128 STAT. 1160 PUBLIC LAW 113–106—MAY 23, 2014 Public Law 113–106 113th Congress An Act To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’, for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS. Congress finds that—

1. On April 18, 1942, the brave men of the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium) became known as the ‘‘Doolittle Tokyo Raiders’’ for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo
2. 80 brave American aircraft crewmen, led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, volunteered for an ‘‘extremely hazardous mission’’, without knowing the target, location, or assignment, and willingly put their lives in harm’s way, risking death, capture, and torture
3. The conduct of medium bomber operations from a Navy aircraft carrier under combat conditions had never before been attempted
4. After the discovery of the USS Hornet by Japanese picket ships 170 miles further away from the prearranged launch point, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders proceeded to take off 670 miles from the coast of Japan
5. By launching more than 100 miles beyond the distance considered to be minimally safe for the mission, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders deliberately accepted the risk that the B–25s might not have enough fuel to reach the designated air-fields in China on return;
6. The additional launch distance greatly increased the risk of crash landing in Japanese occupied China, exposing the crews to higher probability of death, injury, or capture
7. Because of that deliberate choice, after bombing their targets in Japan, low on fuel and in setting night and deteriorating weather, none of the 16 airplanes reached the prearranged Chinese airfields
8. Of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who launched on the raid, 8 were captured, 2 died in the crash, and 70 returned to the United States
9. Of the 8 captured Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, 3 were executed and 1 died of disease
10. There were only 5 surviving members of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders as of February 2013.