Napoleon_Tanerite Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 US WWII veteran who captured Japan's Tojo dies; credited with keeping him alive to face trial John J. Wilpers Jr., the last surviving member of the U.S. Army intelligence unit that captured former Japanese prime minister Hideki Tojo after World War II, has died at 93. His son, John J. Wilpers III, told The Associated Press on Monday that his father died Thursday at an assisted living facility near his home in Garrett Park, Md. The upstate New York native was part of a five-man unit ordered to arrest Tojo at his suburban Tokyo home on Sept. 11, 1945, nine days after Japan's surrender ended the war. While the soldiers were outside, Tojo attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the chest. Wilpers ordered a Japanese doctor at gunpoint to treat Tojo until an American doctor arrived. Tojo survived, was convicted of war crimes and was executed in December 1948. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B0neWs0 Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Going to their reunion next week in Ft Walton. Ill be sure to post some pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60 driver Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 True badasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuggyU2 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I sat across the table from him at my UPT graduation dinner. A very humble gentleman and an honor for me to have met him. Wow. That is a unique experience. Relish it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busdriver Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/14/opinion/greene-doolittle-raiders/index.html Hard to believe, but I guess the time has come to open that bottle. They were made of sterner stuff back then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discus Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 To the most badass final four ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkDiggler Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Wow. That is a unique experience. Relish it. No doubt, really a unique experience. Two of the sim instructors for my MWS were aircrew on Operation Eagle Claw. Every time those guys would talk about that mission and the things they did I always thought it was really awesome and humbling to have been trained by and talked with some true AF legends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combat Platypus Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 http://www.doolittleraider.com/ There's 5 B-25 staging out of KDTS this week. I got to see 4 of them take off from my house then as I was getting ready to take off about an hour later watch all 4 land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M2 Posted April 18, 2013 Author Share Posted April 18, 2013 From the Facebook page of Jerry Patterson, Texas Lieutenant Governor... Today is the 71st anniversary of the Doolittle raid (www.doolittleraider.com) over Tokyo during World War II. Recently, I was honored to visit the Alamo with Col. Dick Cole (left) and Tech Sgt. L.D. Todd (right). Col. Cole was Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot on the lead B-25 over Tokyo in 1942, and L.D. Todd was an enlisted Army Air Corps pilot flying an unarmed liaison A/C over enemy lines during the battle of Okinawa in 1945. Truly, these are two heroes from the "Greatest Generation". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKopack Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 Seventy-one years ago today Lt. Col. Richard Cole was the co-pilot for General Doolittle on his famous raid over Japan. On Tuesday, at age 97 he flew a Mitchell bomber again. Via the DAV Flight Team on Facebook: You may notice that Dick Cole is in the pilot seat of the B-25 "Panchito" during his flight with Larry Kelley and Syd Jones. He says he finally got a promotion from co-pilot! "Oh yeah, he did most of the flying today. He did the landing. He's dead on," said Larry Kelley the B-25's owner. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learjetter Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 The story I heard: as Cole and Doolittle powered up for their carrier takeoff that day: Cole: "You think we'll make it?" Doolittle (pushing up throttles) "Too soon to tell!" Brake release... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEVIL Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Lost a true American hero. Nickel on the Grass. http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/War-Hero-Col-Bud-Day-Dies-in-Ft-Walton-Beach-217263341.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Impressive life. Impressive man. A hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneStar Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bergman Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Very sad to hear this. There aren't many like him any more. A true class act and hero. Godspeed, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azimuth Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 :beer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left_turn Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Grew up reading his story. A great man that will be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Right Seat Driver Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 A toast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeifEriksen Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 (edited) I'm thankful to have met Col Day early in my career. His story and career are the stuff of Air Force legend that may not be seen again for a long time. While this day has been coming for some time, this one hurts. To Misty 1, a toast. Edited July 28, 2013 by LeifEriksen 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Another nickel in the grass..... A toast to an American hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KState_Poke22 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Wow, he was a true warrior in all aspects of his life. Him him 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FallingOsh Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Damn few left... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 He was a pretty damn impressive attorney as well. I met Col Day as a young ROTC cadet, and his attitude and personality had a huge impact on my officership and subsequent airmanship. As always with men like this, I'm sad that they're gone, but more thankful that they lived. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazlo Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 (edited) To him.... Edited July 28, 2013 by lazlo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discus Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Walked into his office as a Lt. While TDY down there. Balsey move on my part. He signed his book, offered me a soda and told me a couple stories. A true American hero. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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