Doolittle Raider Passes

Retired Staff Sgt. David Jonathan Thatcher, one of the last two surviving members of the Doolittle Raiders, has died in Montana. He was 94. Thatcher's death leaves Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole of Comfort, Texas, as the only living airman from among 80 who took off from an aircraft carrier on 16 B-25 bombers to target factory areas and military installations in Japan on April 18, 1942. During an interview with The American Legion, Thatcher said they volunteered for the mission out of a sense of duty. For more information, visit the Air Force Historical Support Division website and the New York Times website. To watch a tribute video for Thatcher, see this Military.com video. For more on the memorial services for Thatcher, see this Military.com article.