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→The Doolittle Raid
==The Doolittle Raid==
==The Doolittle Raid==
{{See also|Doolittle Raid}}
The raid had its roots in a chance observation that it was possible to launch Army twin-engined bombers from an aircraft carrier, making feasible an early air attack on Japan. Appraised of the idea in January 1942, U.S. Fleet commander Admiral [[Ernest J. King]] and Air Forces leader General [[Henry H. Arnold]] greeted it with enthusiasm. Arnold assigned the technically-astute Doolittle to organize and lead a suitable air group. The modern, but relatively well-tested [[B-25 Mitchell|B-25B "Mitchell"]] medium bomber was selected as the delivery vehicle and tests showed that it could fly off a carrier with a useful bomb load and enough fuel to hit Japan and continue on to airfields in [[China]].
The raid had its roots in a chance observation that it was possible to launch Army twin-engined bombers from an aircraft carrier, making feasible an early air attack on Japan. Appraised of the idea in January 1942, U.S. Fleet commander Admiral [[Ernest J. King]] and Air Forces leader General [[Henry H. Arnold]] greeted it with enthusiasm. Arnold assigned the technically-astute Doolittle to organize and lead a suitable air group. The modern, but relatively well-tested [[B-25 Mitchell|B-25B "Mitchell"]] medium bomber was selected as the delivery vehicle and tests showed that it could fly off a carrier with a useful bomb load and enough fuel to hit Japan and continue on to airfields in [[China]].
[[Image:Doolittle1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|April 18, 1942: the Doolittle Raid about to launch from USS ''Hornet''.]]
[[Image:Doolittle1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|April 18, 1942: the Doolittle Raid about to launch from USS ''Hornet''.]]