One Of The Two Remaining Doolittle Raiders Has Passed Away

[Watchdog]

For some reason, this hasn't received much media coverage. I sometimes wonder, are we so caught up in the sensationalistic (and often petty) events of 2016 that we forget the people who did so much to make our freedoms what they are today.

Staff Sergeant David Thatcher, one of the last two living Doolittle Raiders, has passed away at the age of ninety-four. He was a lifelong resident of Montana.

He was the engineer-gunner on the B-25 that was famously named "The Ruptured Duck". He was only twenty-one-years-old when he went on the mission made even more famous by the film, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

The Doolittle Raid made history in 1942. Bombers the size of the B-25 had never taken off from the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The raid showed the Japanese that they were not invulnerable, and it went a long way towards boosting the morale of all U.S. troops.

What made the airmen even more courageous was the fact that they knew ahead of time that they would not have enough fuel to return to any allied held airfields. They knew they'd have to ditch, they knew they might not survive.

Sergeant Thatcher has gone off into that Wild Blue Yonder now, still "climbing high into the sun".

God rest his soul.

 

[Bill_inBouse]

Rest in Peace Sergeant Thatcher, thank you for your unselfish service.

 

[Targets Guy]

RIP sir.

 

[Tom S.]

The amazing thing about the Doolittle raids was that when told of the mission, its dangers and the fact that it was most likely a one way trip, not one person opted out. Even more amazing is that courage was mirrored in society as a whole. Professionals gave up careers and minors lied about their age - with their parents permission to go and fight. Our country experienced a brief period of this kind of patriotism briefly after 911, but it was present throughout all of WWII. Even before the US officially entered the war, men were volunteering to fight, especially in the field of aviation.

Each day, more members of the Greatest Generation pass on. The best thing we can do to honor them besides remembering them is to try to emulate them as well as we can.

 

[Watchdog]

Each day, more members of the Greatest Generation pass on.

Everything you say in your post is true.

Very well said.

 

[kaaskop49]

^^^^What everyone above has said!! I remember the recent 3-part show about this raid. 80 men flew (16 planes x 5 crew). IIRC, the crews of 2 planes were captured (some executed), and Doolittle never flew in action again. Out of some 60-odd men who returned and remained on ops, I believe some 16-17 (correct me if necessary) were killed on later missions. This is a staggering loss ratio from a limited sample.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S Wonderful story: FDR told reporters the planes had flown from our secret base in Shangri-la (from the famous novel "Lost Horizon"), and one of our Essex-class carriers was then named "U.S.S. Shangri-la." You can't make this stuff up!

 

[CO_Kid]

Rest in peace and thank you for everything.

My grandfather passed April 24th. He was a WWII vet. Was a plane engine repairman in Europe.

 

[woodsltc]

R.I.P. Staff Sargent.....and God Bless !!!


Don

 

[the ringo kid]

Rest in Peace Sarge. I wonder if the last survivor is Dutch Van Kirk? I met him at a gun show in San Antonio about 15 years ago. He signed his photo for me as well.

 

[Watchdog]

Rest in Peace Sarge. I wonder if the last survivor is Dutch Van Kirk? I met him at a gun show in San Antonio about 15 years ago. He signed his photo for me as well.

No. The last survivor of the Doolittle Raiders is Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole of Comfort, Texas.

Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk was not a member of the Doolittle Raiders.

He was the navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Dutch Van Kirk passed away in Stone Mountain, Georgia on July 28, 2014 at the age of ninety-three.

Colonel Cole, by the way, is now 100-years-old! You may read more about him here. And here. In the photo below, he pilots a B-25 over Eglin AFB in 2008.

 

[shouldazagged]

Sergeant, your rest is well and truly earned.

 

[Ray]

Sgt. Thatcher was the only one crew member uninjured when the Ruptured Duck crashed into the sea, and the only one who kept a .45 pistol.
Captain Ted Lawson said in, others words, that were not by Thatcher help they could not have make it.
Regards, Ray

 

[the ringo kid]

No. The last survivor of the Doolittle Raiders is Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole of Comfort, Texas.

Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk was not a member of the Doolittle Raiders.

He was the navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Dutch Van Kirk passed away in Stone Mountain, Georgia on July 28, 2014 at the age of ninety-three.

Colonel Cole, by the way, is now 100-years-old! You may read more about him here. And here. In the photo below, he pilots a B-25 over Eglin AFB in 2008.

Oops, my mind is weary. Dutch was an Enola Gay bombardier. Sorry.

 

[Batmo]

Thank You Sgt. Thatcher and too all veterans who have served. Thousands of men and women have given their lives for our freedom...let us not forget that Freedom is not Free!

 

[Texas Star]

Sgt. Thatcher was the only one crew member uninjured when the Ruptured Duck crashed into the sea, and the only one who kept a .45 pistol.
Captain Ted Lawson said in, others words, that were not by Thatcher help they could not have make it.
Regards, Ray

Ray -

Are you sure that Thatcher was the only man in that crew who kept a .45? In the book by the pilot, he said that he (pilot) had his .45 and his wife's Colt .32 auto and that most of the crews carried both issued and personal handguns and knives.

I recall Thatcher drawing his .45 as some Chinese approached the downed crew and he asked, "Shall I shoot them, Sir?"

The pilot told him not to fire, as the people might be Chinese, not Japanese. That was true and they helped the Americans, most of whom were seriously injured in the crash after they ran out of fuel.

For those who don't know, they were short of fuel because they had to launch early, after the US fleet was sighted by Japanese fishing boats.They were afraid that the boats sent a warning before being sunk by fire from a US cruiser.

It's been many years since I read, "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" by Capt. Ted Lawson or even saw the movie. I may be wrong in recalling that the crew of the Ruptured Duck kept their pistols.

BTW, I know you're Brazilian, and that Brazil also issued Colt .45 auto pistols then, as well as S&W .45 revolvers. And your nation sent both infantry and P-47 pilots to help the Allied cause, in Italy. Americans should know and remember that .

 

[Ray]

Yes Texas, I´sure the only .45 pistol was in Thatcher hands.
As of matter of fact Lawson had his .25 that was his wife´s pistol.I I remember well it was a .25 not a .32 caliber pistol. He later gave it to Thatcher, badly rusted as it was.
Yes, that part - should I shoot them sir part is real, but that pistol was in Thatcher hands and it was the only one.
I wonder if that pistol and the others lost in the crash were not Singers , since most, if not all, were issued to the Army Air Forces.

Regards, Ray.

 

[Watchdog]

I wonder if that pistol and the others lost in the crash were not Singers , since most, if not all, were issued to the Army Air Forces.

If crews were carrying 1911A1s, they probably were Singers. Records state that all Singers (only 500 made) were issued to Army Air Corp personnel.

Just think what this one would be worth if sold today...Singer 1911A1, serial number 1. All original and all complete. Never reworked. Carried by a sergeant who was a tail gunner in WWII. I think it last sold for around $95K. He was given the opportunity to purchase the pistol, and he did, and it was handed down to his daughter.

 

[ddixie884]

Thank GOD for men like these. They are the reason we still live in a free country........

 

[johnbeaver]

I attended church with Parker that was one of the raiders. Nice guy.
When I found out he was one of the raiders, I did not really want to bother him with questions.
Wish now I would have.