[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 75 (Monday, May 19, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H4451-H4453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO WORLD WAR II MEMBERS OF THE 
                        DOOLITTLE TOKYO RAIDERS

  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 1209) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to 
the World War II members of the ``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'', for 
outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United States in 
conducting the bombings of Tokyo.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1209

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) on April 18, 1942, the brave men of the 17th 
     Bombardment Group (Medium) became known as the ``Doolittle 
     Tokyo Raiders'' for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and 
     service to the United States in conducting the bombings of 
     Tokyo;
       (2) 80 brave American aircraft crewmen, led by Lieutenant 
     Colonel James Doolittle, volunteered for an ``extremely 
     hazardous mission'', without knowing the target, location, or 
     assignment, and willingly put their lives in harm's way, 
     risking death, capture, and torture;
       (3) the conduct of medium bomber operations from a Navy 
     aircraft carrier under combat conditions had never before 
     been attempted;
       (4) after the discovery of the USS Hornet by Japanese 
     picket ships 170 miles further away from the prearranged 
     launch point, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders proceeded to take 
     off 670 miles from the coast of Japan;
       (5) by launching more than 100 miles beyond the distance 
     considered to be minimally safe for the mission, the 
     Doolittle Tokyo Raiders deliberately accepted the risk that 
     the B-25s might not have enough fuel to reach the designated 
     air-fields in China on return;
       (6) the additional launch distance greatly increased the 
     risk of crash landing in Japanese occupied China, exposing 
     the crews to higher probability of death, injury, or capture;
       (7) because of that deliberate choice, after bombing their 
     targets in Japan, low on fuel and in setting night and 
     deteriorating weather, none of the 16 airplanes reached the 
     prearranged Chinese airfields;
       (8) of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who launched on the 
     raid, 8 were captured, 2 died in the crash, and 70 returned 
     to the United States;
       (9) of the 8 captured Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, 3 were 
     executed and 1 died of disease; and
       (10) there were only 5 surviving members of the Doolittle 
     Tokyo Raiders as of February 2013.

     SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Award.--
       (1) Authorized.--The President pro tempore of the Senate 
     and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make 
     appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf of 
     Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design in 
     honor of the World War II members of the 17th Bombardment 
     Group (Medium) who became known as the ``Doolittle Tokyo 
     Raiders'', in recognition of their military service during 
     World War II.
       (2) Design and striking.--For the purposes of the award 
     referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, 
     and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
       (3) National museum of the united states air force.--
       (A) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal 
     referred to in paragraph (1) in honor of the World War II 
     members of the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium), who became 
     known as the ``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'', the gold medal 
     shall be given to the National Museum of the United States 
     Air Force, where it shall be available for display with the 
     Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Goblets, as appropriate, and made 
     available for research.
       (B) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the National Museum of the United States Air Force should 
     make the gold medal received under this Act available for 
     display elsewhere, particularly at other locations and events 
     associated with the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders.
       (b) Duplicate Medals.--Under such regulations as the 
     Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike and sell 
     duplicates in

[[Page H4452]]

