Doolittle Raid. On April 18, 1942, 16 American B-25 bombers, launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet 650 miles east of Japan and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, attack the Japanese mainland. Of the 16 planes and 80 airmen who participated in the raid, all either crash-landed, were ditched, or crashed after their crews bailed out. Despite the loss of these 15 aircraft, 69 airmen escaped capture or death, with only three killed in action. The book, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, by Captain Ted W. Lawson, Random House, 1943. Signed, in pencil,on the half-title page by eight surviving Raiders: Tom Griffin”# 9,”, Bill Bower “# 12,” David Thatcher (Crew #7), Ed Horton (Crew #10), Richard E. Cole “# 1,” Davy Jones (Crew # 5), Robert Hite “Co-Pilot #16” and Chase Nielson “Crew # 6.” Also signing are John Doolittle (Jimmy Doolittle’s son), Jung Sheng Liu (a Chinese who was considered "Honorary" Doolittle Raider, After the raid, he spent a onsiderable effort aiding in the rescue and escort to safety of the flyers after they had landed in China) and Japanese journalist Fumio Matsuo. The dust jacket, protected, has only minor rubbing.