The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo
Forced to launch early, the crews of the 16 B-25's prepared their planes. Each of the crews had their own targets. The first group would be attacking Tokyo. They were still farther away from the Japanese homeland than originally anticipated. Fuel calculations weighed heavily on every crew. Based on the most widely reported distances, they were on the edge of their calculated fuel window. As the bombers reached their intended destination, they were surprised at the minimal resistance encountered. Some crews were able to drop their bombs on their intended targets. Others were forced to identify secondary targets for a number of reasons. On their flight from Japan to China, the crews got an unexpected break in the form of a tail wind. Although this would not make up for the lack of fuel, it did act to lift the spirits of the crews on board the bombers. Below is a crew by crew summary of their flight from the Hornet to their destinations. For some crewmen, we have included some information on what they did after the raid. We intend to expand on this information in the near future. Most of the Raiders survived the raid, and most of those that did, returned to fight. Some were lost in later missions. Many of the Raiders continued to fly B-25s after the raid.
Crew #1 SN 40-2344
- Pilot: Lt. Col. J. H. Doolittle
- Co-Pilot: Lt. R. E. Cole
- Navigator: Lt. H. A. Potter
- Bombardier: SSgt. F. A. Braemer
- Engineer/Gunner: SSgt. P. J. Leonard
Crew #2 SN 40-2292
- Pilot: Lt. T. Hoover
- Co-Pilot: Lt. W. N. Fitzhugh
- Navigator: Lt. C. R. Wildner
- Bombardier: Lt. R. E. Miller
- Engineer/Gunner: SSgt. D. V. Radney
As Lt. Travis Hoover launched off the Hornet, he pulled up hard to get in the air. The bow wash pushed the plane even higher. To keep the B-25 from stalling, he and his co-pilot pushed hard against the controls and the plane appeared to dive toward the waves. Utilizing some great flying skills, Hoover was able to regain control of the aircraft and head toward Japan. Having left just 5 minutes after Lt. Col. Doolittle, they closely followed the first B-25 headed toward Tokyo. Lt. Hoover took is B-25 on it's own course after reaching the outskirts of northern Tokyo. Approaching his target, he increased his altitude to 900 feet and bombed two factory buildings and storehouses near the Sumida River, just outside of Tokyo. The explosions below threw debris a hundred feet above the B-25. Again meeting up with Doolittle, he too headed for China. After losing sight of Doolittle and low on fuel, Lt. Hoover was able to execute a wheels-up landing in a rice paddy near Ningbo, China. At the time, Ningbo was a Japanese occupied area. With the crew unhurt, they set fire to the plane after recovering needed survival gear. The crew walked for three days before they were found by friendly locals and were transported by boat to Sungyao. From there, they traveled to Chunking.
After the raid: Lieutenant Fitzhugh and Sergeant Radney continued to fly B-25s in the CBI until May of 1943 with the 11th Bomb Group. Lieutenant Wildner was transferred to the 22nd Bomb Squadron and then then to the 491st Bomb Group flying B-25s. Lieutenant Hoover was transferred to the 319th Bomb Group, 440th Bomb Squadron becoming their commanding officer in June of 1942. He flew B-25s until May of 1944 when he started flying P-38s. Lieutenant Hoover would continue to fly 73 combat missions during the war.Crew #3 SN 40-2270
- Pilot: Lt. R. M. Gray
- Co-Pilot: Lt. J. E. Manch
- Navigator: Lt. C. J. Ozuk
- Bombardier: Sgt. A. E. Jones
- Engineer/Gunner: Cpl. L. D. Faktor
The third B-25 to launch from the deck of the Hornet, Lt. R. M. Gray guided his B-25 toward Tokyo. Reaching the coastline due east of Yokohama about 20 minutes after the first two crews had released their bombs. This time delay had allowed the Japanese vital time to recover from the initial shock of the first attacks. The crew of the third B-25 was met with intense flak. They dropped their bombs on their targets in four individual bomb runs. Their targets; a steel mill, chemical factory, and gas company were hit. The only incendiary bomb was dropped in a densely populated small factory district. Heavy smoke blew into the sky. They turned west and utilized the .30 caliber nose gun as they fought their way toward China. They were unable to see the coastline due to the weather conditions as they flew into China. The pilot saw some lights through the clouds and dropped their last two candle bombs in search for a place to land. Unable to find a safe landing area and fuel running out, he ordered the crew to bail out of the B-25. They were flying over a mountainous area of Zhejiang province. During this bail out, Cpl. Leland D. Faktor died as he fell down a cliff. The others landed safely and were escorted to Chuchow over the next few days. Cpl. Faktor was the first casualty of the raid.