     bronze of the gold medal struck under this Act, at a price 
     sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, 
     materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
       (c) National Medals.--Medals struck pursuant to this Act 
     are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, 
     United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Capuano) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and submit extraneous materials for the Record on H.R. 
1209, currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 1209, a bill to award the 
Congressional Gold Medal to the brave airmen known as the Doolittle 
Tokyo Raiders for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the 
United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo, introduced by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson). This bill authorizes the minting and 
award of a single gold medal, collectively, in honor of the mission 
that was one of the catalysts of Allied Powers' victory in the Pacific 
in World War II. After its award, the medal would be given to the 
National Museum of the United States Air Force, where it will be 
displayed with other Doolittle Raid memorabilia, including the famed 
``Doolittle Goblets,'' and be available for loan as appropriate.
  Mr. Speaker, the valor of the 80 men we now call the Doolittle 
Raiders is beyond most people's imagination. They all volunteered for 
an extremely hazardous--some would say impossible--mission, as if 
flying huge bombers during the war wasn't already extremely hazardous, 
and when a major element of their mission was jeopardized, they went 
ahead with the raid anyway, knowing it would drastically increase the 
chances that they would be either killed or captured.
  Under the command of the tough and visionary Colonel James Doolittle, 
these men from the 17th Bombardment Group--medium size--ended up flying 
the first ever mission in which medium bombers took off from a carrier 
in combat conditions. Because the USS Hornet had been discovered by the 
enemy, the raiders ended up taking off for a mission that, at 670 
miles, was at least 100 miles longer than had been predicted and 
planned for--enough further to virtually guarantee they would crash 
land or be forced down in the sea or in Japanese-controlled China 
rather than on Allied airstrips deeper into China.
  Mr. Speaker, that is what happened. Two died in crashes, and of the 
eight captured, three were executed and a fourth died of disease. But 
considering the daring nature of their mission and the morale-booster 
it was for the U.S. soldiers and civilians, that 70 returned to the 
United States is a miracle. Importantly, the raids on April 18, 1942, 
proved to the Japanese that their homeland was vulnerable to attack, 
which led to the recall of several top fighter squadrons for homeland 
defense and prompted other repositioning of Japanese assets that many 
believe led to the crushing American victory in the Battle of Midway in 
early June of that year, just 6 months after the attack on Pearl 
Harbor.
  Mr. Speaker, the men who risked--and lost--their lives in the 
Doolittle Raid are legendary heroes, and the raid itself is one of the 
premier military exploits of our still young Nation. This medal is 
well-earned and long overdue. The bill has 309 cosponsors in the House, 
and a companion bill introduced by Senator Brown of Ohio had 78 
cosponsors when it passed the other body in November.
  I ask for unanimous approval of this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  To be perfectly honest, I am shocked that Congress hasn't already 
done this--absolutely shocked. This should have been done in 1943.
  The Doolittle Raid was the most important military event of its time. 
For those of you who don't understand it, right after Pearl Harbor, 
being attacked, at the time, by the strongest military in the world at 
the top of their game, they did catch us by surprise and destroyed our 
Pacific fleet.
  We were sitting back trying to regroup, trying to get it going, 
trying to get troops going. How do we hit back? How do we prove that we 
can do this? The Doolittle Raid was all about that.
  As you heard, a previous speaker said ``volunteers.'' Now, they were 
professional military, but they volunteered for this mission. Why were 
they asked to volunteer? Because everyone saw this as a death sentence. 
Nobody really thought they would ever come back. Why? Because the 
planes they flew were bombers, heavy bombers for those days--small 
compared to what we have today--flying off of aircraft carriers that, 
again, in today's Navy wouldn't be anything. Small aircraft carriers.
  No one had ever taken a bomber off of an aircraft carrier prior to 
this raid. No one had ever done it. No one thought it could be done. 
They got within a certain mileage of Japan beyond where they were 
supposed to go. They were told bomb Japan, land in China. Not enough 
fuel to get back.
  Any mission, like anything else, especially in days before good 
navigational tools, a lot of fuel was burned that wasn't planned on. 
None of them made it to their fields. Most of them crash-landed. As you 
heard, several of them died.
  That raid took all of America and lifted our spirits. Well 
documented. That is why I am shocked that we are here today. Well 
documented. It took the entire country and made us feel like, we can do 
this, we can do it now, even when we are unprepared. If we can do this 
now, imagine what we can do when we get prepared.
  The Doolittle Raid gave us the courage and the commitment to win that 
war. Those men were true heroes in every sense of the word. The fact 
that we are here today is an honor for me, but honestly, I think it is 
something that is well long overdue.
  For those who are still living, I want to add my thanks to their 
bravery. Without them, I think it would have been a much longer war and 
a much more disheartening year or so before we really engaged in a 
military action that we could win.
  With that, I thank the sponsor of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson), the sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Michigan and my 
colleague from Massachusetts for their kind words.
  Sir, this is overdue. I agree completely. That is why I rise today 
with great pride. Soon, the House will join the Senate in passing a 
bill to give the Congressional Gold Medal to the Doolittle Raiders of 
World War II. These heroes planted the seeds to win World War II. 
Without their attack on Japan, America might have lost the war.
  The war started on December 7, 1941, when Japanese aircraft attacked 
Pearl Harbor without warning. All eight of our battleships were 
damaged, four were sunk. Americans were scared. Japan controlled the 
whole Pacific.
  Sometime in 1942, Americans expected Japanese bombs to hit San Diego, 
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. President Roosevelt 
knew we must strike Japan to show all Americans that we could and would 
win this war. He had one problem: no American airplane had the range or 
payload to bomb Japan from American-controlled soil. It would be a 
suicide mission.
  That solution came up from Navy Captain Francis Low, who thought, 
maybe, maybe we can have Army bombers take off from an aircraft 
carrier. On February 3, they tried that out, with two B-25s loaded on 
the Hornet outside of Norfolk taking off, and proved it was possible. 
The Army again chose the B-25 as the bomber of choice. They picked the 
Hornet to take the B-25s to Japan and bomb Japan.
  But the most important decision was the leader: Colonel Jimmy 
Doolittle.

