James Harold Doolittle
Edmond Pukaj
Spartan College of Aeronautics

Abstract
James Doolittle was a man with an outstanding resume in the American Air Force and one of Americas most well-known aviation pilots whose contributions in the Second World War was extremely crucial to increasing American morale. Doolittle also played a major role in creating new instrumentations to improve night flying and flying in hazardous weather. Doolittle broke and set many records in the aviation world and made the impossible possible with his extraordinary flying skills. Made himself a role model for upcoming generations of pilots.

General James “Jimmy” Harold Doolittle was a very important individual in American aviation history. Many recognize Jimmy Doolittle as the individual responsible for coordinating the planes that took off on the aircraft carrier The Hornet, for the raid on Japan in the Second World War. James Doolittle was placed in charge of defining which plane to use for this mission. He decided on the B-25 plane determining that it had the highest potential to make the short take-off of the Hornet. Doolittle was known as being a daredevil, scholar, pilot and General. Doolittle’s particular expertise and passion was for flying. He is considered to be the American aviation pioneer. Although his flying expertise is what he is most commonly credited for his accomplishments far exceed this criterion (Daso, 2003) James Doolittle was born on December 14, 1896 in Alameda, California. At four years old James moved with his mother to Alaska to meet his father whom was had decided to move there for better work opportunities. James reflects back on these years and mentioned that from time to time he and the other boys would fight due to James being small in size; this made him an easy target for bullying. Though he was small in size he was pure in muscle as well as a very well-known trouble maker in his neighborhood. In one particular incident Doolittle was accused of damaging his neighbor’s property. He denied the accusations and his father accused him of lying. This incident added pressure to the father-son relationship which was already fraying. Doolittle stated in his autobiography, I Could Never be so Lucky Again (1995), “I didn’t lie then, and I don’t lie now.”
Doolittle came back to South California in 1908; his father remained in Alaska with the company. It was this move that enhanced Jimmy’s love for flying. Two years later in the summertime at Dominquez Field, near Los Angeles. At thirteen years old he experienced his first-hand interaction with flying. Doolittle was introduced to the science of aviation and aircraft technology(Daso, 2003)
As Doolittle matured he mastered his skills in carpentry and learned how to box from his high school teacher. Once done with high school he decided to continue his education at Junior College of Los Angeles where he studied basic science. He then advanced his educational career to Berkeley, School of Mines. Midway through his senior year at school he volunteered for the Army Single Corps. Doolittle enrolled in ground school at University of California. He was told he would become a pilot for the Army; his longtime dream of flying was finally becoming a reality. As new opportunities opened up for Jimmy he never returned to complete his degree. The start of Jimmy Doolittle’s aviation career was underway (Doolittle & Glines, 1991).
After seven hours of instructed flight time Doolittle took his first solo flight. Jimmy continued to develop his flight technique as he was instructed on methods such as barrel rolls, aerobatics, loops, spins, recovery, navigation missions, and cross country mission which were practiced and mastered. Most of these lessons taught in Jimmy’s time as well as the techniques that he obtained are still taught in modern day military aviation training. Doolittle was noted for taking flying very serious. When he was an instructor he was quoted saying, “I stuck to the curriculum and didn’t take kindly to any student trying to show off or get smart. I wanted them to emulate my seriousness about flying….I wanted to impress on them that flying is serious business and is unforgiving for carelessness, incapacity, or neglect” (Doolittle, p81. 2009).
In 1918 he completed his flight training and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Single Reserve, Aviation Section. During Doolittle’s time of service in the Army he took his first transcontinental flight from Florida to California in less than 24 hours of flying a modified DH-4B. Jimmy Doolittle’s aviation career continued to develop. Jimmy excelled as a student as well as a pilot. He was a talented pilot that continued to deliver optimal performance as he advanced in the aviation field. In 1922 Jimmy Doolittle enrolled in MIT, he earned his Master’s as well as his Doctorate by June of 1925. Doolittle became very familiar with flying at night and was a great contribution to assisting in the instrumentation that was developed to use during night flights.
