WAR DEPARTMENT HEADOUARTERS OF THE ARMY AIR FORCES WASHINGTON May 3, 1942 MEMORADUM FOR THE PRESIDENT: (The White House) Subject: Raid on Tokyo. Recent cablegram from General Doolittle, together with report made by Major Johnson who was aboard the HORNET when the 16 B'25s took off for Japan, provides a more complete picture of this mission. A total of 16 B-25s were all that were taken aboard the HORNET. The crews were given special instructions continuously during the trip as to the operation of their aircraft, the method of attacking their objectives, and navigating to their ultimate destination. On the 18th of April when the HORNET was 668 nautical miles East of Tokyo, the Naval Task Force ran into a Japanese patrol ship. This ship was sunk by the NASHVILLE, but not before it had an opportunity to send a message stating that it was being attacked by hostile enemy aircraft. Later in the afternoon the Task Force sank two more Japanese patrol ships. It is to be noted that at this point the Task Force was some 150 to 400 miles further away from Tokyo than General Doolittle had planned his take-off. Although the seas were heavier than at any time during the trip, the rise and fall of the skip being as much as 50 feet and the spray breaking over the deck, the take-off was made with General Doolittle leading in the first ship. The last airplane took off about 9:20. At 1:30 P.M., in the midst of an English propaganda broadcast from Japan in which a woman was telling how safe Japan was from bombing, the broadcast was cut off and another broadcast made giving information that fast, low flying bombers were at that time bombing Japan, A later broadcast told of fires and requested people to pray for rain. It was not until 48 hours later, however, that a broadcast was made stating that the fire was under control. Still later, another broadcast was made which stated that casualties amounted to three to four thousand. |