JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Team Andrews members gathered at the club here to honor the legacy of 80 men who, 72 years ago, completed the executed one of the most important and dangerous missions in military history.
On April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle led a team of 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers from the flight deck of the USS Hornet to deliver the first strike against the empire of Japan since the Pearl Harbor attacks of Dec. 7, 1941. Each member knew they would not have enough fuel to complete the mission at hand and return to friendly territory, but, true to their motto "Toujours Au Danger," or "Ever Into Peril," volunteered nonetheless.
"The same thing that inspired the Doolittle Raiders inspires us today," said Col Bill Knight, 11th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander. "People often tell the military, 'you can't make this happen,' and that tends to become a burr under our saddle. We make the impossible possible every day."
Richard Cole, son of retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole, the sole surviving raider from crew one, spoke about his father and the Doolittle raiders, and the role these members of the "greatest generation" played in history.
"I consider it a privilege to be able to talk about the raid, my father and the men who were on the raid, because I believe it goes to the very core of who we are as a nation," said Cole. "I've grown up around these guys, because we've been going to these reunions. I can tell you not one of them would ever think they were the greatest generation. They believed in these truths," he said, pointing to a slide displayed on a screen referencing the Declaration of Independence.
"They knew that if they needed to go out and spill blood to preserve these truths, that's what their job was. They knew what we all know; what my generation knows, what your generation knows and my prayer is that every generation knows is that we have to go out and rewrite this in the blood of every generation to preserve it, because tyranny cannot stand in this world."
Retired Col. Dick Cole closed the event, speaking through a video played to the attendees.
"On behalf of the Doolittle Raiders, I would like to thank you for your joining the toast on this special day. The Raiders and family members are very appreciative of your support," said Col. Cole. "With that, I'd like to propose a toast: To those who helped make our mission successful, and those who have passed away since, may they rest in peace."