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B-25 bomber fly-over largest of its kind since WWII

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Private operators of vintage B-25 bombers took off Sunday, April 18, from a runway behind the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, then flew over a memorial service outside the museum for the Doolittle Raiders who flew a top-secret bombing raid of Japan 68 years ago Sunday. This image shows 10 of the 17 B-25 planes that were flown to Dayton for the Doolittle Raiders' weekend reunion, which ended Sunday.

Staff Photo by Larry C. Price Private operators of vintage B-25 bombers took off Sunday, April 18, from a runway behind the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, then flew over a memorial service outside the museum for the Doolittle Raiders who flew a top-secret bombing raid of Japan 68 years ago Sunday. This image shows 10 of the 17 B-25 planes that were flown to Dayton for the Doolittle Raiders' weekend reunion, which ended Sunday.

By John Nolan, Staff Writer Updated 7:02 AM Monday, April 19, 2010

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — Three of the 80 American aviators whose 1942 bombing raid of Japan helped change the course of World War II were honored Sunday, April 18, with a fly-over of B-25 bombers, the type they flew to attack Japan.

Thomas Griffin, 92, of the Cincinnati area, David Thatcher, 88, of Missoula, Mont., and Dick Cole, 94, of Comfort, Texas, who was the co-pilot for raid leader Jimmy Doolittle, stood as the B-25s flew overhead at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The vintage airplanes had taken off minutes before from a runway behind the museum.

A fourth member of the 1942 raider group, Robert Hite, 90, of Nashville, Tenn., had joined the group’s reunion earlier in the weekend but had to return home on Saturday, Air Force officials said.

The crowd that had gathered to see the Raiders and witness a memorial service in their honor applauded. Sunday was the 68th anniversary of the raid.

The fly-over was timed to occur just before Air Force officials lauded the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders at a memorial dedicated to the men, just outside the Air Force Museum. The 17 privately owned B-25s were flown from around the country to the Dayton region this past week, in what Air Force officials said was one of the largest such gatherings since World War II.

The word “hero” is over-used in this country and broadly applied to sports figures, rock stars and others, museum director Charles Metcalf told the crowd at the memorial service.

“Today, in the truest sense of the word, we are among heroes,” said Metcalf, a retired Air Force major general.

Cole, who grew up in Dayton, said the raiders’ annual reunions around the country are intended to honor the memory of the sacrifices of their fallen comrades.

“It is an acknowledgement of those who have gone before us,” Cole told the crowd. “We all shared the same risks.”

The men then signed autographs for visitors to the museum. They signed hundreds of autographs for well-wishers during the three-day reunion, museum officials said.

Eight of the Doolittle Raiders survive. The other four were unable to travel to Dayton for the reunion. They are William Bower, 93, of Boulder, Colo.; Frank Kappeler, 96, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; Charles Ozuk, 93, San Antonio, Texas, and Edward Saylor, 90, Puyallup, Wash.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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