Instructor: David Lilly

Note: The 10/23 program will begin at 9:30 but will end at 11:00.

The attack of 16 US bombers on Japan carried out on April 16, 1942, led by Lt. Col. Jimmy  Doolittle, was one of the most stirring military actions of WWII. Launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, the raid stunned Japanese leaders and gave hope to an American public faced with months of Japanese victories in the Pacific war. This program will begin by viewing the 1944 film, “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo,” one of the great wartime films. The following lecture will examine the origins and execution of the attack and how well the film depicted the events.