At Wonderbolt HQ, the Wonderbolt team were finishing a training drill as they landed.
"Where's Dash and Soarin?" Spitfire asked.
"Still training, ma'am." Fleetfoot said.
Elsewhere, Rainbow was flying at high speed.
"All right, Soarin." Rainbow said to Soarin through a microphone comm link. "Now let's show 'em how to fly. We're gonna play chicken. You're ready?"
At the opposite side of the HQ, Soarin was flying in at the other direction.
"This ain't Ponyville, and we ain't no daredevils." Soarin said. "I'm not playing chicken with ya."
"Now don't be a baby." Rainbow said.
"I'm tell you what-"
"Not doing it, Dash." Soarin said.
"Well, I'm coming right at you." Rainbow said. "You can turn, or you can hit me. It's up to you."
Then Rainbow flies pass towards the HQ as everyone turns to her.
"What the..." Spitfire said.
"Oh, boy." Misty Fly said.
Then they turned and saw Soarin coming in from the opposite direction.
"Why you always bustin' my tail, Dash?" Soarin said. "Which way you goin'?"
Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts turn back to Rainbow as the 2 were flying towards each other.
"Uh, I guess I'll go right." Rainbow said. "No, uh, left. I'll go left."
Rainbow soon saw Soarin ahead of her.
"Okay, we're goin' left, right?" Soarin said.
"Ri-uh, right. Right?" Rainbow said.
"Right like we're goin' right, or right like we're goin' left?" Soarin frowned.
"Oh, well, now you got me all mixed up!" Rainbow said. "I don't know. Make up your mind!"
The 2 were now closing in on each other.
"Gosh, Dash, we're goin' right!" Soarin yelled. "Righty-tighty!"
The 2 begin to get extremely close now.
And then the 2 quickly flipped sideways to the right narrowly missing each other as everyone watched from below as a gust of wind rushed by as everyone minus Spitfire cheered.
"HAY YEAH!" Sky Stinger yelled.
"Whoo-hoo-hoo!" Rainbow laughed.
"Those are some smooth aces." Blaze said.
Spitfire then turns to her as she didn't looked amused. "Did you say something?" She questioned.
Blaze then looked away with a nervous look.
"'Cause let me tell ya, those daredevils are grounded!" Spitfire said.
"Yes, ma'am, an entirely unacceptable use of... fffflight formation, ma'am." Sky Stinger said trying to follow along with her.
Spitfire stared at him with a firm look.
"Get my hat." Spitfire ordered.
"Yes, ma'am." Sky said and retrieved it.
"Get those hedge-hoppers in my office." Spitfire said to Misty Fly.
Soon, they were at Spitfire's officer as she was talking to Rainbow about her stunt.
"After 2 years of training you believe that a Wonderbolt is for your amusement?" Spitfire inquired.
"No, sir." Rainbow said. "I was trying to keep my edge, Major."
"And when you did the outside loop last week what did you think that was?" Spitfire questioned. "Honing your skills? That's not training, Dash, that's a stunt. And I personally consider it to be reckless and irresponsible."
"Sergeant..." Rainbow said and glanced over to her trophies on her shelf. "How could that be, when you're famous for being the first pony in the world ever to do it?"
"Don't get cute with me, kid." Spitfire warned.
"No, ma'am, I-I-I don't mean to be disrespectful." Rainbow said. "I just think that- well, I- It is reckless and irresponsible if you're just doing it to be a show-off. But... I was doing it to try to inspire the ponies, ma'am... in the way that you've inspired me. I believed the Crystal Ponies even have a word for that when the men get together to honor their leaders. They call it an homage, ma'am."
"A what?" Spitfire frowned not catching it.
"An homage, ma'am." Rainbow repeated.
"That's heck, Crash!" Spitfire snapped.
Everyone remained silent.
"But it's very, very good heck." Spitfire said.
"Thank you, ma'am." Rainbow said.
"Alright." Spitfire said. "I'll let you go on this one."
Rainbow silently sighed in relief.
"But I catch doing another stunt..." Spitfire said in front of her. "You're on suspension for a week, am I clear?"