After the raid: Lieutenant Gray and Sergeant Jones would join the 22nd Bomb Squadron and continue to fly B-25s. Lieutenant Manch joined the 11th Bomb Squadron flying B-25s to be joined later by Sergeant Gray. Sergeant Gray was killed in action in October of 1942. Sergeant Jones later transferred to the 490th, continuing to fly B-25s in the CBI.Crew #4 SN 40-2282
- Pilot: Lt. E. W. Holstrom
- Co-Pilot: Lt. L. N. Youngblood
- Navigator: Lt. H. C. McCool
- Bombardier: Sgt. R. J. Stephens
- Engineer/Gunner: Cpl. B. M. Jordan
The fourth bomber to leave the Hornet did so without incident. As they settled in for the long flight to Japan, the gunner decided to test the guns. Corporal Jordan soon learned the turret was unresponsive. Unknown to him, the electrical lead was not connected. The .50 caliber guns would be useless. He also noticed that the left wing tank had developed a leak. This would be an issue on several of the raid modified B-25s. Unbeknownst to the crew, their compass was off by as much as 15 degrees. This caused the bomber to make landfall well south of their intended location. After identifying their location, the map revealed they were 75 miles south of Tokyo. Their intended targets were a clothing depot and powder magazine in northern Tokyo. The crew was aware they were well behind the first group of planes and knew they would not have the element of surprise afforded the previous group. Alternate targets of an oil storage tank farm and troop barracks were chosen. As they headed toward land, they were bet by Japanese bombers and fighters. Low on gas and without usable .50 caliber guns, they decided to outrun their opponents. Taking fire from the Japanese fighters, they dropped to 75 feet, disarmed their bombs, and dropped them into the water below. They raced toward China and bailed out over land. All crew found their way to safety.
After the raid: Lieutenants Holstrom and Youngblood would transfer to the 11th Bomb Squadron continuing to fly B-25s in the CBI. The remaining 3 crew would transfer to the 22nd Bomb Squadron. Lieutenant McCool would fly 13 missions in B-25s. Sergeant Stephens flew 33 missions with the 22nd and later the 11th Bomb Squadrons. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart in May of 1943. Corporal Jordan would later transfer to the 490th Bomb Squadron.Crew #5 SN 40-2283
- Pilot: Capt. D. M. Jones
- Co-Pilot: Lt. R. R. Wilder
- Navigator: Lt. E. F. McGurl
- Bombardier: Lt. D. V. Truelove
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. J. W. Manske
Shortly after launching from the Hornet, the crew of the fifth B-25 headed due west toward Tokyo. Captain Jones asked his engineer for a report on fuel. He realized his B-25 Mitchell was short thirty gallons of fuel in her left rear tank. At that point, they knew they did not have enough fuel to reach their final destination. Reaching shore just north of the Inubo Saki lighthouse, they were surprised to not face opposition. For the next 20 minutes, they struggled to determine their location. Locating Tokyo Bay, they were able to determine their location. With fuel running low, the decided they could not make their primary targets including an armory east of the Imperial Palace. They chose alternate targets of what appeared to be a brick power plant and an oil tank. After bombing these targets, they identified a large two story factory that looked very similar to the North American Aviation plant in Inglewood, California. They bombed that as well and headed for their last target increasing their speed. After almost missing their last target, they headed toward China on instruments and bailed out near Chuhsien as fuel ran low. All crew found their way to safety.
