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Doolittle Raiders by Robert Taylor. - Direct Art

Doolittle Raiders by Robert Taylor.


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Doolittle Raiders by Robert Taylor.

Doolittle Raiders take their B-25 bombers down to very low level and head for China after delivering their surprise attack on the industrial and military targets in and around Tokyo on April 18, 1942. The sixteen-ship mission, led by volunteer crews, successfully completed one of the most audacious air raids of World War II.
AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself!
Item Code : DHM2146Doolittle Raiders by Robert Taylor. - This Edition
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINTSigned limited edition of 600 prints.

SOLD OUT (September 2009).
Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Thatcher, David J
Sessler, Howard A
Stork, J Royden
DeSchazer, Jacob
Herndon, Nolan
Macia, James
McCool, Harry
Potter, Henry
Cole, Richard
Griffin, Thomas C
Holstrom, Everett W
Jones, David M
Kappelar, Frank
Nielson, Chase
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £630
SOLD
OUT
NOT
AVAILABLE
All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling



Other editions of this item : Doolittle Raiders by Robert Taylor DHM2146
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
ARTIST
PROOF
Limited edition of artist proofs.

SOLD OUT.
Paper size 34 inches x 25 inches (86cm x 64cm) Thatcher, David J
Sessler, Howard A
Stork, J Royden
DeSchazer, Jacob
Herndon, Nolan
Macia, James
McCool, Harry
Potter, Henry
Cole, Richard
Griffin, Thomas C
Holstrom, Everett W
Jones, David M
Kappelar, Frank
Nielson, Chase
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £630
SOLD
OUT
VIEW EDITION...
GICLEE
CANVAS
Studio Proof Edition of 75 giclee canvas prints. Size 40 inches x 22 inches (102cm x 56cm)Artist : Robert Taylor£495.00VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :



Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo


The signature of Brigadier General Everett W Holstrom (deceased)

Brigadier General Everett W Holstrom (deceased)
*Signature Value : £55

I was Captain and pilot of a B-25 that met stiff resistance from Japanese fighter opposition. Our guns and turrets were inoperative. We flew on and bailed out 40 miles south west of Shinghsi. I landed by parachute in a driving rainstorm about 10.00 p.m. On the third day I was picked up by Chinese guerrillas who escorted me through free China. The rest of my crew were one day behind me! I later spent 20 years in Strategic Air Command, and flew and commanded B-47s, B-52s and the worlds first supersonic bomber - the B-58. - Everett Holstrom died 2nd December 2000.


The signature of Captain J Royden Stork (deceased)

Captain J Royden Stork (deceased)
*Signature Value : £55

I was co-pilot on a B-25 detailed to attack the chemical plant at the base of the Heneda River. I was designated photographic officer on the raid and had installed 16mm cameras in each bomb bay. After an attack we flew on to China, and the crew bailed out. I knocked myself out on landing, and after regaining consciousness, rolled up my parachute and waited for sunrise. After walking all day I was befriended by a local magistrate who helped me to get to the preassigned rendezvous point some dree days later. I wound up in the 10th Air Force in India where I flew missions over Japanese occupied territory until Air Force intelligence learned that the Japanese had put a $5,000 reward on all who had participated in the Tokyo raid. - Royden Stork died 2nd May 2002.


Colonel Henry A Potter (deceased)
*Signature Value : £45

Navigator on General Doolittle's plane #1, they bombed the industrial area of Tokyo. Lieutenant Potter parachuted to safety in China. When Lieutenant Potter landed in a field, armed Chinese captured him and others from the plane and marched them along a road until a passing schoolteacher was able to speak to them in English. 'We were able to explain to him who we were,' Colonel Potter recalled in 1992. 'He convinced his countrymen we were allies and he took us home and gave us breakfast.' He was transferred back to the US after the raid and later flew a combat tour of North Africa in B-26s. Lieutenant Potter was made a major and retired from the Air Force in 1970 with the rank of colonel. He settled in Austin and raised money for the Confederate Air Force, now the Commemorative Air Force, a nonprofit group that preserves World War II-era combat aircraft. Henry Potter passed away on Memorial Day, May 27th 2002 in Austin, Texas, where he lived. He was 83.
Lieutenant Colonel Chase J Nielson (deceased)
*Signature Value : £45