"Yes, ma'am." Rainbow nodded.
At her castle, Twilight was in the library doing a little reading on some history books when knocking was heard at her door.
She went over to the door, and opened it and saw Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin.
"Spitfire and Soarin?" Twilight said. "This is a surprise. What brings you here."
"Just a little escort bringing Dash home." Spitfire said.
"Okay, what has she done this time?" Twilight asked.
"Game of chicken." Rainbow said and nervously laughed.
"Typical." Twilight said.
Then the Book of Adventures 2nd edition was heard calling.
"What the heck is that?" Spitfire asked.
"The Book of Adventures 2nd edition." Twilight said. "Come on."
They were soon in the throne room.
"You are actually bluffing, right?" Spitfire said bewildered. "You and your friends become part of the story."
"I'm for real." Rainbow said. "Mind if I open it this time?"
"Knock yourself out." Twilight said.
Rainbow then opened the book to the next chapter: Pearl Harbor.
In 1923 Tennessee, lived 2 best friends named Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker play together in a wooden fighter plane pretending to be soldiers.
18 years later, they've grown up into military pilots in the height of World War II in January 1941. Both lieutenants under the command of Major Jimmy Doolittle. After a game of chicken stunt, Doolittle informs Rafe he has been accepted into the Eagle Squadron (an RAF outfit for American pilots during the Battle of Britain). He soon meets a navy nurse name Evelyn Johnson whos passes his medical exam despite Rafe having dyslexia, and soon the 2 started a relationship. 4 weeks later, they were deeply in love and enjoyed an evening on a jaunt. Rafe soon leaves for England, and the 2 kept in touch as they wrote letters to each other. 1 day, Rafe and the Eagle Squadron of Spitfires head out fighting a bombing raid. But soon Rafe's plane was shot down and crashed into the English Channel.
Danny and Evelyn soon learn about this, and presumed he was dead. Eventually, they spur a new romance with each other. And were transported to Pearl Harbor.
Unaware, that meanwhile, the Japanese fleet was preparing an attack to cut off their oil supply.
On the night of December 6th, Evelyn found Rafe alive standing outside as he had survived the crash and was saved by a French fishing boat spending months in France with no access to contact them. But soon Rafe discovered the relationship between Evelyn and Danny and leaves for the Hula bar, the other pilots were overjoyed of Rafe alive. When Danny arrived, he tried to apologized and make things right, but a drunk Rafe started a bar fight and soon everyone leaves the bar when the police arrive.
Once done reading, the 4 were then sucked into the book.
And arrived on the south coast of Oahu Island, Hawaii, 7:20 A.M., December 7, 1941.
"Uh... Where are we?" Soarin frowned.
"What just happened?" Spitfire said completely bewildered.
"I know it's weird at first." Rainbow said. "But you'll get use to it after a few trips."
"First of all, we gotta work where we are." Twilight said. "Come on."
They then headed off.
Unaware what is on it's way, and what's about to happen in 20 minutes time.
Coming in from the northeast, an army fleet of Japanese A6M-Zeros armed to the teeth with bombs and everything are heading to Pearl Harbor.
And are beginning their approach to the island.
At Battleship Row of Pearl, sailor men were either getting ready to start their day or already out working.
At a baseball field, several people saw the planes flying by as they watched in both confusion and concern of what they were doing here.
At another harbor, some men noticed some of the planes flying overhead.
Elsewhere, Danny Walker and Rafe McCawley were sleep after what happen last night.
And soon, one of the Zeros flew overhead as Danny stirred.
"Why the hell's the Navy doing practice this early on a Sunday?" Danny groaned and went back to sleep.
Soon, more Zeros flew overhead as many were beginning to close in.
On the battleship decks, men soon saw the Zeros flying over them.
Most Zeros were armed with submersible torpedoes, and soon one of them locks onto a ship. And then drops the torpedo as it hits the water, and starts beeline towards the ship.
2 sailormen were doing paint coating on the side of the ship, and soon noticed the torpedo coming towards them. And it soon hits the side of the ship with a massive explosion taking them out.
