... 1200 kms of Japan, April 18, 1942, 7:38
In a battle, the first casualty is always the plan of battle, and the Raid on Tokyo will not be an exception.
In a battle, the first casualty is always the plan of battle, and the Raid on Tokyo will not be an exception.
Doolittle has indeed planned to fly his B-25 in late afternoon, and then to bomb Tokyo, under cover of night, after a flight of only 700 to 900 kms. But
to 0600, a reconnaissance aircraft of the Enterprise reports have identified at about sixty miles in front of the fleet, a Japanese patrol boat that may have spotted him too.
True to his reputation, and anxious to give maximum opportunity for men to Doolittle, Halsey stubborn and nevertheless decides to continue his journey to Japan, but in a choppy, its cruisers and aircraft carriers do little more than 25 knots.
Anyway, at 7:38, the case is heard as the fleet falls almost nose to nose with a Japanese patrol boat, the Nitto Maru , a tiny nutshell of one hundred tons, the cruiser Nashville (1) promptly send to the bottom, but that probably had time to raise the alarm by radio. Continue
would be suicidal, the Imperial Japanese Navy in maintaining the water three to four times more ships than are available Halsey!
must therefore be to turn around or start immediately B-25 to Tokyo ... 300 km and eight hours earlier than expected, which, as we shall see, will have dramatic consequences ...
(1) Nashville, class Brooklyn, was already part of the escort who had accompanied the Hornet in Alameda Norfolk
to 0600, a reconnaissance aircraft of the Enterprise reports have identified at about sixty miles in front of the fleet, a Japanese patrol boat that may have spotted him too.
True to his reputation, and anxious to give maximum opportunity for men to Doolittle, Halsey stubborn and nevertheless decides to continue his journey to Japan, but in a choppy, its cruisers and aircraft carriers do little more than 25 knots.
Anyway, at 7:38, the case is heard as the fleet falls almost nose to nose with a Japanese patrol boat, the Nitto Maru , a tiny nutshell of one hundred tons, the cruiser Nashville (1) promptly send to the bottom, but that probably had time to raise the alarm by radio. Continue would be suicidal, the Imperial Japanese Navy in maintaining the water three to four times more ships than are available Halsey!
must therefore be to turn around or start immediately B-25 to Tokyo ... 300 km and eight hours earlier than expected, which, as we shall see, will have dramatic consequences ...
(1) Nashville, class Brooklyn, was already part of the escort who had accompanied the Hornet in Alameda Norfolk
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