Dolittle raid question

So, I know the USS Hornet carried those B-25s on her flight deck all the way across the Pacific. My question is, though, did she carry her normal complement of aircraft belowdecks in hangar as well?
Thank you in advance.
Hummel

 

I am pretty sure she kept her full compliment of aircraft in the hangar deck. After all, once the B-25's were gone, she was still a fully functional carrier, and who knew if they'd run into a Japanese task force. In fact I believe the plan was if they did encounter a Japanese carrier force, the B-25's all went over the side to make room for her own planes to launch.

 

The USS Hornet carried her usual complement of aircraft belowdecks on the approach to Japan. Once the B-25's were on their way to Tokyo, the Hornet quickly launched her normal alottment of scouting and fighter planes aloft to provide security and anti-submarine patrols.

 

At the time, Task Force 16 comprised the USS Hornet AND the USS Enterprise. The Enterprise's CAP covered the task force in case of uninvited IJN activity in their AO.

 

CV-8 Report
HyperWar: USS Hornet Action Report, Halsey-Doolittle Raid

VF-8 F4F parked amongst the B-25's - look close there's two of them
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h53000/h53422.jpg

SBD parked next to B-25, engine check.
File:SBDs on USS Hornet Apr 1942.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

A couple of SBDs in this shot, too
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/0543305.jpg

Pictures of Hornet on the way back to Pearl from the Doolittle Raid with aircraft on flight deck
MaritimeQuest - USS Hornet CV-8 Page 9
MaritimeQuest - USS Hornet CV-8 Page 10

Rich

 

Yes, from what I've read the Japanese killed an estimated 250,000 people in the areas that the bombers crash landed after the raid searching for the crews. That's an extreme amount of retaliation for such a small raid. It was a massive morale builder for the US, and a hell of a tombstone for a quarter of a million Chinese civilians.

Numbers like that puts a new spin on things once you think about it....

 

Well, you know what they say about killing Chinese: 30 minutes later you're ready to kill some more

 

Memo to the mods....I don't know who he is....

 

I’m planing to get to a WW II Weekend in 2 weeks. An old friend of the family who was a fighter pilot in the 50’s is working the event and will be helping out with the B-17G. Richard Cole, Lt Col, USAAF, Doolittle Raider, Plane #1 Co-Pilot, and David Thatcher, SSgt, USA, Flight Engineer/Gunner plane # 7, Doolittle Raider will be there. Keeping my fingers crossed they’re there on the day I go to hopefully meet them and get autographs. Any ideas for a question I could ask if the opportunity presents itself?

 

A few incenderies dumped on the city might have burned them to the ground in 1942, and not 1945.

 

Greeting zirish,

I'm fairly certain your talking about the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's World War II Weekend. If so, have you checked their webpage for it. WELCOME TO THE MID-ATLANTIC AIR MUSEUM'S WORLD WAR II WEEKEND
Here is the Special Guest list: MAAM's World War II Weekend Special Guest List
Usually, the guests give about 30 minute-1hour presentations.

Oh, which B-17? Yankee Lady or the pseudo-Memphis Belle?

Trust me, you'll have a blast and it is quite an experience, especially listening to the veterans talk. I have been going since it began many years ago. Haven't missed a show yet.

If your not flying in, get there early, traffic is murder.


back to topic, I thought the B-25s carried at least 1 incendiary bomb, some several according to HyperWar: Tokyo (Doolittle) Raid: Informational Intelligence Summary
I also thought the Americans, at the time, did not have many incendairy bombs on hand. according to HyperWar: Tokyo (Doolittle) Raid: B25B Special Project Memo

Well, lets see what Mr. Cole and Mr. Thatcher have to say.

 

I have a DVD on this. 30 seconds over Tokyo (1944) starring Van Johnson. based on the book by Captain Ted W. Lawson, a pilot who participated in the raid. In both the book and the film, Lawson gives an eyewitness account of the training, the mission, and the aftermath as experienced by his crew and others that flew on the Doolittle Raid of April 18, 1942. Lawson piloted the "The Ruptured Duck", the seventh of 16 B-25s to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.

BTY when my late dad took off for the war my mom went to work in a local war plant. she helped build the B-25 Mitchell bomber. she's alive and kickin at 85

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Thanks, and yup, that's the event.

He works with the Yankee Lady. I'm assuming he will do the same this year. He's coming to our Memorial Day weekend picnic, and I'll ask (if I can get a word in between his jet fighter stories )

 

According to what I've read, each B-25 carried three, five hundred pound, high explosive bombs along with a single 500 lb incendiary bomb that were dropped at the pilot and bombardier's own discretion.