Rafe and Danny quickly got up after hearing it.
Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin heard as well as they were not too far away.
"What was that?" Rainbow frowned.
"I'm not sure." Twilight said. "But I got a bad feeling about it."
Rafe and Danny soon saw other Jap Zeros fly overhead as they watched, and saw several explosions at the harbor as more planes rushed in dropping torpedoes.
At the harbor, one of the Zeros fired at one of the ships as the sailors ducked.
Soon, one Jap in a Zero fires a gun near where Rafe and Danny were as everyone got out of the way. And a friend of theirs quickly grabs a camera and got into Danny's car.
"Go, go, go, go!" He quickly said.
Danny then quickly drives off.
"I'm with Navy newsreel, and I can tell you one thing- them ain't Navy planes!" The newsreel said.
More Zeros flew by as sailors saw them and quickly rushed around as an explosion occurred on the deck of a ship.
Inside one of them, crew members heard and felt the explosion.
"We're being bombed!" A sailor yelled out from a hatch above them. "We're being bombed! Get up! Get up!"
The sailors quickly got out of their beds and rushed out of the room.
The sailors rushed around the decks of the ships as the A6M Zeros rushed overhead of them.
At the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard CINCPAC, members got outside and were shocked of what they were seeing as the Zeros flew above them.
"Jesus Christ!" Admiral Kimmel said shocked.
In the bombing raid, in 1 Zero, a Japanese looks at a photo of the USS Arizona. And looks through the scope.
He looks through the scope, and soon locks onto the Arizona ship coming into sight.
Inside the Arizona, a cook member was busy peeling potatoes.
"Man your battle stations."
"Another dumb drill." The cook said dismissively ignoring the danger signs.
In the Zero, the Japanese pulls a lever.
And then drops the bomb as it soared downwards through the air towards the Arizona, and nears the starboard side of the Arizona.
The 1,700 pound bomb breaks through the deck, crashed through the ceiling behind the cook. Falls through a roomful of sailors, and lands into a magazine room full of weapons.
In the kitchen, the cook looks down through the hole completely bewildered of what just happened and looked up.
"What the heck was that?" A man exclaimed.
"It's a bomb!" Another sailor said.
Then the sailors quickly fled the room yelling.
The cook then nervously looks back down as the bomb's rotor continues spinning.
"Son of a bi-" The cook trembled nervously.
Outside, everyone fled as then suddenly the Arizona's bow bends as it was thrown upward. And then a massive explosion from the bomb and magazine room rips a massive hole sending out a massive shockwave.
In the USS West Virginia, cook member Doris Miller felt the explosion shaking the ship.
And soon other crew members rushed by as Dorie quickly followed them.
The A6M Zeros continue their attack as sailor on the battleship decks rushed around as many were trying to shoot them down.
Elsewhere, Rafe and Danny were driving down the road and saw Zeros plane over them.
"They look like Japs." Rafe said.
"I didn't know the Japs were sore at us!" The newsreel said.
"I hope there's still an airfield left." Danny said.
Nearby, Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin watched the A6M Zeros fly over them.
"What are those?" Soarin frowned.
"They look like planes." Twilight said trying to make them out.
"Uh, are those ones coming at us?" Rainbow asked noticing 3 flying towards them. "Or is it me?"
They then saw them, and then suddenly the 3 Zeros rained gunfire towards them as Twilight quickly brought up a magic shield in front of them saving them as the planes flew by them.
"WHOA!" Rainbow yelled.
"GET MOVING, GO!" Spitfire yelled.
"Yes, ma'am!" Rainbow said as they quickly ran. "Go, go, go!"
Meanwhile, the Zeros continue their attack on the ships as dozens of men flew into the air from explosions.
Meanwhile, unaware of the attack, Evelyn was asleep at her place and soon stirred after hearing something.
She quickly heads outside and saw the A6M Zeros flying by, and soon her friends came out and saw what was happening.
"Everybody to the hospital!" Evelyn yelled.
Meanwhile, 3 A6M Zeros made their approach to the airfield.
In a building, Red Winkle was up as he then noticed the Jap planes towards them as his eyes widen.
