Dick Cole, Last Surviving Member Of The World War II Doolittle Raiders, Dies At 103

Apr 17, 2019 by apost team

Dick Cole was the oldest and last surviving member of the famous Doolittle Raiders who were active during World War II. The war hero recently passed away at the impressive age of 103. Dick Cole was the co-pilot of Lt. Col. Doolittle during the historic mission which helped to boost American morale after the devastating blow that resulted from the attack on Pearl Harbor.

April 18, 1942, was the fateful day on which Jimmy Doolittle and Richard Cole flew with 16 other bombers to perform a retaliatory attack on Japan after the tragedy of Pearl Harbor. This air raid was a major boost for morale in the United States.

Cole, the last surviving member of the valiant volunteers who carried out the mission, died in San Antonio at the age of 103.

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According to a report by CNN, the US Air Force released an official statement about the famous soldier's death. Heather Wilson, the Secretary of the Air Force, made a public statement regarding Lt. Col. Dick Cole's death. She said that the brave soldier was "reunited with his fellow Doolittle Raiders in the clear blue skies today".

Tom Casey, the president of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association, also mentioned that Cole's daughter Cindy and son Rich were by the icon's side when he passed away. Cole's daughter reported that he would be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Gary Sinise, the actor who portrayed Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, took to social media to pay his respects to the late Dick Cole. Sinise mentioned that he was honored to have known such an "extraordinary man".

Matt Donovan, the Under Secretary of the Air Force, also shared his thoughts about Cole on social media. Donovan wrote about how inspiring he found Cole's heroism as a child. He said that he was humbled to have interacted with a great American hero.

During the Doolittle mission, bombing crews were sent to drop warheads on five different Japanese cities. The pilots were instructed to land in China where allies would help with the refueling process required to get back home. The Air Force operation derived its name from the mission's commander, Lt. Col. Doolittle.

In 2016, Dick Cole was interviewed by CNN about his first-hand experience in the mission. Cole gave an exciting and detailed recount of the bombing expedition.

The US Air Force has lost one of the brave men who volunteered to help turn WWII in favor of the United States.

Do you agree that Dick Cole's bravery should never be forgotten? Let us know in the comments and make sure to tell your friends and family about this important man.