Lieutenant Colonel Chase J Nielson was born on January 14, 1917, Hyrum, Utah Graduated from South Cache High School, Hyrum, Utah, 1935. Attended Utah State University from 1935 to 1938; majored in Civil Engineering. Enlisted as Flying Cadet at Fort Douglas, Utah on August 18, 1939. Commissioned and rated navigator, June, 1941. became Navigator on plane #6. Captured by Japanese forces and spent 40 months as a prisoner of war. Lieutenant Colonel Chase J Nielson Was the only Tokyo Raider who returned to testify at Japanese War Crimes Trials. Nielson's decorations include Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, and Chinese Breast Order of Pao Ting. Lieutenant Colonel Chase J Nielson died March 23, 2007, Brigham City, Utah.
Lieutenant Colonel Frank A Kappelar (deceased)
*Signature Value : £40

Frank Albert Kappelar was born in San Francisco in January 1914 and grew up in Alameda. He transferred to the Air Corps as a navigator in 1941. Graduated high school in 1932 and Polytechnic College of Engineering, Oakland, California. Transferring to Aviation Cadet training in December, 1939 and was commissioned a second lieutenant, June, 1941 at McChord Field, Washington with rating as navigator. Later received training as bombardier. Frank Albert Kappelar was navigator on B-25 plane #11 of the Doolittle Raid. Remained in CBI theater until August 1942. Served in European Theater of Operations from November, 1943 until June, 1945. Stateside assignments after the war included bases in Texas, Ohio, California before returning overseas to Japan where he served from May, 1951, until February, 1952. Deputy Commander, Minuteman Site Activation Task Force, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. Decorations include Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 2 Silver Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal, and Chinese Army, Navy, and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade. after the war and his service. Kappeler had been retired from the Air Force for a year when they settled in Santa Rosa in 1967. Kappeler purchased the former Mill's real estate office in 1976 and ran it for several years. Sadly Frank Albert Kappelar died on June, 23rd, 2010, in Santa Rosa, California.
Lieutenant Colonel Harry C McCool
*Signature Value : £45

Navigator in Brick Holstrom's plane #4, meeting stiff resistance from Japanese fighter opposition. Remained in DBI theater until September 1942 then assigned to Europe.


Lieutenant Colonel James H Macia (deceased)
*Signature Value : £45

Born in 1916, James Herbert Macia joined the USAAC in 1940, and was assigned in 1941 to the 89th Reconnaissance Squadron, 17th Bomber Group. He volunteered for what he knew only as a hazardous mission, which he later found out to be what became the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. He was the Navigator/bombardier on plane #14. After the Tokyo raid, transferred to Europe for the rest of the war. Following the war, he became involved with the U-2 spyplane and joined the Air Force Security Service retiring in 1973. Sadly, he died on 21st December 2009.


Lieutenant Colonel Richard E Cole
*Signature Value : £50

Richard E Cole was born in Dayton Ohio on 7th September 1915. Cole graduated from Steele High School, Dayton, Ohio and completed two years college at Ohio University. On 20th November 1940 Richard Cole enlisted with the USAF. Cole completed pilot training and commissioned as Second Lieutenant, July, 1941. Cole was co-pilot of General Jimmy Doolittles B-25 plane #1, their Mitchell attacked the city of Tokyo and they bailed out over China. Cole remained in China-Burma-India flying bombing and transport missions over the Hump untill June 1943, and served again in the China-Burma-India theater from October, 1943 until June, 1944. Relieved from active duty in January, 1947 but returned to active duty in August 1947. Was Operations Advisor to Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. Peacetime service in Ohio, North Carolina, and California. Rated as command pilot. Decorations include Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Chinese Army, Navy, Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.