He quickly got to where the others where still sleeping as he was stuttering like crazy as he tries to get his jeans on.
"Why's the Navy always buzzin' us?" Anthony tiredly complained.
Red continues stammering as he tries to get his pants on.
"Shut up, Red!" Billy said.
Red continued stammering as he points to the windows, and everyone turns to him.
"Oh, man, come on." A man said.
"Red, it's too early." Another said.
"THE JAPS ARE HERE!" Red yelled.
Then suddenly gunfire hits the windows as Red cringed and everyone got down.
As soon as it ended, they quickly got out of their beds.
At Battleship Row, the Zeros fired at the damaged ships as crew members rushed around.
On the West Virginia ship, Dorie came outside and soon saw what was happening and saw 2 Zeros fly by.
Nearby, 1 Zero drops a torpedo towards the ship.
And soon an explosion hits the captain's quarters taking out several men including the captain.
Dorie was outside as the explosion knocked his hat off.
Crew members fired guns at the Zeros trying to bring them down, and soon was hit and spun around it hits the deck of a ship.
And soon, some sailors jumped off a ship.
In the captain's quarters, Dorie soon found the captain badly injured.
"I got you, Captain." Dorie said up-tying his apron to help him.
"You radio for air cover!" The captain ordered. "Initiate damage control!"
Dorie pressed the apron on his wound.
"Find my X.O. Tell him to assume command." The captain ordered. "And you make sure the gunners..."
"Everyone's where they need to be, Captain." Dorie said. "You trained us well. You trained us well."
Then the captain started to get very weak.
"Captain..." Dorie said.
The captain soon died as then an explosion was heard.
"Aah!" Dorie yelled.
Dorie then runs off.
Meanwhile, Evelyn and her friends ran to the hospital to get ready as A6M Zeros flew over them.
They soon started shooting as everyone ran for their lives, and Evelyn and Sandra quickly ducked behind a water fountain.
Meanwhile, everyone at the airfield quickly rushed out as Zeros flew over them.
"Get the ammo for that 50 cal!" Billy yelled. "Get that 50 cal!"
The A6M Zeros then started firing and taking out anyone in their paths.
"Come on, man, we gotta get this thing loaded up!" Billy yelled getting to the 50 caliber gun.
A6M Zeros continued their attacks as soon some of the P-40s exploded.
Soon, Danny's car appeared as Danny, Rafe, the newsreel, and Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin rushed out. Everyone ran by them as Zeros flew by and then a Douglas DC-3 exploded.
"This is intense!" Rainbow yelled.
They quickly ran off.
"Come on!" Rafe yelled.
Then a truck exploded as it took out a P-40 next to it.
"Danny, get me into a dam plane!" Rafe said.
"Come on!" Danny yelled.
Meanwhile, on the West Virginia ship, Dorie was making his way across the deck and soon found the captain's X.O.
"Sir!" Dorie yelled as he turn to him. "The captain says you're in charge, sir!"
The A6M Zeros continue flying by, and everyone kept firing as Dorie watched the massacre go on. And then he got to an A.A. gun and then readies it, despite never firing a weapon in the whole time he was in service, he knew it was do or die.
Then Dorie then started firing at any Zero plane that came flying by.
"COME ON!" Dorie yelled.
He then fires towards a Zero coming towards him, and kept firing till eventually the plane was hit and flew by as he ducked. And the plane crashed into a crane and falls.
"AAH HA! Dorie cheered. "OH, YEAH!"
Meanwhile, Rafe, Danny, Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin quickly got to a fitness building.
"Get down, Danny!" Rafe yelled.
Danny quickly got to a phone, and hiding under the table was Gooz terrified clutching a boxing glove like a teddy bear.
At a hanger, Earl grabs a phone.
"Earl!" He said.
"This is Walker!" Danny called.
"We need to get those planes fueled and loaded right now!" Danny yelled.
"What's going on out there? Huh?" Gooz asked.
"Danny, what the hell's that noise?" Earl asked.
"You guys doin' target practice or something?" Earl said.
"I think World War II just started." Danny said.
