over the China Sea they were facing a headwind. Lt Potter estimated they would run out of gas 135 miles from the China coast. Again, fate was kind and the headwind turned into a tail wind. Once they were in range of their intended airfield, they tried to raise Chuchow, China on the radio. No answer and no way to find the airfield. When the gas gauges read zero, Dolittle told his men to jump. Dolittle shutoff both gas valves and was the last to jump at 130. Years later, someone ask Cole how he landed in China. Feet first just before the parachute, he said. During the short toast ceremony today, Gen Robin Rand said we stand on the shoulders of men like Lt Col Richard Dick Cole and presented him with a bottle of Hennessy Whiskey. It seems that after the raid an AF museum had given the Raiders a bottle of Hennessy whiskey to celebrate--only to take it back before they got to drink it. Lt Cole remarked, That was pretty chintzy. It only took the AF 7 years to get that one right. Today, out of the 88 Raiders to participate in that mission, only remain to toast with the Hennessy. I m proud to have witnessed and participated in a piece of history. NEWSLETTER TITLE
Mailing address: Alamo Chapter, Air Force Association P.O. Box 3461 San Antonio, TX 7865-461 PAGE 5