Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

By Ted W. Lawson

Book Overview

Ted W. Lawson's classic Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo appears in an enhanced reprint edition on the sixtieth anniversary of the Doolittle Raid on Japan. "One of the worst feelings about that time," Ted W. Lawson writes, "was that there was no tangible enemy. It was like being slugged with a single punch in a dark room, and having no way of knowing where to slug back." He added, "And, too, there was a helpless, filled-up, want-to-do-something feeling that the Japanese] weren't coming--that we'd have to go all the way over there to punch back and get even." Lawson gives a vivid eyewitness account of the unorthodox assignment that eighty five intrepid volunteer airmen--the "Tokyo Raiders"--under the command of celebrated flier James H. Doolittle executed in April 1942.

The plan called for sixteen B-25 twin-engine medium bombers of the Army Air Corps to take off from the aircraft carrier Hornet, bomb industrial targets in Japan, and land at airfields in China. While the raid came off flawlessly, completely surprising the enemy, a shortage of fuel caused by an early departure, bad weather, and darkness took a heavy toll of the raiders. For many, the escape from China proved a greater ordeal. Peter B. Mersky provides new information on the genesis of the raid, places it in the context of the early operations against Japan, and updates Ted Lawson's biography.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1574885545
• ISBN13: 9781574885545
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Potomac Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Good book seller

Received book very fast. Was in better condition than advertised, actually looked new. Great seller, would buy from Honest Charley again.

A Thrilling Raid by a Band of Heroes

The term "hero" seems to be much overused in the media today. You put on a uniform, and you are automatically a hero. Here is a thrilling story about a group of genuine heroes. It is April, 1942. In the four months since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States has suffered a series of stunning defeats and lost many of its Pacific bases. To counter the seeming invincibility of Japan, Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle leads sixteen, twin-engine B-25 bombers from the deck of an aircraft carrier to bomb targets in Japan. They cause consternation in Japan, but a longer flight than planned and bad weather cause the bombers to crash in China. Some flyers are captured and executed by the Japanese, some are killed, and many are injured. Their escape from capture by the Japanese is an epic of courage and amazing help by Chinese peasants. The story is as thrilling today as it was when first published in 1943, and it is well worth reading.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by Ted W. Lawson

To me the most interesting part of WWII was the battle for the Pacific Ocean. I had read many books about the Battle of Midway and Iwo Jima. They all told you about the war and the battles. The book Thirty Seconds over Tokyo tells you not only of the battles, but also the months of preperation for the surprise riad on Japan, it told you about the long month afterward in which the Chinese helped them recover and hide them from the Japanese. It tells of the crash landing on the Chinese coast and the horrible nights that followed, not knowing if they were going to turned over to the enemy or not. The book Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a great read for anyone who likes WWII becuase it not only tells of the battles, it gives the account of the emotional expenses a group of people were forced to go through. I liked this book and I hope you will too.

Another Great American Valor Story

Having read "Four who came Home", a story written from the prespective of Doolittle Raiders who were captured, I decided to read this famous title of a movie. I once again was not disappointed. This book goes into more detail of the training and the schedule the pilots kept prior to the raid. It also goes into depth about the trip to Japan and the great job the Navy did in their support role.But the highlight of the book is the raid and exactly what they saw during the raid. This is followed by a harrowing crash and month in China staying one step ahead of the Japanese. This part of the story shows the value of the Chinese people who helped even though it put their life in danger. Did I mention hardship? Imagine having your leg amputated in a field hospital with little medical equipment.These men are truly valiant heroes and it's great to read their stories of valor.

Thirty-Seconds Over Tokyo

This is one of the best books I have ever read and should be a must read for all history students. In addition to the historical importance of the Doolittle Raid, this book brings the reader a personal narrative of the event. If you are a fan of aviation or WWII history, then this is book is for you. I enjoyed it so much that I read it cover-to-cover, back-to-back! I haven't done that with a book in a long time.