An+American+military+pilot1

Name: Jimmy Doolittle Age: 43 Gender: Male Occupation: American aviation pioneer. Served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the US Army Air Forces during the WWII Appearance: Pretty good looking face, when he's older looks quite similar as well. Ears were pretty big Location: Alameda, California Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: Smiled a lot for someone who has seen death many times over Family: married Josephine E. Daniels on December 24, 1917 had two sons, James Jr., and John Education: Manual Arts High school > Los Angeles City College > University of California, Berkeley Languages you speak: English Your main concerns at this time and in life: If I'll live through the terrible WWII and if my sons are going to take the same, dangerous career as I did. Portrait (an image that you and we can live with): Due: by the end of the class in which this is assigned

Dec 21, 1938

It’s been a long time since I’ve actually fought for the army. Ever since the first World War, I haven’t been in the cockpit to kill or shoot down a man. The only reason why I am in a plane nowadays is to conduct aviation tests. This has been going on since 1930s, when I advised the Army to conduct tests with planes and fighter jets. I just can’t get away from planes. Even though the WWI was a tragic part of our history, I still found enjoyment through riding the planes. I even won the Bendix Trophy Race in 1931 and I even set the world’s high speed record for land planes at 296 mph. Later, I competed again in the Thompson Trophy Race at Cleveland with a Gee Bee R-1 and won the race, as expected. The competitors don’t have what I’ve got in a air race. It’s experience. During the WWI, I wouldn’t be flying fast just for a competition, but to save my life from getting shot down and plummeting down. But I guess my age is catching up to me, so I retired from air racing. I’ve heard that the Army is now trying to recruit many teenagers from schools to enlist for the Army. I guess it’s only natural because the war in the Europe and Pacific is getting very tense for everyone. Japan started attacking several parts in Asia. There has also been news that Hitler, the leader of the Nazis, has started to become a very serious threat. Mussolini is no different. When I went to see some of the recruiters of the Airborne Division, I saw many young men. One young man caught my attention. His name was Frank Oppenheimer, brother of Robert Oppenheimer, who I know is a scientist. He is a bright young man. He said that he enlisted in the Army because his friends joined the Army with him. He told me the harsh training he went through in Arizona. I asked him how he felt about killing the Japanese who was taking over the Pacific. He laughed at my question. He said that the Japanese were probably only good with swords, but guns? How wrong he was... I wished him luck and he took off. I wondered if that would be the last time I would be able to see that bright face of his.

December 8th, 1941-2

Yesterday, a very tragic accident happened to our home nation. Those damned Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbor and so the America entered the World War II. I was called once again by the Army to active duty. They immediately promoted me to Lieutenant Colonel and assigned me to Army Air Forces Headquarters to plan the first air raid on the Japanese. I was the leader of the raiding force with many brave lads under my care. By looking at some of their faces, they already knew what was coming to them, either death or honor. I encouraged them that we were doing this for the sake of our country and some looked encouraged by that idea. The Japanese had always thought they were invincible, but by doing this, they will think differently. I thought of this quote during the raid. “The Japanese had been told they were invulnerable. An attack on the Japanese homeland would cause confusion in the minds of the Japanese people and sow doubt about the reliability of their leaders. There was a second, equally important, psychological reason for this attack...Americans badly needed a morale boost.” We were not trying to damage a lot of the Japanese lands, but we were actually trying to raise the **American’s morale**. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, many of us thought that we had no chance against the “invulnerable” Japanese. This was the cause of the raid: to raise the **morale** and encourage the Americans that the war was not over. The targets of our B-25 medium bombers were Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohama, Osaka, and Nagoya. I with 14 other brave men set out to Japan with our bombers. We successfully bombed our targets. We all headed towards a recovery airfield in China. It was a very stormy night so I was not able to locate a safe landing area. I thought I was going to die there. I hit ground, and fell unconscious. When I woke up, alive, I was very curious to where I was. I was able to communicate with the Chinese. I had landed in a Chinese rice paddy. I tried to get up, but I felt a pain at my ankle. The Chinese quickly grabbed hold of me, insisting that I needed to heal my ankle before I went anywhere. When I came back to base soon after, I was shocked to find out that I had lost several members of the crew. They had lost their lives after being caught by the Japanese who occupied the Chinese coasts. Our nation will cry for them. But thanks to those brave souls, our nation's morale has been raised. Mission Accomplished.

 We have been fighting for many days nonstop in the Philipines. One of our strategists had a brilliant and ingenious idea of “island hopping” which is an attack that brings all of our bombers in range of all of the Japanese cities. Due to the Doolittle Raid, the Japanese know that they are not invulnerable to our air raids. As I last heard, the Japanese leaders were quite shamed that they had let this happen. Us, Americans are now fighting with everything we have left. Slowly, the dreaded Japanese Imperial Army is being beaten by us. The end is close, but it still seems so far away. Everyday in combat, I always see a few of my men shot down and plummet below and explode with a great KABOOM. I fear that the same thing will happen to me. Everyday I fly knowing that I can die any second. It always rattles me up inside. Sometimes I even see my comrades go down. Watching them feels so...devastating. A person who I’ve worked with for so long... just gone. However I continue fighting with my fear, I fight on for my country, a country many men have sacrificed their lives for. Recent news is that the Japanese shipping supply lines were nearly cut off COMPLETELY. This obviously gives us the upper-hand to victory. Also, Okinawa, one target from Japan was finally taken. This is also good news for us. We are finally showing the Japanese who’s boss. Then the last piece of news came. A bomb was used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those two cities were destroyed completely. Even the USSR entered the war against the Japanese. By hearing all this, I was most certain that the war was finally coming to an end. But, I must not forget where I am. I am in a position of dying anytime, anywhere. I continue on with a new fire of hope and bravery.
 * Diary Entry #3**

Note: After the Doolittle Raid, Jimmy Doolittle went to North Africa to help with aerial combat. I will tell this story as if he was in the Philippines December 25, 1941 We have had many difficulties so far. Many of our friends have courageously fallen in battle while some have been captured, tortured to death. We won many victories in the Philippines. I am still thankful to God that I am still alive. I pray that the comrades who fell will find peace after they have passed on. We have done many terrible things to win this war, but war is not a fair game. It just never was. The smarter, the better, the faster will win, no doubt. I will fight for my beloved nation until I’m too old to grab the handle of my bomber. By securing victory, there won’t be any more soldiers dying for a long time. This makes my heart feel a lot lighter and probably makes everyone feel less nervous. I still mourn my brave men who have died in the raid in Japan. I found out later that many of the squad did not make it back. They were captured and killed by the Japanese. By securing the war, there will be no more incidents like that happening for a long time. I remember that young bright man, Frank Oppenheimer. I wonder how he’s doing with his training. If he ever makes it to my squad, I’ll make sure he’ll become a real man. Around me, I see many of my comrades partying, dancing, and singing of the victory. They are all talking about what they would do when they get home. Their eyes are shining as they talk about it. Many are singing of their homes. But some are singing of how they have helped our nation for the better. We have saved our nation from a huge peril. I think when I arrive home, I’ll first kiss my lovely wife, greet my two boys, and just stroll in the park or have a big dinner with my family. I really have missed those days.
 * Diary Entry #4**