The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, on Saturday, April 18, 1942, was an air raid by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on the island of Honshu during World War II, the first air operation to strike the Japanese Home Islands. It demonstrated that the Japanese mainland was vulnerable to American air attack, served as retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor, and provided an important boost to American morale. The raid was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle of the United States Army Air Forces. Corporal David J. Thatcher (a flight engineer/gunner on Lawson's crew) was awarded the Silver Star for helping the wounded crew members to evade Japanese troops in China. David Thatcher has hand signed this 8x10 Photo with Engineer- Gunner Crew #7 & airplanes are tied to deck off USS Hornet while crusing the Pacific Ocean inscriptions. JSA Authentication #AC92638 and JSA Certificate of Authenticity