What an Honor!

What an honor we experienced at our recent Veterans Retreat, described here by Retreat Facilitator Bill Lotak:: “Yesterday, we had the privilege to meet and shake the hand of Col Dick Cole, the copilot who sat next to Jimmy Doolittle during the 1942 bombing raid on Tokyo. Col Cole is 102 and spoke of his recollections of the experience with wonderful clarity and at times humor. Flying B25s, the 16 heavy bombers took off from the aircraft carrier Hornet, knowing they would not be able to make a return landing on the carrier. Cole’s plane was ditched over mountainous terrain in China, and the men, never having parachuted before, jumped to safety. Col Cole landed in a pine tree, which spared him the crushing fall experienced by others. The raid was the first attack on the Japanese mainland and served as a major morale builder after we suffered the attack on Pearl Harbor. Col Dick Cole is the last surviving member of the Tokyo Raiders.” Wow. Be Will! Fish On!