Talked to my grandma today, her first cousin is James M Parker, who was the co-pilot of crew 9 of the Doolittle Raiders. He was also a Texas Aggie, class of 41. He never graduated, joining the Army in November 1940. Here are her recollections.
James' parents, James and May, had gone to Florida to visit James before he shipped out with Doolittle. He told his parents that he couldn't say where he was going, but he would be alright, and they were taking it to the enemy. His parents assumed they were going to Europe to attack the Germans.
Shortly after the raid on Tokyo, the Houston Post had a short writeup in the middle of the front page that said that US Army Air Corps bombers had attacked Tokyo. Uncle James immediately said "that's where Jimmy is."
Jimmy's plane made it to China. They ran out of fuel and bailed out. Jimmy landed in a tree. He could hear someone below him, but didn't want to make a sound for fear it was the Japanese. Finally the other person said "I sure hope you're American!" Realizing they were both Americans, they felt safer.
Jimmy and several other Doolittle Raiders joined up and had to hike to safety. When they would enter a Chinese village, it was usually only elderly and children, as the rest had either died or were off fighting. The Chinese were excited to see the Americans and very hospitable. After the raid, the Japanese attacked a lot of these villages by surrounding them and covering everything with gas, and lighting it on fire. She said that bothered him greatly, that the people who had helped him suffered so horribly at the hands of the Japanese.
Once they linked back up with Doolittle, he told the crew that he fully expected to be court martialed upon return to the US since they lost all the planes. They had no idea they would be hailed as heroes. Once they realized that Doolittle would be promoted, he told the Raiders that anyone who wanted to go with him to the European Theater he would take. Jimmy Parker went with Doolittle and flew out of North Africa.
My grandma said the raid was a turning point for America. Just like the US learned at Pearl Harbor that the ocean wasnt big enough to prevent attack, the Japanese learned that Tokyo could be struck. It gave America the hope it dearly needed after Pearl Harbor.
Jimmy died June 19, 1991. He was 71.
James' parents, James and May, had gone to Florida to visit James before he shipped out with Doolittle. He told his parents that he couldn't say where he was going, but he would be alright, and they were taking it to the enemy. His parents assumed they were going to Europe to attack the Germans.
Shortly after the raid on Tokyo, the Houston Post had a short writeup in the middle of the front page that said that US Army Air Corps bombers had attacked Tokyo. Uncle James immediately said "that's where Jimmy is."
Jimmy's plane made it to China. They ran out of fuel and bailed out. Jimmy landed in a tree. He could hear someone below him, but didn't want to make a sound for fear it was the Japanese. Finally the other person said "I sure hope you're American!" Realizing they were both Americans, they felt safer.
Jimmy and several other Doolittle Raiders joined up and had to hike to safety. When they would enter a Chinese village, it was usually only elderly and children, as the rest had either died or were off fighting. The Chinese were excited to see the Americans and very hospitable. After the raid, the Japanese attacked a lot of these villages by surrounding them and covering everything with gas, and lighting it on fire. She said that bothered him greatly, that the people who had helped him suffered so horribly at the hands of the Japanese.
Once they linked back up with Doolittle, he told the crew that he fully expected to be court martialed upon return to the US since they lost all the planes. They had no idea they would be hailed as heroes. Once they realized that Doolittle would be promoted, he told the Raiders that anyone who wanted to go with him to the European Theater he would take. Jimmy Parker went with Doolittle and flew out of North Africa.
My grandma said the raid was a turning point for America. Just like the US learned at Pearl Harbor that the ocean wasnt big enough to prevent attack, the Japanese learned that Tokyo could be struck. It gave America the hope it dearly needed after Pearl Harbor.
Jimmy died June 19, 1991. He was 71.
