I S S U E N U m b E r 1 • m A r C H 2 0 1 7 LOCAL BOY BECOMES LEGENDARY WAR HERO by Robbie Dileo ne of the most Osignificant heroes in United states history was born in Alameda, December 14, The Doolittle home in Alameda now 1896. James Harold Doolittle located at 1620 Foley Street. Image: lived at the corner of Foley and Robbie Dileo. Buena Vista until he was four. The family in Nome Alaska, 1908. Rosa The house still exists today, but Shephard Doolittle, James H. Doolittle, was moved around the corner to and Frank H. Doolittle. Family Images: 1620 Foley Street in 1912 when USAFA Album. The young Jimmy Doolittle builder George Noble constructed bungalows on the Buena Vista lots. Alameda, 1898 Look beyond the Marketplace parking lot on Park Street and you will see the only Victorian-era house mid-block. Built in 1887 by J.E. Langren, the residence is now a fourplex in only fair exterior condition, but intact architecturally. His father Frank headed to Nome, Alaska as part of the Klondike Gold Rush, continuing to make his living as a carpenter and building a new house there for his family. His mother Rosa moved north with young Jimmy in 1900 and stayed about eight years. Jimmy was bright, spry, with a head of curls, but his short stature caused bullies to tease him. Good at gymnastics and acrobatic routines, he fought back when challenged, usually winning — a character building skill that lasted a lifetime. With relatives in Los Angeles, Jimmy and his mother returned there in 1908, leaving his father in Alaska, but Continued on page 2 . A L m E DA m USEU m Q U A r T E r L y • I S SUE NU m b E r 1 • m A r C H 2 0 1 7 The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 Local Boy . .Continued from page 1 brought the United States into the war. At age 45, the 5’4” Lt. Colonel was asked to do a secret mission to retaliate against Japan. His men, that history would call The Doolittle Raiders, would have followed him anywhere. A total of sixteen B-25s that arrived at NAS Alameda, California, on March 31, 1942 had no mechanical issues. Fifteen made up the mission force and the sixteenth, by last-minute agreement with the Navy, was loaded so that it could be launched shortly after departure from San Francisco to demonstrate to the Army pilots that sufficient deck space remained for a safe takeoff. Instead, that bomber was made part of the mission force. The raid, launched from the deck of the USS Hornet (CV-8) at 620 miles off the coast of Japan, dumped tons of bombs on military and industrial targets in Tokyo, One of the B-25 bombers taking off from the deck of the USS Hornet Yokohama, Kobe, Nagoya and Osaka. This demonstrated (CV-8). All planes lacked enough fuel to reach bases and either that Japan was vulnerable to attack and boosted American crash landed or were ditched along China's south coast. morale after many losses in the Pacific. remaining married. A less harsh environment with Our very own Alameda hero was promoted in 1985 better educational opportunities allowed Jimmy to hone his to four-star rank by a special act of Congress and had his pugilist skills, becoming a West Coast Flyweight Champ at stars pinned on by President Ronald Reagan and Senator age 15 and then holding his own at 17 in a Bantamweight Barry Goldwater. In 1989 he received the Presidential match-up with World Champion Kit Williams. Medal of Freedom from President George H.W. Bush. Riding motorcycles to get to class and being near an At the end of his amazing life, September 27, 1993, airfield evolved into a love of aviation, as both required James H. Doolittle was 96, widowed, and living in Carmel, strong mechanical abilities with motors. Going fast was California. As a final honor, Doolittle and his wife fun. A daredevil was born who could tweak engines to Josephine were interred at Arlington National Cemetery win many airplane races. in Washington DC. • 1922 – first transcontinental flight, first to fly only on instruments, did it blindfolded. • 1932 – fastest cross country flight in 11 ¼ hours, and he miraculously survived several crash landings. Due to WWI, Doolittle left studies at UC Berkeley to join the military as a flying cadet in 1917. Participation in an army program in practical aero-nautical engineering got him into a special program at MIT. Via petition, UC Berkeley awarded him a BS degree on the basis of those studies and his flying experience. He later earned a Masters from MIT and then received MIT’s first Doctor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering. Racing in early