Noon Debrief: The Doolittle Raid at Richland Library Main
Friday, April 18 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Free- This event has passed.
Events
Discover the True Story Behind the Doolittle Raid
April 18, 2025 • Noon
Richland Library Main Branch, Columbia, SC
On April 18, 1942—just months after the attack on Pearl Harbor—sixteen B-25B Mitchell bombers launched from an American aircraft carrier on a daring mission to strike Tokyo. With no fighter escort and no way to return to their ship, the crews carried out what would become one of the most legendary missions of World War II: the Doolittle Raid.
While the physical damage inflicted on Japan was limited, the psychological impact was enormous. The raid provided a much-needed boost to American morale and shocked the Japanese home front. Yet, as with many iconic historical events, myths and misconceptions have grown around the facts.
On April 18, Richland Library’s main location on Assembly Street will host a free Noon Debrief lecture presented by the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum. Historian Bruce Cotner will deliver a talk titled “The Doolittle Raid and Midlands Myths,” uncovering the truths and correcting the falsehoods that have surrounded this remarkable operation.
The Midlands of South Carolina played a key role in the raid’s preparation. The Doolittle Raiders trained at Columbia Army Air Base—now Columbia Metropolitan Airport—and flew over Lake Murray during their time in the region. Over the years, Columbia has proudly hosted several reunions of the mission’s survivors, with the last of these heroic airmen passing away in 2019 at age 103.
Cotner’s lecture will explore popular misconceptions, such as the belief that Col. Jimmy Doolittle conceived the raid entirely on his own or that he selected the raid’s volunteers personally while in Columbia. The program aims not to diminish local pride, but to honor the legacy of the mission by setting the historical record straight.
This event is free and open to the public. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear the full, fascinating story of the Doolittle Raid and its deep connection to the Midlands.