A Time to Fight, Part 5 - The First Hero | South Carolinians in WW II - Episode 5

The story of the Doolittle Raiders is told, including.that of Bill Farrow, one of three top students in a nationwide search of colleges and universities, chosen to receive pilot's training at government expense. He resigned from USC and joined the Air Corps. Jimmy Doolittle put out a notice asking for volunteers for a highly hazardous mission, and Bill Farrow was one of the first to volunteer. The Doolittle Raiders bombed Japan in retaliation for the damage sustained in the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Four months later, Japan's five major cities were bombed. After about 12 hours of flying, their airplane was out of gas and one by one, each of the men bailed out, leaving Bill Farrow flying with the plane on automatic pilot. The next morning, Bill Farrow and his crew were rounded up and captured by the Japanese. They were tortured and finally confessed, and they were all sentenced to death. They were allowed to write last letters home before being executed by firing squad. Bill Farrow was executed in 1942 at the age of 23.

Standards

• 8.5.CO Compare South Carolina and U.S. wartime contributions and demobilization after World War II.
• USHC.4.CO Develop a comparative analysis of the motives for and outcomes of American policies regarding foreign intervention.

Resources