Major General David M Jones (deceased)
*Signature Value : £35

David M. Jones was born December 18th, 1913, at Marshfield, Oregon, attended high school in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1932. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Cavalry arm of the Arizona Army National Guard and transferred to the Army Air Corps for pilot training which he completed in June 1938. In February 1942, he volunteered as a pilot for the secret project organized by Lt. Col. James H. 'Jimmy' Doolittle which became the attack by 16 Army Air Force bombers launched from the Navy Carrier USS Hornet on April 18, 1942. Jones was Captain and pilot of B-25 plane #5, attacked the waterfront of Tokyo. The bombers attacked Tokyo and four other Japanese cities in retaliation for the infamous surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 by Japanese naval forces. Jones had to bail out over China after the mission. After the raid he flew Martin B-26s in North Africa before being shot down over Bizerte on his fifth mission and taken prisoner. David Jones spent the next one and a half years in a German prison in Stalag Luft III. He was selected as a member of the 'escape committee' by his fellow prisoners to review escape plans and participated in digging one of three tunnels labeled Tom, Dick and Harry. He was liberated in April 1945. In the years following, Jones attended three major Armed Forces schools followed by assignments in research and development. He was director of the B-58 Test Force and at one time had more super-sonic flying time in that aircraft than any other USAF pilot. In 1961, he was named vice commander of the Aeronautical Systems Division at Wright-Patterson AFB and deputy commander for the GAM-87 air launched ballistic missile. After this project was cancelled, he was named deputy chief of staff for systems at the Air Force Systems Command and in 1964 he became deputy associate for Manned Space Flight with NASA. In 1967, he was appointed commander of the Air Force Eastern Test Range at Cape Kennedy, Florida for Manned Space Flight. He retired as a major general on May 31, 1973. Sadly Major General David M. Jones passed away on November 25th, 2008, at his home in Tucson, Arizona


The signature of Major Howard A Sessler (deceased)

Major Howard A Sessler (deceased)
*Signature Value : £50

As the navigator and bombardier on Don Smiths aircraft we attacked targets in Kobe. When the raid was completed we flew on and eventually ditched our aircraft in the sea off the coast of China. We swam to an island where Chinese guerrillas took us through enemy lines into China. We got to Chungking from where we were sent home through India and across the South Atlantic. I later flew all through Africa after the invasion until the war was over, a total of 103 missions, all in B-25s. Sadly, Howard Sessler passed away in February 2001.


Citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross :

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Howard Albert Sessler (ASN: 0-43165), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Navigator/Bombardier of a B-24 Bomber of the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Lieutenant Sessler with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service.

Major Nolan A Herndon (deceased)
*Signature Value : £40

Navigator and bombardier on B-25 Plane #8. of the Doolittle Raiders who bombed Japan in 1942, The crew landed in Russia and were interned, escaping in 1943 and returned to the United States. Born in Texas, Herndon enlisted on 27th July 1940. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant about a year later. He also graduated from navigator training and completed bombardier training. After his return to the US, Herndon retired from active duty November 4th, 1945. Herndon died at the age of 88 of pneumonia at Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home, October 8th 2007.


Major Thomas C Griffin (deceased)
*Signature Value : £35

Thomas C Griffin was Born July 10, 1917, Green Bay, Wisconsin and graduated from university of Alabama with BA in Political Science in 1939. Entered service on July 5, 1939 as Second Lieutenant, Coast Artillery, but requested relief from active duty in 1940 to enlist as a Flying Cadet. Was rated as a navigator and re-commissioned on July 1, 1940. Griffin became the navigator on Doc Watsons plane #9, attacked a factory on Tokyo Bay in Kawasaki. Arrived back in US in June, 1942. Flew combat in North Africa, shot down and captured in July 1943. POW. Major Thomas C Griffin's awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Chinese Army, Navy, Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade. He died on 26th February 2013.


