Description:

(DOOLITTLE MISSION) NAVIGATOR CARL R. WILDNER'S ACCOUNT OF HIS RAID ON TOKYO
CARL R. WILDNER (1915-1994) American Army lieutenant colonel, served as the navigator with Crew #2 aboard Plane #40-2292 piloted by Capt. Travis Hoover. They followed Doolittle's bomber until it reached the Japanese shore, at which time Hoover veered off to bomb his own targets, two factory buildings and storehouses. He then trailed Doolittle most of the way to China where he managed to make a wheels-up crash-landing in a soft rice paddy. The crew, uninjured, torched their B-25 and walked for three days before friendly local guerilla fighters found them. Wildner later served in India until July 1943. Important typed D.S., 24pp. 4to., [n.p., n.d., ca. 1950s], Wildner's military history in narrative form with a special emphasis on the Doolittle Raid, signed at the head of the first page. Wildner first describes his early flight training and 'washing-out' over his difficulty flying the BT-9. He then describes training in bombers at Barksdale. He mentions that he volunteered for the famous raid and soon the training led him to believe they would be flying from a carrier. Wildner then goes into great detail of 15 typed pages about the sailing of the HORNET, the flight to Tokyo, his aircraft's crash landing, avoidance of capture, and eventual removal to India. He describes meetings about the mission, food and accommodations, an attack upon a Japanese sampan, and their resulting hastened flight from the HORNET. He discusses following Doolittle's aircraft, bombing a power plant, and their crash landing in a rice field. He continues in detail describing their nighttime treks to evade capture, being robbed by guerillas, the reception by Chinese locals, and eventual evacuation to Chungking where they were feted by Chiang Kai Shek and Madame Chiang. He closes with his later postings and positions. Very good, likely never published. Obtained from Wildner's estate.

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November 13, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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