Warbird Information Exchange

My father was classmates with about 6 of the Doolittle Raiders at Kelly Field in 1941. I have the class photo (which is about 3 ft x 1ft) hanging in our upstairs hallway. I remember 3 of the names...Richard Knobloch, Jack Simms and Dick Cole. We just spoke to Dick Cole last week about my father and his remembrances of him. I was also just given a painting that is of Tom Griffin's B-25 from the cockpit looking forward out the HORNET's deck with another B-25 lifting off. All the instruments are reading exactly what they should be at takeoff power! Pretty neat! I also was privvy to a cocktail party at Wright-Patterson when the Doolittle Raiders came to donate their cups to the Museum. There were 8 Raiders present as well as a Chinese gentleman who had helped one of the crews escape. There were only maybe 40 people at this event and I got to speak with each of them at length and had all of them sign a B-25 print for me. The best part was when I went to introduce myself to Dick Cole. I took my fathers graduation notice as well as his Air Corps ID. I handed Dick the graduation announcement and he asked "where the heck did you get this?" I then handed him my fathers ID and a smile came over his face and he exclaimed "Eddie Heins....what a great guy!" It actually brought a tear to my eye! That was truly the ice-breaker and we had a great chat!