airplanes became Jimmy’s passion, but he also married his high school sweetheart on December 24, 1917, Josephine Daniels, nicknamed Joe, a remarkable woman in her own right. They had two sons and lived a nomadic life with Jimmy frequently absent, pursuing his racing and Alameda Mayor Winthrop J. Branscheid, James H. Doolittle, and wife promoting aviation fuel while working for Shell Oil. Josephine on November 5, 1945. The event, honoring Doolittle is being broadcast on the KLX radio station identified on the micro- In 1940, seeing war on the horizon, Jimmy returned to phone stand. The station was owned by the Oakland Tribune and the Army and was given a staff position in the Army Air was housed on the 20th floor of the Tribune Tower in Oakland. Corps working for Hap Arnold. 32 A L m E DA m USEU m Q U A r T E r L y • I S SUE NU m b E r 1 • m A r C H 2 0 1 7 HISTORY MATTERS ★★★ IT IS IN ★★★ NOM iNaTiONS REQUESTED! YOUR OWN BACKYARD Make sure your home is part of • • • • • • • • DOOLITTLE RAIDERS the legacy Sunday, September 24th! 75TH AnnIVERSARy EVEnTS In ALAMEDA The Alameda Museum & the AAPS • • • • • • • • DOOLITTLE WALK are now taking house nominations for the April 1 • 11:30am 2017 Legacy Home Tour. There will also be a month-long From 19th century through the Doolittle photo display. Craftsman era, original or restored homes Alameda Naval Air museum 2151 Ferry Point are welcome to participate. building #77 Open: Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm The deadline for submissions is April 15 alamedanavalairmuseum.org • • • • • • • • Send your nomination(s) to DOOLITTLE RAIDERS [email protected] EXHIBIT OPENING & PAPER AIRPLANES See website for details. April 18 • 11am A Guide to Bay Area Historic House Museums April 23 • 2pm From Santa Rosa to Morgan Hill and USS Hornet 707 W. Hornet Drive Livermore to San Francisco there is a variety ONLY Open Daily: 10am – 5pm of architectural styles and historical eras uss-hornet.org $4 • • • • • • • • presented in residential museums. Attend the informative lecture by robbie Dileo & Pick up a copy and have fun Dennis Evanosky about Doolittle´s early days in exploring the homes of Alameda, his mission to bomb horticulturists, millionaires, Japan, and his return to Alameda as a celebrated hero. Governors, Native Americans ALAMEDA´S and Spanish settlers HOMETOWN HERO April 27 • 7:00 pm across the Bay Area. 16th Alameda museum EDITION 2324 Alameda Avenue PRINTED alamedamuseum.org 3 A L m E DA m USEU m Q U A r T E r L y • I S SUE NU m b E r 1 • m A r C H 2 0 1 7 San Francisco History Days at the Old Mint by Staff t he first weekend in march, the Old Mint hosted a “San Francisco History Days” event with over eighty participating historic organizations. It was quite astounding how many entities filled the building with information on every San Francisco connection you could think of. There was history on neighborhoods, frater- nal organizations, cultures, state parks, and on and on. Lectures and tours were held throughout the weekend and one room was devoted to authors and Adam Gillitt at the Alameda Museum movie makers discussing their creations. booth showcasing books, walking tour brochures, and information on This was the Alameda Museum’s the museum and Meyers House. second time attending. It was a bit of Adam improved our display this a sell for museum president Dennis year with posters and a banner he Evanosky last year. The participant designed. Image: Dennis Evanosky. committee didn’t quite see what Alameda had to do with San Francisco. Once they were reminded that the Alameda Terminal was the end of the The mint itself has gone through Transcontinental Railroad, the ferry many transitions since surviving the service connected the City to the East earthquake in 1906. A new minting Bay, and Alameda’s founding fathers facility was built in 1937. The Old Chipman and Aughinbaugh could see Mint remained open to visitors until their future land purchase from their 1993. In 2003 the federal government San Francisco office, the committee sold the structure to the City of San relented. Francisco for one dollar—an 1879 Every visitor who dropped by the silver dollar struck at the mint. table this year knew about Alameda. Until a new tenant is found, the They liked to take walks there, had Old Mint will continue to be used relatives to visit, or had a favorite for special events, some open to the restaurant. Many did not know there public. The front facing main rooms was a history museum, but they do are beautifully restored and the lower now.