A final toast for the Doolittle raiders.

[powderman]

A final toast for the Doolittle Raiders    http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/14/opinio...ss_igoogle_cnn

  Quote:

It's the cup of brandy that no one wants to drink. On Tuesday, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the surviving Doolittle Raiders will gather publicly for the last time. They once were among the most universally admired and revered men in the United States. There were 80 of the Raiders in April 1942, when they carried out one of the most courageous and heart-stirring military operations in this nation's history. The mere mention of their unit's name, in those years, would bring tears to the eyes of grateful Americans. Now only four survive. [/t][/t] Hat's off to these courageous men for what they did during their time serving our country and for getting together and honoring their fallen comrades. I hope when they do their meeting in private later in the year for that last toast, they are given the absolute privacy that they deserve.

[Swift One]

They are what the definition of a hero is.  Brave Brave men.  every one of them.

[Dee]

When I was a kid I read the book "The Doolittle Raid". That was quite a story.

[Oldshooter]

Now only four survive.

Yea fellas, the great generation is dying off! Hats off to ya Guys! We owe them so much!

[SwampThing762]

When the Raiders, and the remainder of the Greatest Generation, are gone, the United States will be a darker place as there will be very few to remember their glorious deeds of valour.    As for those who have already fallen, they have simply earned another set of wings.     

Bravo Zulu, Raiders, for a job well done.

ST762

[powderman]

Their brave deeds aren't taught in the schools anymore, too militaristic. May God richly bless these brave men. POWDERMAN. 

[D Fischer]

When the Raiders, and the remainder of the Greatest Generation, are gone, the United States will be a darker place as there will be very few to remember their glorious deeds of valour.    As for those who have already fallen, they have simply earned another set of wings.     

Bravo Zulu, Raiders, for a job well done.

ST762

So long as they are remembered and honered, they will never die!

[D Fischer]

Their brave deeds aren't taught in the schools anymore, too militaristic. May God richly bless these brave men. POWDERMAN. 

Are you thinking they should teach about the Doolittle Raid, specifically? A what level in school? What will they teach about it? That it lightly damaged a carrier in drydock, started a couple small fires, and rattled the Japanese leadership a few weeks before Coral Sea? That it made Americans feels better, when most news was bad? Will the kids even know what Coral Sea was? Will they be able to find Port Moresby on a map? Should they be able to?


It's a fine story - one that I know well - but I don't think it would be particularly relevant to kids in 2013. diff generation.

The American Revolution was a different generation, the Civil War was a different generation, WWI was a different generation, WWII was a different generation, Korea was a different generation, Vietnam was a different generation. All shaped the face of what this country should be. It has been lost for several years. Today kids are appearently not taught of the struggles it took for America to become the country it was before O'Bummer.

[vabeachman]

They were great patriots and brave men.

[tom548]

The point is not how much actual damage their mission did to Japans ability to wage war, but that they were not safe in their home land. These  men were Hero's because they went on the mission believing that most of them would not be coming home. And yes our kids should be taught about these men and others like them. Maybe they would feel a little more pride in the USA  and not be so willing to be giving up rights if they had an idea of how much it had cost over time to keep our freedom. Down playing their roll in the war is just shamfull.

[Dixie Dude]

Yes, it did very little damage, but it lifted the entire American spirit at home, that we finally were able to fight back on their territory.  Also, Japan was stunned and started keeping air wings at home to stop any potential raids again.  This took precious resourses off the front lines where they would have been needed like Corral Sea, and Midway, especially pilots and planes.  Morale is very important to a fighting force, sometimes more important than actual resources.  The Civil war lasted far longer than it should have or could have, because the morale favored the south at the begining.  A few victories and the south was willing to fight on.  Had they lost at Bull Run or Manasus Junction, it might have crumbled in a few weeks. 

[williamlayton]

I wonder what is wrong with teaching kids what we want them to know and appreciate---Why leave it to someone else to do ?
School is not the only place to learn.
Very sincerely---I see a lot of folks here that want someone else to do the teaching. It wasn't what was done when I was growing up and I didn't just depend on school to educate my kids in my my ways---I did it.
I am really getting upset with folks who just bad mouth and doen't take any responsibility to make  a difference.
Blessings

[Swampman]

I'm going out to see them on Sunday.

