Doolittle Raiders Final Reunion (2013)

[Subdeacon Joe]

 

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=odHEoL_-SiY

 

 

The torch has been passed. Thank you, gentlemen.

[Dawg Hair, SASS #29557]

Why final? Won't there be if 2014th? There are still three left.

 

There must be a special place in heaven for men such as these.

[Tango Mike 20653]

Several years ago I rode in a B-25 flying a low level salute to George W. Bush, when he was inaugerated as Governor of Texas. My honorary navigator was Hank Potter, Jimmie Doolittle's navigator on the famous mission. He has passed away since then. What an honor. I served as tail gunner, with wooden dummy guns, on that flight. In tight formation very close to me and the tail were a P-51 and a AVG marked P-40.

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

Why final? Won't there be if 2014th? There are still three left.

 

Part of the Doolittle Raider reunion tradition is drinking a toast, which is best described in detail below. With only three Raiders remaining healthy enough to travel, they've decided it is time for their final toast a private moment sometime this year. Then when the time comes, they'll go for the big Reunion.

 

From General Aviation News...

 

 

One of these is the ceremony where they drink a toast to the memory of a Raider who died since their last reunion with special silver goblets given to the Raiders by the city of Tucson, Arizona, when they had a reunion there in 1959. There are 80 goblets with each man’s name engraved twice. One is right side up and the other is upside down. When that person dies, the goblet is turned upside down and placed in a special display box. The goblets are on display at the National Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.

This year, the Raiders raised a toast and turned over a goblet to the memory of Tom Griffin, 96, who died Feb. 26. He was the navigator on plane #9.

The tradition that has yet to happen is the opening of a special bottle of 1896 Hennessy Cognac by the last surviving Raiders (Doolittle was born in 1896). Later this year, the four remaining survivors will open the bottle and have that final toast. Whenever it is, it will be very private.

[Dawg Hair, SASS #29557]

Why final? Won't there be if 2014th? There are still three left.

 

Part of the Doolittle Raider reunion tradition is drinking a toast, which is best described in detail below. With only three Raiders remaining healthy enough to travel, they've decided it is time for their final toast a private moment sometime this year. Then when the time comes, they'll go for the big Reunion.

 

From General Aviation News...

 

 

One of these is the ceremony where they drink a toast to the memory of a Raider who died since their last reunion with special silver goblets given to the Raiders by the city of Tucson, Arizona, when they had a reunion there in 1959. There are 80 goblets with each man’s name engraved twice. One is right side up and the other is upside down. When that person dies, the goblet is turned upside down and placed in a special display box. The goblets are on display at the National Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.

This year, the Raiders raised a toast and turned over a goblet to the memory of Tom Griffin, 96, who died Feb. 26. He was the navigator on plane #9.

The tradition that has yet to happen is the opening of a special bottle of 1896 Hennessy Cognac by the last surviving Raiders (Doolittle was born in 1896). Later this year, the four remaining survivors will open the bottle and have that final toast. Whenever it is, it will be very private.

Thanks for the info, I did not know that. I only hope they never become just another footnote in history, like so many others.

[Ugly, SASS #18106]

It's a wonder those men were able to get their planes off of the deck of that carrier considering the extra weight of the huge brass balls they all had. What a generation that was!