After the raid: Lieutenant McGurl was killed in action on June 3, 1942 when his plane crashed into mountain after bombing targets in Lashio, Burma. Captain Jones was assigned as acting commander of the 319th Bomb Group on November 20, 1942. He was later assigned as the commander of the 438th Bomb Squadron in North Africa flying the B-26. He was shot down over Bizerte, Lybia and was captured. He was liberated in April of 1945.Crew #6 SN 40-2298
- Pilot: Lt. D. E. Hallmark
- Co-Pilot: Lt. R. J. Meder
- Navigator: Lt. C. J. Nielsen
- Bombardier: Sgt. W. J. Dieter
- Engineer/Gunner: Cpl. D. E. Fitzmaurice
By the time the sixth B-25 was launched off the Hornet, it was becoming almost a routine. As Lt. Hallmark guided his ship toward Tokyo, the crew again marveled at the lack of opposition they initially faced. The peaceful flight was interrupted by heavy flack as they closed in on their targets. One of the Plexiglas windows near the co-pilot was shattered by flack as they rose up to 1,500 feet. Japanese planes were seen overhead at about 10,000 feet. Their targets were the steel mills and foundries in the northeastern corner of Tokyo. These targets were large and should be easy to hit. They indeed were. Their total time over target was just three minutes and they too headed toward China. As they headed toward China, fuel became an issue. The pilot was forced to ditch the plane in the water within sight of the China coast. Sergeant Dieter and Cpl. Fitzmaurice both drowned. Lieutenant Hallmark was also injured but was able to make it to the shore with the other two survivors. The next day, they buried the two men who were lost and tried to reach safety. All three men were captured and interred as Prisoners of War. Lieutenant Hallmark was executed by the Japanese. Lieutenant Meder would later die in a prison camp. Of the five crew members, only Lt. Nielsen would survive the war.
Crew #7 SN 40-2261
- Pilot: Lt. T. W. Lawson
- Co-Pilot: Lt. D. Davenport
- Navigator: Lt. C. L. McClure
- Bombardier: Lt. R. S. Clever
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. D. J. Thatcher
The crew of the seventh B-25 Mitchell prepared to launch off the Hornet. As part of his pre-flight checks, Lt. Lawson had had tested the flaps. In his rush, he failed to lower them prior to launch. This mistake became apparent as they disappeared below the bow of the ship. They fought the plane just above the waves as they coaxed the B-25 into steady flight. The crew buzzed a Japanese merchant ship and joked about bombing it. Gunner Sgt. Thatcher also fired up the turret to verify it was working correctly. As they reached the coast, it is interesting to note they were in awe by the beauty of the countryside. As many of the previous crews noted, the general public seemed unaware they were the enemy. As they buzzed through town, the sight of a Japanese flag waving above a school brought their focus back to the task at hand. As they approached Tokyo, they encountered six Japanese fighters racing toward them. One fighter peeled off and started to dive. The crew took the B-25 down to 15 feet and lost sight of the group. They soon saw several large fires, evidence of the success of the crews that had preceded them. They pulled up to 1,400 feet as they entered the flack. Their initial target was the Nippon Machine Works, but they instead targeted a large factory. After they dropped all of their bombs, they headed toward China. As fuel ran low, the crew saw a sandy beach. Estimating they had enough fuel, Lt. Lawson flew low across the beach to assess for landing. He brought the bomber back around and lowered the flaps and wheels. Just a quarter mile from the shore, the engines died and the plane when into the water near the Zhejiang Province. Four of the five men were seriously injured and all were immediately found by two local fishermen. They were taken to a local hospital and had their wounds dressed. Hearing of their medical issues, Lt. T. R. White, M.D. rushed to their location. He would eventually perform a field amputation of the left leg of Lt. Lawson. All would return to the United States after recovery. Sergeant Thatcher is currently one of two surviving raiders
Crew #8 SN 40-2242
- Pilot: Capt. E. J. York
- Co-Pilot: Lt. R. G. Emmens
- Navigator: Lt. N. A. Herndon
- Bombardier: SSgt. T. H. Laban
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. D. W. Pohl
Captain York successfully pulled his B-25 off the flight deck of the Hornet. It should be noted here that Emmens was not present at Eglin Field for the short take off training. He did receive some instruction from Lt. Miller, but there is conflicting information on whether he actually performed a simulated launch using the short take off technique. This bomber most likely was the one that had the carburetors adjusted at McClellan as calculations show she burned an average of 98 gallons per hour. This was far more than the 72 gallons per hour expected from the other B-25s. Reaching the Japanese coast, they flew over what appeared to be an internment camp. Their destination was to be an aircraft engine manufacturing plant on the south side of Tokyo. After flying over land for more than 30 minutes, they started looking for another target. They soon located what appeared to be a power plant. Pulling up to 1,500 feet, they opened the bomb bay doors and released their bombs. Knowing they would not make China, they made the decision to fly toward Vladivostok, Russia. They landed in a field near their destination in hopes of refueling and continuing to China. This B-25 would be the only one to make a wheels-up landing. The crew would be interred for 13 months by the Soviets before escaping into Persia. The B-25 was confiscated and it's fate is unknown.