[[Page H4453]]

Colonel Doolittle assembled the flight crews in Eglin Field in Florida 
in late February of 1942. These weren't experienced pilots. They were 
chosen because they could fly a new plane--the B-25. Colonel Doolittle 
told these men they had a secret special mission: they were going to 
bomb Japan with B-25s. They had 1 month--1 month--to learn how to take 
a B-25 off the deck of an aircraft carrier. But they were never trained 
on the Hornet, another carrier. They were trained on the ground, a 
runway painted to model the flight deck of the Hornet.
  On March 25, 1942, they were ready. They flew to Naval Air Station 
Alameda near San Francisco and saw the Hornet for the first time. On 
April 2, they sailed for Japan with 16 B-25s locked down on the flight 
deck. On April 18, their mission almost ended. They were spotted by a 
Japanese patrol boat. America could not lose the Hornet. She was too 
precious. So Colonel Doolittle and Captain Mitscher decided to launch 
the B-25s 10 hours before it was planned. They would not have the fuel 
to bomb Japan and fly to safety in unoccupied China as part of the 
plan. They would go down in Japanese territory.
  Despite rough seas, all 16 B-25s launched off the Hornet. They bombed 
Tokyo and other cities. The property damage was small, but the damage 
to the Japanese morale could not be measured. For the first time in 
over 1,000 years Japan had been bombed by a foreign nation. Because of 
that one single raid, Japan pushed to provoke a confrontation with our 
Navy. They got sloppy. We ambushed them off of Midway on June 4, 1942, 
sinking four of their aircraft carriers that destroyed our fleet at 
Pearl Harbor.
  Eighty heroes took off from the Hornet. Three died when the aircraft 
crashed. Eight were captured by the Japanese. Three of those were 
killed by a firing squad. One died of malnourishment. Four spent the 
war in captivity as prisoners of our allies--the Russians. Of the 80 
heroes who roared down that deck, 73 came home. Only four are with us 
today: Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hite, copilot, B-25 Number 16, the 
last one off the deck; Lieutenant Colonel Edward Saylor, engineer, B-25 
Number 15, right before Lieutenant Colonel Hite; Staff Sergeant David 
Thatcher, the gunner, B-25 Number 7; and my friend from Comfort, Texas, 
Lieutenant Colonel Dick Cole. Dick sat next to Colonel Doolittle on B-
25 Number 1 as she roared down the flight deck and took off into 
history.

                              {time}  1730

  That is why this medal is so important.
  By passing this bill today and by having President Obama sign it into 
law, we tell my friend Dick Cole, his three living colleagues, and the 
76 heroes who have gone to Heaven that we will never forget that they 
kept the torch of freedom burning brighter with the raid on Japan.
  I ask my colleagues to strongly support H.R. 1209.
  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague from 
Texas for sharing that history.
  I too share, I think, in the surprise that my colleague from 
Massachusetts expressed, which is that this hasn't been done already--
it certainly should have been--whether it was Jimmy Stewart, who 
starred in a famous movie back in the day--the whole notion of 
launching these B-25 Mitchells off the deck was so new, and what would 
be a simple commute today maxed out the capabilities of these 
airplanes, and it was very important.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I do ask that we pass this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1209.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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