To the Spirit of the Doolittle Raiders, From the Spirit of St. Louis
April 28, 2025 | By R. Steven Tesson
AFA’s Spirit of St. Louis Chapter in St. Charles County, Mo., raised a glass to the enduring heritage of the Doolittle Raiders on April 17 at Smartt Airfield, alongside friends from the ROTC Det 207 from St. Louis, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), and the flight and ground crew of the legendary WWII B-25J bomber “Show Me.” The event was held in conjunction with AFA’s worldwide Doolittle Raider Memorial Toast.
“Show Me” is of the same bomber lineage that Jimmy Doolittle and his Raiders used in their legendary raid over Tokyo on April 18, 1942. The historic bombing (and critical boost for American morale during World War II) is now 83 years past, but AFA and CAF are keeping the spirit of Doolittle and the Raiders—along with the broader Air Force heritage—alive and well in rural Missouri and around the globe.
About the Author: R. Steven Tesson is the President of AFA’s Spirit of St. Louis Chapter #158.