1911's and the Doolittle Raid (WWII)

[VaTom]

Reading a comprehensive book on the Doolittle raid entitled "Target Tokyo" (see pic). Came across this passage this morning and thought some members might be interested. While in route to the take off point on the carrier Hornet, the 16 airplane crews were issued equipment for the raid. Explains how some war 1911's ended up with mixed parts. I am sure this happened many times during the war and especially in Ordnance Field Units.

Page 149 from "Target Tokyo"
"Each combat crew member received a pistol, a parachute knife, an extra clip of ammunition, one day's type C field ration, a flashlight, a full canteen of water, a Navy gas mask, and a hand ax. Not all the gear passed muster. "I went through that box of 1911 pistols" remembered pilot Edgar McElroy of his .45. "They were in such bad condition that I took several of them apart, using the good parts from several useless guns until I built a serviceable weapon. Several other pilots did the same".

Great book that I recommend!

 

[Faulkner]

I took note of that passage in the book as well. I have several books of the Doolittle Raid in my library and I agree that Target Tokyo is one of the best ones.

 

[BAM-BAM]

It's been decades..... but didn't they leave all that behind when they had to launch early?

IIRC; spotted by a Jap fishing boat????????????????????

 

[VaTom]

It's been decades..... but didn't they leave all that behind when they had to launch early?

IIRC; spotted by a Jap fishing boat????????????????????

Yes they had to launch early due to being spotted by a Japanese fishing boat. The Japanese used these boats as picket boats to radio in sightings as part of the early warning system. They took off 800 miles from Japan instead of 400 as planned. Most made it to China coast after raid as planned but none of the aircraft landed in China. All ran out of gas before reaching the Chinese airfields except one landed in Russia and crews bailed out. One ditched in the water close to shore. One crew was captured and 3 of those crew members were executed. One died in captivity and one died in the ditched landing. Remarkable that so many survived and made it back to the US to fly later in the war. I believe Doolittle himself had his .45 when he parachuted and it was taken by the Chinese. Doolittle was awarded the Medal of Honor and later commanded the 8th Air Force in England. Great story of heroism by all. Only recently (this year) did the last Doolittle raider pass away.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

As I have posted, my FIL met Jimmy Doolittle in West Africa.
Jimmy had to circle Westward to get home.

 

[Tom K]

....

Page 149 from "Target Tokyo"
"Each combat crew member received a pistol, a parachute knife, an extra clip of ammunition, one day's type C field ration, a flashlight, a full canteen of water, a Navy gas mask, and a hand ax. Not all the gear passed muster. "I went through that box of 1911 pistols" remembered pilot Edgar McElroy of his .45. "They were in such bad condition that I took several of them apart, using the good parts from several useless guns until I built a serviceable weapon. Several other pilots did the same".

Friend of mine was a Marine in Vietnam. He said that the armorers would take a 1911 and swap parts out of various buckets until they got it to work. An "all original" 1911 is a pretty rare thing.

 

[Texas Star]

In Newfoundland in 1966, I swapped parts on M-1911A-1's to get an all-Colt gun with checkered surfaces and a wide spur hammer.

Someone asked about leaving that personal gear on the Hornet. They took only one set of machine guns to save weight, but Capt. Ted Lawson said the men kept their sidearms, etc. They used broomsticks painted black in turrets in lieu of real machine guns, to scare Japanese pilots.

Lawson said his crew had personal pistols and knives, as well as those issued.

When approached in China, a crewman drew his .45, but the strangers were Chinese, who helped the Americans.

See Lawson's book,Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

 

[El Biblioitecario]

Friend of mine was a Marine in Vietnam. He said that the armorers would take a 1911 and swap parts out of various buckets until they got it to work. An "all original" 1911 is a pretty rare thing.

I have always suspected the military experience of those who obsess about 'correct' v. 'mixmaster' USGI weapons is limited to video games.

 

[31FordA]

In Ted Lawson’s book “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” he describes one of the co-pilots, Jacob “Shorty” Manch, jumping with two .45’s, a .44 rifle his parents had sent him, a .22 automatic, a Luger, extra ammo and two knives. When Manch jumped the shock of the chute opening caused him to lose the rifle and three pistols.