Last update: 14 August 2023

Crew 03

Third plane to take off from the USS Hornet on 18 April 1942

Datasheet

- Aircraft Squadron:	95th Bombardment Squadron
- Serial number plane:	40-2270
- Name of the plane:	Whiskey Pete - no individual markings - only name
- Take off date:	18 April 1942
- Take off time:	Take off @ 08.30 am ship time USS Hornet
- Place in line to take off:	3rd
- Take off direction:	Take off @ about 35 40 N 153 40 E
- Bombs on board:	1 cluster incendiary + 3 demolition bombs
- Bombed area in Japan:	Tokio : Kawaguchi (Saitama) and Oji (Tokyo)
- Bombing of Japan - local time:	12:40 pm
- Fate crew - 18 april 1942:	Bailed out above China - 09.40 pm
- Fate plane - 18 april 1942:	Crash south east of Quzhou, China

The Crew

95th Bombardment Squadron

Target

Tokio : Kawaguchi (Saitama) and Oji (Tokyo)

The story of Crew 03

Second bomb was dropped @ 35 46 11 N 139 52 14 E Last bomb was dropped @ 35 44 49 N 139 52 49 E Schoolbuilding was hit by machine gun fire out of the plane @ 35 47 14 N 139 51 51 E One schoolboy killed. Minosuke Ishide is buried @ 35 47 21 N 139 51 22 E

Plane flew over the Chinese coastline. By seeing illuminated houses they knew they were above China Crew dropped candle bombs in hope to find a landing spot over China. But the pilot could not find one. The fuel was running out and they decided to bail out @ 10 pm on 18 April 1942 over Suichang county @ about 28°36'49.5"N 119°07'53.1"E

Province : Zehjian province - China

Several crew members were injuried after bailing out.

Guided into free China by the Chinese resistance.

Arrived in Chongqing, China between 18 and 25 april 1942.

Corporal Leland Faktor KIA after bailed out of the plane “Whiskey Pete” on 18 April 1942. Supposedly he fell off a rock in Suichang county. His parachute had also only partially opened. Buried in Wan Tseun in the Zehjian province. Grave was hide for the Japanese occupying forces. Later, after the war he was reburried in Mason City, Iowa.

Lieutenant Robert Gray KIA 28/10/1942 after a plane crash after engine failiure near Assum, India. He was reburied in Killeen, Texas during 1951.

Crew 3 - Pilot report Robert M. Gray - click here - copyright @ nara-usa - public domain

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Picture 1 : Doolittle Riders in China

Picture 2 : Bombs aboard USS Hornet, Apr 1942; note 100-pound bombs for Navy dive bombers in the foreground and 500-pound bombs for Army B-25 bombers in background.

Picture 3 : B-25 Mitchell bomber in flight over USS Hornet en route to Japan, 18 Apr 1942

Pictures copyright @ nara-usa - public domain

Crew picture : copyright @nara-usa - public domain - colored by : Our colorful history @ https://www.facebook.com/historyrestored - used with permission - Thank you so much for the wonderful crew pictures.