On April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle led a flight of sixteen B-25 bombers off the flight deck of the USS Hornet on one of the most daring raids in U.S. military history, a low-level strike on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. For this heroic act, he received the Medal of Honor. But, as Dik Alan Daso convincingly argues, James H. Doolittle should be remembered as much more than a famous combat pilot. With a doctorate in aeronautics from MIT, he devoted his life to mastering the technical and practical intricacies of the most amazing new invention of his time, the airplane.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Tough Upbringing --Reputation Building -- Landing Blind -- Fast Flying and Fuel -- The Raid -- World War II: The Young General -- World War II: The Mature General -- War's End and After -- California and Conclusions. Chapter 1 Tough Upbringing 3 -- Chapter 2 Reputation Building 11 -- Chapter 3 Landing Blind 24 -- Chapter 4 Fast Flying and Fuel 32 -- Chapter 5 The Raid 45 -- Chapter 6 World War II: The Young General 67 -- Chapter 7 World War II: The Mature General 83 -- Chapter 8 War's End and After 97 -- Chapter 9 California and Conclusions 108.