The passing of heroes
by Bill Miller for
the Mail Tribune
April 22st 2019
Nearly two weeks ago we lost another
hero — the last of 80 heroes who took a chance and did the “impossible.”
Lt. Dick Cole, last of the Doolittle
Raiders, passed away April 9 at age 103.
 |
| Doolittle Raider Richard "Dick" Cole |
The Doolittle Raiders were named for
Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, who had conceived their daring mission. The
men flew 16 B-25 bombers off the deck of the aircraft carrier Hornet April 18,
1942, and headed for a successful bombing raid on Tokyo. What some called a
“suicide mission” was an attempt to raise the morale of American citizens whose
confidence was being severely tested just four months after the Japanese attack
on Pearl Harbor that propelled the country into World War II.
Although Cole was the last of the 80
Raiders to die, as copilot to Jimmy Doolittle he flew in the first bomber to
leave the ship.
 |
| B-25 taking off from USS Hornet (CV-8)-Destination Tokyo |
The passing of Cole immediately brings
back memories of Medford’s own Doolittle Raider, Lt. Robert “Bob” Emmens.
Emmens was copilot of the eighth bomber to leave the Hornet. After bombing
Tokyo and low on fuel, his airplane was forced into an emergency landing in the
Soviet Union. There, authorities recovered the crew and held them as unwilling “house guests” for
13 months. [Story below]
Not one of these men was forced to risk
his life, and each had the chance to back out — but none did.
We’ll never know what encourages a man
or woman to become a hero, but we can try to follow a few steps in their life
that led them to their moment.
Bob Emmens was born July 22, 1914, the
son of Dr. Jocelyn and Fannie Emmens. Dr. Emmens came to Medford in 1911 from
Philadelphia after spending six months in Portland.
From an early age, Bob Emmens was a
musician. When he was 13, his piano playing at a recital of nearly 20 students
in the Emmens home was one of his earliest mentions in the newspaper.
In high school, he helped form the
Melody Boys, five student musicians who were noted for their “peppy jazz
renditions” at school and other community functions. After graduation in 1931,
Bob followed his older brother, Tom, to the University of Oregon, where he
studied music.
During summer 1935, he took flying
lessons at the Medford airport and surprised his instructor by flying solo
after just three hours of instruction. “A remarkable student,” said the
instructor. “You never have to tell him anything twice.”
In 1936, he enlisted in the Army Air
Corps and was sent to Randolph Field, California, and then Kelly Field, Texas,
for military flight instruction. In February 1938, he received his wings and
was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant.
 |
| Robert "Bob" Emmens-Doolittle Raider |
Over the next few years, while flying
training missions between Washington and his base in California, Emmens was
able to make a number of landings in Medford for a family visit. It was here,
in October 1939, he married Justine Miller, whom he had met at the university.
Emmens and the other Raiders received
orders in February 1942 to report to Eglin Army Air Field, Florida, for
unspecified training. Here, Top Secret instruction taught him how to take a
heavy bomber into the air over an extremely short distance. Within weeks he was
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 650 miles from Tokyo, and about to begin
his heroic moment.
 |
| B-25 bombers on the deck of the USS Hornet. Next Stop Tokyo |
Bob Emmens died April 2, 1992, and is
buried with Justine in Medford’s Eastwood/IOOF Cemetery.
He and the rest of the Doolittle
Raiders brought hope when hope seemed so very far away.
Bob Emmens: That skinny redheaded kid
by
BILL MILLER
Sunday, August 16th
2009
 |
| Doolittle Raiders Crew No. 8 B-25 in the Soviet Union |
"You guys stay
in the ship and keep me covered," he said.
"You know any Russian?" asked Emmens with a smile.
Ski looked up from the bottom hatch, grinned back and shook his head.
With his hands in the air, Ski walked toward the pointed rifles held by a small
group of Russian soldiers, while Emmens felt for the trigger of his pistol and
opened the plane's side window against a stiff Siberian breeze.
"Gee, those guys look friendly enough," he thought.
Ski said something to the Russians, and suddenly those threatening faces
loosened. They lowered their rifles and began shaking hands. Ski turned back to
the plane and gave the all-clear signal.
They lied and told the Russian colonel they were on a goodwill tour. The colonel
laughed, handed Ski a bottle of vodka, and said, "You bombed Tokyo. Is
that not so?"
Indeed, they had. Just before 4 a.m., April 18, 1942, "Ski" — Capt.
Edward York — his co-pilot, Lt. Robert Emmens, and a crew of three were the
eighth of 16 B-25 bombers launched from the deck of the aircraft carrier
Hornet.
Named the "Doolittle Raid" for its leader, Col. Jimmy Doolittle, the
daring plan was simple, yet dangerous. When the carrier was nearly 400 miles
from Japan, the bombers would launch, bomb the Japanese homeland, continue
across the Sea of Japan and land at Allied airfields in China. There was little
military value, but the public was depressed following Pearl Harbor and needed
a victory.
Bob Emmens was born in Medford July 22, 1914, the youngest son of Dr. Jocelyn
Emmens, a Pennsylvania native who had come to Oregon in 1911. Classmates at
Medford High remembered Bob as that "skinny, scrawny, redheaded kid."
After his graduation, he attended the University of Oregon with intentions of
becoming a physician, but along the way he discovered airplanes and enlisted in
the Army Air Corps Reserves.
After passing Army Examinations in 1941, he was called to active duty and given
a regular commission with the 17th Bomb Group. There he learned how to fly the
B-25. After a five-hour ocean flight, the men reached the Japanese islands.
Climbing to 1,500 feet, they dropped four bombs on a power plant.
"I swear one went down the smokestack!" screamed bombardier Nolan
Herndon.
Ski checked his fuel. "We'll never make China," he said. "We're
heading for Russia."
Because the Russians were afraid Japan would retaliate if they helped the
Americans, Emmens and the crew became virtual prisoners for 13 months, until
they escaped. "Guests of the Kremlin," as Emmens would later title
his book.
Emmens remained in the Air Force, and in 1958 he was stationed in Japan.
"It took a while," he said, "but I learned to love that
country."
In April 1992, a few days before the 50th anniversary reunion of the Doolittle
Raiders, Bob Emmens passed away at his Medford home.
In the deepest despair of war, this redheaded hero, and a million more just
like him, had risked their lives to return pride and confidence to their
country.
Crew No. 8, front, left to right: Capt. Edward J. York, pilot; Lt.
Robert G. Emmens, co-pilot; back, left to right: Lt. Nolan A. Herndon,
navigator/bombardier; Sgt. Theodore H. Laban, flight engineer; Sgt.
David W. Pohl, gunner. - U.S. Air Force 060217-F-1234P-01
Writer Bill Miller is the author of
“History Snoopin’,” a collection of his previous history columns and stories.
Reach him at newsmiller@live.com or WilliamMMiller.com.
