The description of the events during The Doolittle Raids.

1. The Doolittle Raids By: Robert Craig and Ben Mashmoor

2. What were the Doolittle Raids? The Doolittle Raiders The Doolittle Raid occurred on April, 18 1942. This was the first attack on Japan, by air, after Pearl Harbor. With the success of the air raids, American moral was raised, which proved a vital part of winning the war. This proved that Japan was vulnerable, and cast major doubt among the Japanese people. The attack was led and planned by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle (second from the left).

3. Preparation The planes that were used for this mission were B-25 bombers. These planes were retrofitted, so that they could take off on an aircraft carrier deck. Many important safety features were removed, including bulletproof glass, to make the planes lighter. Each of the sixteen bombers that participated in this mission and their five man crews were trained by James Doolittle.

4. What happened. Joined in mid-ocean on 13 April by Vice Admiral William F. Hasley's flagship Enterprise, which would provide air cover during the approach, Hornet steamed toward a planned 18 April afternoon launching point some 400 miles from Japan. But, before sunrise on April 18th, enemy picket boats were encountered much further east than expected. These were evaded or sunk, but sent radio warnings, forcing the planes to take off around 8 AM, while still more than 600 miles out. Most of the sixteen B-25s, each with a five-man crew, attacked the Tokyo area, with a few hitting Nagoya. Damage to the intended military targets was modest, and none of the planes reached the Chinese airfields (though all but a few of their crewmen survived). However, the Japanese high command was incredibly embarrassed. Three of the eight American airmen they had captured were sentenced to death. Spurred by Combined Fleet commander Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, they also resolved to eliminate the risk of any more such raids by the early destruction of America's aircraft carriers, a decision that led them to disaster at the Battle of Midway a month and a half later.

5. Map

6. Planes/Bombing

7. Video

8. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doolittle_Raid#Training http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/misc-42/dooltl.htm

9. The End