Crew #9 SN 40-2303
- Pilot: Lt. H. F. Watson
- Co-Pilot: Lt. J. M. Parker Jr.
- Navigator: Lt. T. C. Griffin
- Bombardier: Sgt. W. M. Bissell
- Engineer/Gunner: Tsgt. E. V. Scott
The ninth crew to launch from the Hornet did so without any issues. During the long flight to the coast, their turret tank started leaking. To save as much fuel as possible, fuel was transferred as quickly as possible out of that tank. They flew straight to the coast, arriving just 35 miles north of Tokyo. They were able to see the fires and devastation caused by earlier bomb runs. They encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire as they flew through Tokyo. At some point, a reporter on the ground was able to photograph their flight. This photo would appear in the following morning's paper. Their target, the Kawasaki Truck and Tank plant was soon located and bombed. As they completed their bomb run, a Japanese Zero targeted the B-25 and opened fire. Gunner Tsgt. Scott opened fire on the Zero. As he continued to fire, his sight fogged up. The fighter fell off his left wing and disappeared. Lieutenant Watson turned his B-25 toward China. Three hours out of Tokyo, they spotted two Japanese cruisers and a battleship. One of the cruisers opened fire nearly hitting the B-25. Approximately 100 miles south of Pyong Lake and fuel running low, the crew bailed out. While bailing out of his plane, Lt. Watson was injured. The crew was found and he was taken to Hengyang. He eventually returned to the United States and remained hospitalized until the summer of 1944.
After the raid: Lieutenant Griffin would be assigned to the 319th Bomb Group, 440th Bomb Squadron flying B-26s. He was shot down on July 3, 1943 over Gerbini, Sicily and taken prisoner. He was a P.O.W. until the end of the war.Crew #10 SN 40-2250
- Pilot: Lt. R. O. Joyce
- Co-Pilot: Lt. J. R. Stork
- Navigator/Bombardier: Lt. H. E. Crouch
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. G. E. Larkin Jr.
- Gunner: SSgt. E. W. Horton Jr.
Pilot Lt. Joyce expected some opposition flying to Japan and chose to fly at a higher altitude than previous crews. His target would be the Japan Special Steel Company plants and warehouses in the southern end of Tokyo. As he headed past Tokyo Bay, the Yokosuka naval base opened fire. Passing through without issues, the crew released their bombs on their target. After their bomb run, the flack continued. One shell exploded close to the Mitchell and ripped an 8 inch hole in the fuselage. This would be the only significant damage caused by the Japanese on the raid. Nine enemy fighters tracked the B-25 with two immediately attacking. Lieutenant Joyce pushed the stick forward and dove under the fighters. The dramatic increase in speed and steep dive caused the ammo to tangle in the turret. The gunner struggled to bring the .50 caliber machine guns back into service as Lt. Joyce evaded the enemy fighters. Once the B-25 was able to return fire, they were able to outpace their enemy and lose them in the clouds. The crew turned their attention to making the China coast. Running low on fuel, they safely bailed out and reached Chuhsien within 4 days. The entire crew would remain in China flying B-25s well into 1943.
After the raid: With the exception of Lieutenant Stork, the entire crew would be assigned to the 11th Bomb Squadron flying B-25s in the CBI.Crew #11 SN 40-2249
- Pilot: Capt. C. R. Greening
- Co-Pilot: Lt. K. E. Reddy
- Navigator: Lt. F. A. Kappeler
- Bombardier: SSgt. W. L. Birch
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. M. J. Gardner
The eleventh B-25 to launch off the Hornet was the first bomber of the fourth wave. The remaining B-25s would target areas outside of the Japanese capital. Flying towards Japan, the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth bombers flew close together until they reached the coast. Captain Greening brought his B-25 ashore northeast of Tokyo. The crew was flying across Kasumigaura Lake when four Japanese fighters attacked. Sergeant Gardner let loose from the turret and brought two fighters down. One of the fighters was on fire, but neither were seen to hit the ground. The other fighters backed off until the turret jammed and the motor burned out. Smoke filled the back of the B-25 as Capt. Greening evaded the remaining fighters. One of the fighters landed about fifteen hits on the B-25. Under attack from the Japanese, Capt. Greening knew he could not make his original target, an oil refinery in Yokohama. Ahead, they saw what appeared to be refinery pipelines and tanks camouflaged by thatched roofs. Pulling up to just 600 feet, SSgt. Birch released their bombs on target. The explosions rocked the bomber causing both the pilot and co-pilot to hit their head on the top of the cockpit. Lieutenant Reddy would suffer a cut on his head. Outrunning their opposition, they headed toward China. Over the East China Sea, the crew spotted a Japanese picket boat and opened fire. Reaching China, the crew headed as far inland as they could with the fuel they had. Running low on fuel, Captain Greening ordered his crew to bail out in a mountainous area that bordered the Zhejian and Anhui provinces. Bailing out, Sergeant Gardner sprained both ankles. The entire crew made it safely to Chuhsien.