[mauser98us]

I wonder what is wrong with teaching kids what we want them to know and appreciate---Why leave it to someone else to do ?
School is not the only place to learn.
Very sincerely---I see a lot of folks here that want someone else to do the teaching. It wasn't what was done when I was growing up and I didn't just depend on school to educate my kids in my my ways---I did it.
I am really getting upset with folks who just bad mouth and doen't take any responsibility to make  a difference.
Blessings

I kinda see this as an opinion to my post. Well let me tell ya, as a history buff I schooled all three of my kids and my grandkids on what made this country great, so yes, I grabbed the bull by the horns.I left nothing to the public schools.

[dwalk]

I wonder what is wrong with teaching kids what we want them to know and appreciate---Why leave it to someone else to do ?
School is not the only place to learn.
Very sincerely---I see a lot of folks here that want someone else to do the teaching. It wasn't what was done when I was growing up and I didn't just depend on school to educate my kids in my my ways---I did it.
I am really getting upset with folks who just bad mouth and doen't take any responsibility to make  a difference.
Blessings

I kinda see this as an opinion to my post. Well let me tell ya, as a history buff I schooled all three of my kids and my grandkids on what made this country great, so yes, I grabbed the bull by the horns.I left nothing to the public schools.

yes, it is incumbent on parents to "School" their children...but it also important that our educational system is responsible for teaching the broad spectrum our history as a nation.


the "Weak spot" in the educational system is that many liberal teachers teach what THEY deem is important. two examples have surfaced recently, notably: a teacher in New Mexico was teaching that the US had stolen California, AZ and NM from mexico and had reworded textbooks to say such. another was arguing the US had no right to drop the A-bomb on japan to bring the war to an end.


if allowed to continue, what would japan have done? another Nanking? another Manchuria? more Bataan's?


while you may, or may not, agree with either...history verifies both as having occurred; a public school teacher(s) should NOT interject their personal beliefs/agendas.

[williamlayton]

Actually we did steal Texas, New Mexico and AZ---not to mention the rest of America.
Now, you can slice it, you can dice it any way you want---we took by force of arms.
I am glad we did---they are now trying to take it back.
So let's get off this and prepare a plan to stop it. They didn't or could not. Nothing is yours unless you are willing to protect it---no matter how you got it.
Blessings

[Oldshooter]

On that note, as long as there are men like the ones on the Doolittle raid we may be able to keep this land we stole. So lets honor them and make it possible for the young to grow up to be that kind of person.

[Oldshooter]

Well swampy "weak" is a poor choice of words. ill prepared and unprepared works for me. And our government is working at putting us in the same condition. If we tarry too long in self confidence we will reap the whirlwind. Whats sad is that we may not have this land taken away from us. We might get voted off the Island.

[williamlayton]

They had become complacent with the staus quo and were ill-prepared for what they did not see comeing.
Blessings

[Victor3]

It's a fine story - one that I know well - but I don't think it would be particularly relevant to kids in 2013. diff generation.

 Well golly... Maybe the ~1/4 million Chinese civilians the Japanese slaughtered after the raid (because the Chinese aided The Raiders) might spice up the "fine story" for the children. You know how they like them violent video games. 


 Maybe Teletubbies would be more "relevant?"

[Swampman]

The War was won here in America in the ship yards, the aircraft factories, the steel mines, the coal mines, the garment factories, and the pulpits by the finest generation.  We saved the world with little help from others.  Tell them that.....America is the greatest country in the world all others pale beside her......tell them that.......so tired of the piss ants that say otherwise.....

[ironglow]

  Whether the Doolittle raid or any of a million other heroic actions engaged in by our troops, they should be taught in our education system.  If young people have no knowledge of where we came from ..they can have no real idea into what direction we should head. Is this perhaps exactly why they are not being taught these very things ?
  I for one, knowing a large number of young men & women involved in our military, am ready to say.... until recently, we have had the best trained, best equipped, most professional military we have ever had.  They have been better than most other nations and equal to the very best!  Sadly, that may be declining some, due to the Obama gang and their "social engineering", along with other morale sapping actions..
  Today's combat troops are courageous..  Each being a volunteer, knowing full well the odds are they will be facing the enemy.."up close and personal".  They are the "cream of the crop".. while others, of possibly less fortitude or elan, having chosen not to participate..
  Hats off to our military.. they give affirmation to my own pride in serving..
  I know very peresonally, 3 elite troops..a Marine Special Ops, a Marine with bomb detection dog and an Army Ranger with the First Ranger Battalion... I know them in order as Grandson, relative and a good friend... all solid Christians.  All have departed the military after about 8-10 years each..repulsed by Obama's "social engineering".
  Here's a video taken from one Marine's helmet cam.  This is what Marines faced day after day in Fallujah and what my Grandson endured also in the same area.  ..It's what our Army, Marines & SEALs face day by day inplaces like the korengal valley in Afghanistan. I do hope the teachers of today are telling students of the everyday courage of our military.. Troops; I salute you..   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al7r54NyaVo

