JACOB DE SHAZER - COLLECTION WITH DAVID J. THATCHER, EDWIN W. HORTON JR., COLONEL WILLIAM M. "BILL" BOWER, COLONEL RICHARD E. COLE, LT. COLONEL FRANK A. KAPPELER, MAJOR NOLAN A. "SUE" HERNDON, MAJOR THOMAS C. GRIFFIN, WILLIAM L. BIRCH - HFSID 269474

DOOLITTLE'S RAIDERS: JACOB DE SHAZER, FRANK KAPPELER, WILLIAM L. BIRCH, RICHARD E. COLE, DAVID J. THATCHER, TOM GRIFFIN, EDWIN W. HORTON, JR., BILL BOWER, NOLAN A. HERNDON
This is a matted collection of cards and a b/w photo of the deck of U.S.S. Hornet at the start of the Doolittle Raid, all signed by nine survivors of the historic raid. These men represent nine of the 15 bombers involved in the raid. It's a must have for World War II and aviation buffs!
Matted collection signed "Ed Horton/Eng/Gunner/Crew #10/Doolittle Tokyo Raid/18 APR '42" in black ink, "Tom Griffiin" in black ink, "Bill Bower. Pilot Crew #12/Tokyo Raid APRIL 42" in black ink, "David J. Thatcher/ENGINEER-GUNNER CREW #7/DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAID" in blue ink, "Nolan A. A. Herndon/Nav.-Bom.-Nose Gun Crew #8/Doolittle Raiders" in black ink, "RE Cole/Copilot Crew #1" in black ink, "Frank A. Kappeler/Navigator Crew #11/Doolittle Raid On Japan/18 April 1942" in blue ink, "The Bombing Raid Against Japan/4-18-42/William L. Birch/Bombardier Crew #11"  and "Jacob De Shager"  in blue ink. Eight signed cards measuring 2¾x4¾ (visible) and a 8½x7 (visible) b/w photo of the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet matted to 23¾x17¾ in a white-and-green matte. Eighty men took off in 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers from the U.S.S. Hornet for a daring raid over Japan on April 18, 1942. Led by James "Jimmy" Doolittle, the raid, which marked the first time fully loaded bombers took off from an aircraft carrier, was in retaliation for Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. "Doolittle's Raiders" hit targets in Tokyo, Yokohama and other cities. Although it inflicted little physical damage on Japan, Doolittle's raid was a huge morale booster for the American people, who had been hearing of one defeat after another since Japan's commenced the Pacific phase of WWII, from Pearl Harbor to the surrender of the surrender of Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines (April 8, 1942). Miraculously, 72 of the 80 crew members survived, four dying on the mission and four more in Japanese captivity. In addition to the morale boost, the raid had strategic significance, solidifying support among Japanese military planners for Admiral Yamamoto's ultimately disastrous attack on Midway Island in the central Pacific. Not matted in Gallery of History Style. Lightly toned. Matte is lightly dented at right and bottom edges. Otherwise in fine condition.