Putting My Flags Out Today In Honor of the Doolittle Raiders

Today marks the 77th anniversary of an event that, though it didn't change the course of the war between Japan and the United States, it had a huge impact on the morale of both sides.

Sixteen American B-25 bombers took off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet and launched a surprise attack on the Japanese homeland.

If the Japanese could launch a surprise aircraft carrier attack on the U.S. at Pearl Harbor five months earlier, the United States could repay the favor.  Doolittle's Raiders did some damage, but not a lot.

But, this was huge for American morale as we had little to cheer about at this point.  It was one defeat and loss after another in the Pacific and U-boats prowling off the east  and Gulf coasts were sinking ships on a regular basis.

For the Japanese, it was an awakening that they were not safe from the Americans.

The last member of the Doolittle Raiders, Richard Cole, died nine days ago, at age 103.

--GreGen