Staff Sergeant David J Thatcher (deceased)
*Signature Value : £50

Graduated from Steele high School, Dayton, Ohio and completed two years college at Ohio University. Enlisted November 22, 1940. Completed pilot training and commissioned as Second Lieutenant, July, 1941. became Co-pilot of General Jimmy Doolittles B-25 plane #1, attacked the city of Tokyo and bailed out over China. Remained in China flying bombing and transport missions over the Hump. Relieved from active duty in January, 1947 but returned to active duty in August 1947. Between 1959 to 1962 Cole was Operations Advisor to Venezuelan Air Force . Peacetime service in Ohio, North Carolina, and California. Rated as command pilot. Cole's decorations include Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Chinese Army, Navy, Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade. He died on 22nd June 2016.
Staff Sergeant Rev Jacob DeSchazer
*Signature Value : £40

Bombardier on William Farrows plane #16. Captured by the Japanese in China, spent 40 months as prisoner of war, only four captured Raiders returned at the end of the war.
The Aircraft :
NameInfo
MitchellOn April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle led a group of 16 B-25 bombers on a carrier-launched raid on industrial and military targets in Japan. The raid was one of the most daring missions of WW II. Planning for this secret mission began several months earlier, and Jimmy Doolittle, one of the most outstanding pilots and leaders in the United States Army Air Corps was chosen to plan, organize and lead the raid. The plan was to get within 300 or 400 miles of Japan, attack military and industrial targets in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe shortly after nightfall, and then fly on to a dawn landing at secret airfields on the coast of China. The twin engine B-25 Mitchell bomber was selected by Doolittle for the mission and practice indicated that it should be possible to launch these aircraft from a carrier deck with less than 500 feet of runway. On April 2, 1942 the USS Hornet and a number of escorts set sail from Alameda, California with the 16 B-25s strapped to its deck. This task force rendezvoused with another including the USS Enterprise, and proceeded for the Japanese mainland. An element of surprise was important for this mission to succeed. When the task force was spotted by a Japanese picket boat, Admiral Halsey made the decision to launch the attack earlier than was planned. This meant that the raiders would have to fly more than 600 miles to Japan, and would arrive over their targets in daylight. It also meant that it would be unlikely that each aircraft would have sufficient fuel to reach useable airfields in China. Doolittle had 50 gallons of additional fuel stowed on each aircraft as well as a dinghy and survival supplies for the likely ditchings at sea which would now take place. At approximately 8:00 AM the Hornets loudspeaker blared, Now hear this: Army pilots, man your planes! Doolittle and his co-pilot R.E. Cole piloted the first B-25 off the Hornets deck at about 8:20 AM. With full flaps, and full throttle the Mitchell roared towards the Hornets bow, just barely missing the ships island superstructure. The B-25 lifted off, Doolittle leveled out, and made a single low altitude pass down the painted center line on the Hornets deck to align his compass. The remaining aircraft lifted off at approximately five minute intervals. The mission was planned to include five three-plane sections directed at various targets. However, Doolittle had made it clear that each aircraft was on its own. He insisted, however, that civilian targets be avoided, and under no circumstances was the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to be bombed. About 30 minutes after taking off Doolittles B-25 was joined by another piloted by Lt. Travis Hoover. These two aircraft approached Tokyo from the north. They encountered a number of Japanese fighter or trainer aircraft, but they remained generally undetected at their low altitude. At 1:30 PM the Japanese homeland came under attack for the first time in the War. From low altitudes the raiders put their cargoes of four 500 pounders into a number of key targets. Despite antiaircraft fire, all the attacking aircraft were unscathed. The mission had been a surprise, but the most hazardous portion of the mission lay ahead. The Chinese were not prepared for the raiders arrival. Many of the aircraft were ditched along the coast, and the crews of other aircraft, including Doolittles were forced to bail out in darkness. There were a number of casualties, and several of the raiders were caught by Japanese troops in China, and some were eventually executed. This painting is dedicated to the memories of those airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and the thousands of innocent Chinese citizens which were brutally slaughtered as a reprisal for their assistance in rescuing the downed crews.

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