After the raid: Lieutenant Kappeler was assigned to the 22nd Bomb Squadron flying B-25s. On June 2, 1942, Sergeant Gardner was killed in action after bombing mission on Lashio, Burma. Captain Greening rejoined the 17th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Squadron now flying B-26s. He was shot down on July 17, 1943 over Naples, Italy and was captured. He was a P.O.W. until the end of the war.Crew #12 SN 40-2278
- Pilot: Lt. W. M. Bower
- Co-Pilot: Lt. T. Blanton
- Navigator: Lt. W. R. Pound Jr.
- Bombardier: TSgt. W. J. Bither
- Engineer/Gunner: SSgt. O. A. Duquette
Lieutenant Bower brought his B-25 ashore just north of Choshi, due east of Tokyo. Their navigator struggled to find their location as they zig-zagged down the shoreline. The pilot, Lt. Bower chose to fly as low as possible across the countryside. He wrote in his diary that he " became a busy boy trying to harvest the rice crop for the natives". The initial target for this crew was the Yokohama dockyards. Arriving at their target, they noticed barrage balloons completely encircling the dockyards. Reacting quickly, they located what appeared to be an oil refinery. After dropping all their bombs, Lt. Bower dove as low as he could fly and headed toward China. On their flight to China, they strafed a Japanese weather boat, sinking it. Flying as far inland as possible with the fuel on board, they bailed out over China. Sergeant Duquette broke his foot when he landed on the ground. The entire crew was located by local Chinese and met up with the crew of plane #10 on their journey to Chuhsien.
After the raid: Sergeant Duquette was assigned to the 11th Bomb Squadron flying B-25s. He was killed on June 3, 1942 when his plane crashed after bombing Lashio, Burma. Lieutenant Blanton was initially assigned to the 22nd and later the 491st Bomb Squadrons. Lieutenant Bower was assigned to the 310th Bomb Group, 428th Bomb Squadron flying B-26s. He was the squadron commander of the 428th through September of 1945.Crew #13 SN 40-2247
- Pilot: Lt. E. E. McElroy
- Co-Pilot: Lt. R. A. Knobloch
- Navigator: Lt. C. J. Campbell
- Bombardier: Sgt. R. C. Burgeois
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. A. R. Williams
The launch of the thirteenth bomber from the Hornet was uneventful as was the flight to Japan. When they reached the coast, they discovered they were about 50 miles north of their intended landfall. Lieutenant McElroy headed back out to sea as he turned south to his destination, the Yokosuka Naval Base. The crew identified the submarine tender Taigei being converted into a carrier in the dry docks. Lieutenant McElroy pulled up to 1,300 feet as the bombardier set his sights. The damage they would inflict on the Taigei would set back the conversion of that ship for another 4 months. The co-pilot had purchased a camera at the Sacramento Air Depot. He and the navigator took several pictures that survived the raid. After a successful bombing run, Lt. McElroy turned his B-25 toward China. Running out of fuel over China, the crew bailed out. They made their way to Chuhsien three days later. The entire crew stayed in the theater for the next year.
After the raid: Lieutenant Campbell and Sergeant Williams would transfer to the 11th Bomb Squadron flying B-25s in the CBI. The remaining 3 would transfer to the 22nd Bomb Squadron. Lieutenant McElroy and Sergeant Burgeois would later transfer to the 491st Bomb Squadron and continue to fly B-25s. Lieutenant Knobloch would later transfer to the 490th Bomb Squadron.Crew #14 SN 40-2297
- Pilot: Maj. J. A. Hilger
- Co-Pilot: Lt. J. A. Sims
- Navigator/Bombardier: Lt. J. H. Macia Jr.