[Swampman]

The Russians are nothing, the Germans just forgot their winter clothing.........

[Oldshooter]

Dont know that any of this is honoring the Doolittle raiders.

IMHO, of course....

[JonnyReb]

The War was won here in America in the ship yards, the aircraft factories, the steel mines, the coal mines, the garment factories, and the pulpits by the finest generation.  We saved the world with little help from others.  Tell them that.....America is the greatest country in the world all others pale beside her......tell them that.......so tired of the piss ants that say otherwise.....

 That made me feel good just reading it, and what i'll alway believe to be the truth.  J

[dstegjas]

I wonder what is wrong with teaching kids what we want them to know and appreciate---Why leave it to someone else to do ?
School is not the only place to learn.
Very sincerely---I see a lot of folks here that want someone else to do the teaching. It wasn't what was done when I was growing up and I didn't just depend on school to educate my kids in my my ways---I did it.
I am really getting upset with folks who just bad mouth and doen't take any responsibility to make  a difference.
Blessings

William, there is a lot of truth in what you are saying. I have sat on school boards and unfortunately saw all to often parents using the school system as a baby sitting service. They drop their children off at the school and expect our teachers to teach them everything from math to life lessons. What is the most disturbing is that the parents are not willing to take the responsibility of raising their own children to live a productive life in our society today. When a child gets into trouble either at school or with the police these days. The parents are quick to blame everyone but themselves for the child's troubles.
 
My bigger concerns is that I do not this pattern changing anytime soon.
 
Jim

[Oldshooter]

Hmmmm! you may be right about Rooosevelt yt, he did not fear the japs, he sure didn't do anything about protecting American interest in the Pacific rim prior to Pearl Harbor!
Read a good book once. "AT DAWN WE SLEPT"  Germany may have been stronger than Japan but we were up to our necks in Nips after DEC 7 1941

[Bob Riebe]

Without U.S. lend lease the Soviets would have been defeated or at best had a stalemate.

I have only read bit here and there about what it was like serving in the Soviet Army but Stalin was as much an enemy as the Germans, but the common soldier was fighting for his homeland.
I did read a bit about the first war against the Finns. Look it up and see what happened to the Russian soldiers at the hand of their own government.

As I said, without lend-lease the Soviets would have been nothing, killed by their own if not the Germans.

What Roosevelt did to the Eastern European when he gave it to the Soviets should have put in in the post war trials.

A woman in the town I am in has published a book on what happened to the German speaking peoples of Eastern Europe after the with details of the trips and work in labour camps in Siberia.
As bad as what Hitler did to the Jews was, it is time some one told the story about the greater number of millions killed after the war with the blessing of our president.

I should have written down the title but did not and the newspaper is gone.

[Oldshooter]

first six months of 1943

  Well for the first 12 months of 42 we were getting our asses handed to us because ole FDR didn't respect the Japs. We didn't secure Guadalcanal till Feb 8 1943. There were times in between that the  outcome was doubtful at best.
 
Yea we had the overwhelming industrial power and Yamamoto knew it and preached to the Militarist in the Jap command.
 
What the japs didn't know was how impotent we were before Dec 7.

[Oldshooter]

make no mistake sitting here I KNOW the outcome was never in doubt. Back in 41 and 42(ten years before my birth) the outcome for 20,000 men on Guadalcanal and thousands more in bataan was in doubt. The doolittle raid did not damage much and Nimits knew it before it left. It did however Damage the Jap confidence and moral and lifted ours. A double whammy, so to speak.
 
We thank you Men of The US Armed forces during WWII. Those that gave your lives, those that have passed and those that have yet to do so.