SANTA ANA, Calif., March 22, 2012 – The Doolittle Raid comes to life on Saturday, April 21 at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport when the Lyon Air Museum’s B-25 bomber “Guardian of Freedom” roars into the air at noon as part of a program about the famous World War II bombing mission. The event begins at 10:30 AM with a presentation and book signing by author Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, the granddaughter of the famous Doolittle Raid leader, Jimmy Doolittle.
70 years ago, on April 18, 1942, eighty men and sixteen North American B-25 bombers launched off the USS Hornet aircraft carrier, on an ambitious one-way mission to bomb Tokyo and other targets in Japan. The perilous assignment, flown by members of the US Army Air Force and supported by the US Navy, was lead by then Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle. In honor of the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, Lyon Air Museum has scheduled a flight of its own B-25 Mitchell bomber – “Guardian of Freedom,” weather and mechanical considerations permitting. Continue reading