Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Bronze Medal

This medal is a duplicate of the Congressional Gold Medal honoring the volunteers of the 17th Bombardment Group, led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle during World War II, who made the first strike against Japan on April 18, 1942.

The top–secret mission called for the raiders to take off from an aircraft carrier approximately 450 miles outside of Japan, bomb select Japanese targets and then fly to safety in unoccupied areas of China. The operation was risky, as medium bombers had never before flown from a carrier, and sailing so far into enemy territory was dangerous.

Taking off from the deck of the USS Hornet (CV–8) in 16 B–25s, the five member crews successfully completed the first leg of their mission, bombing oil storage facilities, factory areas and military installations. Dwindling fuel supplies, however, prevented the crews from reaching the designated friendly airfields, forcing them to ditch their aircrafts at sea, bail out or crash–land in China. One crew flew to the Soviet Union, where its members were held as prisoners until they escaped 13 months later.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Chinese, most of the Doolittle Raiders evaded capture.