Doolittle Raid’s leader visits plant
June 1, 1942: Brig. Gen. James H. Doolittle, who led a legendary bombing raid against Tokyo six weeks earlier, paid tribute to workers at the North American Aviation plant in Inglewood. Addressing 12,000 workers and a nationwide radio audience, Doolittle praised the crews and the B-25s -- built at the plant -- that took part in the mission. In closing, he told the workers, “Thanks for some swell airplanes,” The Times reported. Not one of Doolittle’s planes was lost to enemy fire. Of the 16, one crash-landed, three were ditched in coastal waters, one landed in the Soviet Union and 11 were abandoned over China when their crews bailed out.
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