David J. Thatcher

Staff Seargent David Thatcher, USAF is a former American serviceman. Thatcher served as in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War.
As of October 2012, he is one of the 5 surviving Doolittle Raiders.
Early Military Career
Thatcher enlisted on December 3, 1940.
The Doolittle Raid
Thatcher was a crew member of the 7th B25 (serial #40-2261) to depart the Hornet, nicknamed "The Ruptured Duck", piloted by Ted Lawson. The crew successfully dropped their bombs on industrial factories in downtown Tokyo before withdrawing to fly on to China. Lt. Lawson was forced to ditch in the water just off the coastline and was severely injured in the crash. Only the aircraft gunner was uninjured and navigator Lt. Charles L. McClure had to remain hospitalized until 1943. The injuries of the crew were treated by Lt. Thomas R. White who got himself included in the raid as a gunner on the 15th aircraft.
The bomber fell into the sea under the jurisdiction of Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province. Local villagers took the five US crew to Haiyou Town to have their wounds simply dressed. Four of the five, who were seriously wounded, were rushed in sedan chairs to the Linhai Enze Medical Bureau, where better medical facilities were available. Chen Shenyan, a medical doctor, and US military medical doctor Lt. Thomas R. White, who rushed there when told the news, succeeded in performing a limb amputation on Ted W. Lawson. Two British nuns were invited to be his interpreters and cook Western food for him. Dr. Chen Shenyan then escorted the four other US wounded crewmen to Guilin in Guangxi.
Thatcher was portrayed by Robert Walker in a 1944 MGM film about the raid entitled Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.
Honors and awards
Military honors
Distinguished Flying Cross citation
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Corporal David J. Thatcher (ASN: 19019573), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Engineer/Gunner of a B-25 Bomber of the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Corporal Thatcher with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service.
Silver Star citation
Corporal David J. Thatcher (ASN: 19019573), United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), on 18 April 1942, in China. Corporal Thatcher aided the crew of Lieutenant Lawson's bomber evade Japanese troops following their crash-landing in China subsequent to the raid.

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