In an incident that later followed Jimmy was in a situation where he was literally flying blind due to the fog. When it came time for departure, there was no device that would have accurately indicated if Jimmy was at the correct angle for landing at the time; however, through the fog Jimmy felt confident in his flying abilities. Doolittle used his own person techniques of maintain a known airspeed, and correcting the planes direction based on the direction of the wind to navigate his plane for an appropriate landing. The landing wasn’t perfect but this display of flying was still seen as an accomplishment. Based on modern standards flying through fog is a small task to overcome, although at this time there were only three instruments available for use to help with visibility in fog. Doolittle’s Lieutenants wrote this on the incident, “The demonstration was perhaps the most significant development since the original Wright Brother’s flight. “ A few years later Doolittle left the Army behind and joins Shell Petroleum as an Aviation Product Representative. While working for Shell, Jimmy was awarded with many trophies for setting records for domestic flights. During this working experience Doolittle gained knowledge and continued to advance himself. The military took note of Doolittle’s progress and in 1940 he was asked to rejoin the Army as one of Hap Arnold’s staff members for the Army Air Corps.
Soon after reentering the Army, the United States was faced with war due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This would be Doolittle’s defining moment when he would be recognized by the whole world for his outstanding efforts.
Four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor Jimmy was put in charge of the task of choosing a plane that was suitable for takeoff from an aircraft carrier known as the Hornet, for the infamous raid on Japan. Doolittle initially choose the B-25, he believed this particular plane model would be the best option for successfully departing from the Hornet, and arriving at their destination. Doolittle did not make his pilots aware of the takeoff situation until the day of departure. Jimmy Doolittle including sixteen planes led the raid headed for Japan on April 18, 1942. The objective was to drop 500 pound bombs from 1500 feet in the air. The effectiveness of the raid was in a moral boost rather than destructive matters of war.
After the raid was completed, 15 planes crash landed into various locations of China and one plane landed in Russia. 64 men out of the initial 80 survived. When Doolittle landed he believed this mission to be a failure. It wasn’t until later that he realized the positive impact this mission had on America’s moral boost (Millbrooke, 1999).
After the end of the raid Jimmy was awarded with the Medal of Honor for his heroic efforts. General Arnold gave Jimmy Doolittle a B-25 plane for transportation purposes, as well as a constant reminder of his accomplishments. Jimmy found joy in using this plane to bring letters to families of individuals who lost their lives in the now named, Doolittle Raid.
After leaving the military Jimmy continued to receive awards and had a successful life as a highly decorated individual in the Army Air Force. This advanced him into Chairman, advisor, president and director positions in many well-known organizations in America. Doolittle was inducted into the International Space Hall-of-Fame, as well as the Aviation Hall of Fame in Ohio. Jimmy lived an accomplished life and at the age of 96 he passed on to leave his legacy behind.
Doolittle lived a life that many people dream of; he continued to excel as a human being and far exceeded all expectations. Jimmy developed a stunning legacy of decorated metals and awards for his various acts in the Army and exceptional flying abilities in the aviation field. James Doolittle also wrote a book about his life and his many accomplishments throughout his years in service. His life defines what many individuals would classify as being a patriotic American Solider. He set a high standard for all who follow in his footsteps. ;.

References
Daso,D.A. (2003). Doolittle Aerospace Visionary.Virginia:
Brassey’s Inc.
Day, D., James H. “Jimmie” Doolittle—Outstanding Man of
Aviation.Retrievedfrom:www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/explorers_Re cords_Setters_and_Daredevils/Doolittle/EX18.htm
Doolittle, General James H., with Glines, Carroll V. I Could
Never Be So Lucky Again, New York: Bantam Books, (1991)
Millbrooke, A. (1999). Aviation History. Coloardo: Geppesen