James Harold Doolittle
Military
Object Number - UPL 23988 - General James "Jimmy" H. Doolittle
Became Commanding General of 12th AF September 1942; Commanding General of Northwest African Strategic Air Force March 1943; assumed command of 15th AF November 1943; Commanding General of 8th Air Force 6 January 1944 to 9 May 1945. Medal Of Honor for leading the 'Doolittle Raid' in April 1942 in which 16 B-25 bombers were launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet CV8 to bomb targets in Japan. Aircraft overflew Japan and landed in China, where the surviving crews evaded with the aid of Chinese partisans. Taps 1994.
MOH/ DSM w/ 1 Oak Leaf Cluster/ SS/ DFC w/ 2 Oak Leaf Clusters/ BSM/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Clusters/ American Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star/ American Campaign Medal/ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 bronze campaign star/ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ 1 silver and 3 bronze campaign stars/ WW II Victory Medal/ Armed Forces Reserve Medal/ Legion d'honneur (France)/ Bolivian Order of Condor/ Chinese Medal/ Grand Officer of French LOH/ Croix de Guerre w/ palm/ Knight of Companion of Order of Bath
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-010506
- Highest Rank: Major General
- Role/Job: Pilot, Combat Observer, A-2 Berlin 1938-41, AWPD-42 Secretary of Air, Ultra-cleared, POW
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Alameda, California | 14 December 1896 | |
|
Died |
Pebble Beach, Del Monte Forest, CA, USA | 27 September 1993 | |
|
Buried |
Plot Section 7A, Grave 110 |
Revisions
Added an association to 15th AF per info n the "Summary biography".
Updated a Buried event per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 2454.
Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2454/jimmy-doolittle
NARA files and biography lists General Doolittle's awards and decorations. He has several files with his officer number, which show 0-271855 and 0-271885. His Medal of Honor file lists 0-271855.
George L Warrick Jr, via American Air Museum Memory Book Correspondence.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Who's Who in the Eighth Air Force, February 1945; The Mighty Eighth by Roger Freeman
![King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and General James "Jimmy" Doolittle, visit personnel of the 306th Bomb Group in order to christen a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102547) nicknamed "Rose of York" in honour of the Princess. 6 July 1944. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed as censored 6 July 1944.' [stamp] and '336112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse has been obscured by a sticker- legible text reads: 'Left to right:- Princess Elizabeth, [](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379021.jpg.webp?itok=YJNK9IAR)
![Lieutenant-Generals James Doolittle and Carl Spaatz adress the 389th Bomb Group during a presentation ceremony, 10 May 1944. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 10 May 1944.' [stamp] and '319776.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Photo shows :- Lt. - Gen . James Doolittle congratulations the Bombardment Group on its fine record, after the presentation ceremony. Lt.-Gen. Carl Spaatz is on the left. And May M 10th. 1944 PN.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380339.jpg.webp?itok=h59nNioU)
![Lieutenant-General Carl Spaatz, Lieutenant-General James Doolittle with Colonel Jack W Wood salute with personnel of the 389th Bomb Group, stood atop three B-24 Liberators, during a parade. 10 May 1944. Image stamped on reverse: 'New York Times Photo.' [stamp], 'passed for publication 10 May 1944.' [stamp] and '319795.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'PLOESTI OIL BOMBERS RECEIVE AWARD. American Liberators which bombed the Ploesti Oil Fields in Romania on August 1st 1943, were presented with The](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380342.jpg.webp?itok=MecV_PvC)
![King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and General Doolittle meet a bomber crew of the 379th Bomb Group in front of their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Four of a Kind". Passed as censored 7 Jul 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Act on print.' Printed caption on reverse is damaged: '6.7.44. ...To USAAF. [Maj]esties...[K]ing and Queen accompanied by [Princess] Elizabeth [v]isited USAAF stations today. ...shows: ...King and Queen with Gen. Doolittle, Gen. ...USAAF, inspecting the ground c](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-413464.jpg.webp?itok=Tut7RASb)
