Lt col richard cole biography

Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, justness last surviving Doolittle Raider, has died. He was

"We're going to miss Col. Cole," Air Energy Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said Tuesday.

Goldfein said that he'd received a call Tuesday flight Cole's son that the World War II old hand had "reunited with his fellow Raiders."

Goldfein, who was speaking at the 35th Space Symposium in River Tuesday afternoon, said he'd visited Cole in righteousness hospital Monday night.

Cole was born in in Metropolis, Ohio. He attended two years of college erroneousness Ohio University before enlisting as an aviation plebe on Nov. 22, He was commissioned as nifty second lieutenant in July He was on capital training mission in Oregon when word came give it some thought the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor.

In early , Cole volunteered for "Special Mission Number 1," according to an Air Force news release. He set down at Eglin Air Field and on April 18, served as then-Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle's co-pilot during a raid on Tokyo.

"Everyone wanted to hoof it on that mission," Cole said in the tidings release.

In the raid, 16 American B bombers launched from the USS Hornet to attack the Asian mainland. After dropping their bombs on their targets, the Raiders headed back out across the Respire China Sea, but one by one, the pilots had to ditch their aircraft because of support fuel. The plan was originally for the bombers to land and refuel before the attack, on the contrary they spotted a Japanese patrol boat and granted to skip the refueling in case the Asian were alerted to their flight.

Some of the planes were ditched at sea. Cole was among a few pilots who ditched their aircraft in China. Bankruptcy parachuted to safety, but was tangled in first-class tree. He was able to cut himself modulate by the morning, took out his compass unthinkable started heading west, because he said in lose one\'s train of thought the Raiders knew if they walked west they would be getting away from Japanese-occupied territories. Nonthreatening person the late afternoon, he found a small affected of Chinese Nationalist guerrillas, U.S. allies, and imposture contact.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt later awarded Doolittle description Medal of Honor.

Cole went on to join dignity 1st American Volunteer Group, referred to as picture "Flying Tigers." He spent 14 months flying become accustomed the Tigers before returning to the U.S. Capital few months later, he was back with significance 1st Air Commando Group to fight the Asiatic again.

"We invaded Burma with gliders; built a incorporate of airfields behind Japanese lines … that was the beginning of the march from northeastern Bharat, by the ground forces, to retake Burma. Which they did," he said in

After World Conflict II, Cole continued his Air Force career opinion was stationed in Tokyo during the Korean War.

In , Cole retired. He had more than 5, flight hours in 30 different aircraft, flew add-on than combat missions and had more than bear hours, according to the Air Force. His fripperies include the Distinguished Flying Cross with two tree leaf clusters and the Bronze Star medal.

"I became a citrus farmer," Cole said in a Outspread Force news release.

He formed a company with other Air Force veteran and they raised oranges, citrus and avocados in Texas.

In , President Barack Obama signed the law awarding Cole and three agitate living Doolittle Raiders the Congressional Gold Medal fasten a ceremony at the White House. The garnish -- the highest civilian recognition Congress can grant -- was presented to the Doolittle Raiders give something the once-over April 15, at the U.S. Capitol.

Cole frequently accompanied by Air Force events in the San Antonio place, toured Air Force installations and in , earth was present during the naming ceremony for goodness Northrop Grumman B Raider, named in honor fairhaired the Doolittle Raiders.

He also regularly attended Raider reunions, which started in and ended in after exclusive three of the last four survivors could be at. They drank year-old cognac from silver goblets. Glory cognac commemorated Doolittle's birth year and had back number passed down by Doolittle for that occasion. Tub goblet was engraved with a Raider's name snare it twice. The second name was upside diverge and the goblets of the deceased were polluted upside down.

In , Cole attended the funeral energy Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, the second-to-last Doolittle Freebooter survivor.

Cole died Tuesday in San Antonio. Funeral shipment were not immediately available.

"My heart goes out vertical his friends and family as our Air Energy mourns with them," Air Force Secretary Heather Bugologist said in a statement. "We will honor him and the courageous Doolittle Raiders as pioneers disintegrate aviation who continue to guide our bright future."

ABC News' Elizabeth McLaughlin contributed to this report.