James H. Doolittle*
Class of 1972
- Aviator & Insurance Company Executive
Your greatest contribution and your greatest reward come from serving your fellow man, your country, and your God.
Born in Alameda, California, in 1896, Jimmy Doolittle was the son of a carpenter. During World War I, Doolittle joined the Signal Officers Reserve Corps of the U.S. Army and served as a flight instructor.
In 1922, Doolittle earned his bachelor's degree and went on to receive the first-ever aeronautical engineering degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Doolittle gained early fame for his experiments in flight. He was a pioneer of instrument flying and was the first pilot to fly solo nonstop across the United States.
During World War II, Doolittle planned the first retaliatory air raid on the Japanese homeland. President Franklin D. Roosevelt later awarded Doolittle the Congressional Medal of Honor for leading the first carrier-based bombing squad over Tokyo in 1942.
Later in the war, he commanded the Eighth Air Force, which was key to defeating the Nazis. Doolittle played a major role in shaping the armed services and national aviation policy. In 1956, Doolittle was appointed chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
In 1985, he was made a four-star general. In addition to numerous military awards, he was the first person to be awarded both the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Medal of Freedom.