- Radio/Gunner: SSgt. E. V. Bain
- Engineer/Gunner: SSgt. J. Eierman
Major Hilger took to this mission from a more personal perspective. The Japanese had recently sank the destroyer "Pillsbury" with his younger brother on board. His launch from the Hornet went without issue. Lieutenant Smith, pilot of the fifteenth B-25 to launch, caught up to Major Hilger and the two headed toward the Japanese coast. The two separated as Major Hilger banked southwest headed toward Nagoya Bay. The crew had selected several targets in Nagoya. As they headed for their first, antiaircraft batteries opened fire. The first target was the army barracks. Dropping their first bomb, they headed to the oil and gasoline storage warehouses. They bombed the largest building in that cluster and then bombed the arsenal. The last target was the Mitsubishi Aircraft Works. Sergeant Bain dropped their last bomb dead center of the building. As they headed out of Nagoya, they fired on tow oil storage tanks. Major Hilger turned his bomber toward China and headed back out to sea. Running low on fuel, Major Hilger ordered his crew to bail out over China. All were unhurt and reached safety within two days.
Crew #15 SN 40-2267
- Pilot: Lt. D. G. Smith
- Co-Pilot: Lt. G. P. Williams
- Navigator/Bombardier: Lt. H. A. Sessler
- Flight Surgeon/Gunner: Lt. T. R. White MD
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. E. J. Saylor
Lieutenant Smith would launch off the Hornet and catch up to Major Hilger and his B-25 on their long flight to Japan. They were listening to Japanese radio station JOAK when an alarm interrupted the broadcast about 1:25 pm. They could not understand what was being said, but it sounded as if the announcer was shouting about three words. This would be repeated about 10 times before the station went silent. The crew then knew the raid had begun. Reaching Nagoya Bay, Lieutenant Smith headed toward Nagoya with no opposition. Lieutenant Sessler spotted the steel foundries and the bombing run would begin. After unloading their first bomb on the steel foundries, the second targeted the Kawasaki Dockyard Company. Their third bomb fell just west of the Electric Machinery Works. Their final bomb targeted the Kawasaki aircraft factory. As they completed their bomb run, the antiaircraft batteries opened up. Lieutenant Smith turned his bomber toward China. As he reached the China coast, he saw the mountain peaks of the Tantou Mountain island near the Zhejian Province. Without enough fuel to clear the mountain, Lt. Smith chose to ditch the plane off the coast near Sangchow. All crew members left the plane before it sank safely. Doc White tried in vain to locate his medicine box, but was able to recover a surgical instrument box. The crew was assisted by Ma Liang Shui, a local fisherman. He gave the crew clothing and helped them through a Japanese blockade to safety. When Doc White heard of the injuries to to Lt. Lawson, he rushed to his location to assist with his care. With the supplies recovered from their crashed B-25 Doc White was able to perform a field amputation on Lt. Lawson to save his live. Years later, Doc would regret his inability to find the medicine box. With the vital medications inside, Doc may have been able to save Lt. Lawson's leg.
Crew #16 SN 40-2268
- Pilot: Lt. W. G. Farrow
- Co-Pilot: Lt. R. L. Hite
- Navigator: Lt. T. Barr
- Bombardier: Cpl. J. DeShazer
- Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. H. A. Spatz
The troubles for the last B-25 to launch started while still on the Hornet. Seaman First Class Robert Wall stumbled into the propeller of the left prop during engine warm-up. His arm would later be amputated. While moving the aircraft around in the strong winds, a hole was punched in the nose of their B-25 by the back of the fifteenth bomber. This would serve as an ominous warning for the crew. Lieutenant Farrow continued his flight toward Japan. He flew as low as he could until he spotted Japanese fighters. Raising his altitude to seven thousand feet, they hid in the clouds headed toward Nagoya. Reaching their target, they dove through the clouds and targeted an oil refinery below. One of their bombs hit the number 3 tank at the Toho Gas Company. Their final target was Nagoya Aeronautical Manufacturing, the plant that made the Zero fighter. They hit their target, though damage was light. Lieutenant Farrow turned west and headed to China. They were close to enemy territory over Nangchang city when they were forced to bail out due to low fuel. All of the crew were captured before noon. Both Lt. Farrow and Sgt. Spatz were executed by the Japanese. The remaining three were held as P.O.W.s for the rest of the war.