Outside, everyone continued firing at the A6M Zeros as Billy fired the 50 cal.
"Go, go, go!" A man yelled.
Then a passing Zero drops a bomb as it bounced across the pavement.
"Holy!" A man exclaimed.
The bomb then lands near Billy.
"BILLY!" Anthony yelled.
"RUN!" Red yelled.
Everyone then cleared out.
"It's gonna blow!" A man yelled fleeing.
"It's a dud." Billy said as the rotor kept spinning and got up. "It's a dud!"
A fatal mistake.
The bomb's rotor then stopped.
And then the bomb went off, and causing an explosion as well as the fuel tanks as everyone took cover.
In the building, Danny saw what was happening.
"Holy!" Twilight yelled.
"Get down!" Rainbow yelled.
They ducked as the explosion blows through the windows.
"Come on, get down!" A pilot yelled.
"Danny!" Rafe yelled. "Danny, are you all right?" He got to him.
"I'm all right!" Danny yelled as he was helped up. "Come on, let's go!"
"Come on, let's go!" Rafe yelled.
"Gooz, come on, man!" Danny yelled.
"Go, go!" Twilight yelled.
They quickly rushed out of the building.
At Battleship Row, the Zeros continue their attack as one drops a torpedo into the water.
Sailors panicked in the water by the hundreds as the torpedo pass under them.
On the warship Oklahoma, dozens of sailors were on it's deck as it started to capsize. And they struggled to hold on as it's portside starts to go down.
In the Oklahoma's engine room, other sailors were still inside as then water started leaking through the hull. And then water gushed through the hull.
Outside on her deck, many sailors struggled to hold on.
"We're sinking! We're sinking!" A sailor yelled.
Many sailors struggled to stand as the portside of the Oklahoma tips over.
Inside the engine room, sailors quickly flee to leave before getting trap themselves.
On the deck, sailors struggled to climb onto the starboard railing as many screamed as one by one they started falling into the water. The Oklahoma continues turning on it's left side as dozens of sailors struggled to hold on.
"I can't swim!" A sailor cried.
"Just hang on!" Another said.
In the airfield, some soldiers approached an A6M Zero that has been brought down as they held their guns out.
The cautiously went up to the damaged Zero, and soon saw the pilot was already dead.
1 pilot named Joe then kicked the plane angrily.
"Joe!" Danny yelled as he ran.
"Go! Go!" Rafe yelled.
They quickly got to Danny's car.
"Get in!" Rafe yelled. "Get in!"
They soon quickly drive off.
"Where's this place we're goin'?" Rafe yelled.
"We got a small mechanic runaway about 10 minutes away." Danny said. "Hasn't been hit yet."
"At least for now." Twilight said.
They continued driving as then 6 A6M Zeros were soon behind them.
"Uh, guys?" Rainbow said quickly getting nervous.
"Uh-oh." Soarin said.
"Uh, Danny, can you go any faster?" Twilight asked.
"We got Zeros on our 6!" Joe yelled.
They continued driving as 2 Zero flies over them.
"DUCK!" Rafe yelled.
"GET DOWN!" Twilight yelled.
They quickly ducked as 1 Zero fires at the car but missed them and flies over them. And they quickly got up as they saw the bullet holes that missed them.
And even Twilight saw one that missed her head by an inch.
"Whoa." Twilight said all shaken.
At Battleship Row, many Zeros continued their gunfire on the ships.
And the Oklahoma ship was still capsizing on her portside, and many sailors managed to climb up onto the side of the ship.
Inside the engine room, dozens of sailors got trapped inside as it was flooding.
"We're trapped." A muscular sailor said.
They then try to get the door open to escape.
Outside, the Oklahoma continues tilting as many sailors in the water swam out of it's way.
And many more were side hanging onto the railing.
Soon, the Oklahoma was tilting more as her underside was being flipped over the water. And the sailors below quickly swam out of her way.
Nearby, the Zeros kept coming and flying by as they fired at the sailors in the water. And some dove underwater to hide among the reef to avoid the bullets.
"They're shootin' at us!" A sailor yelled.
In Oklahoma's flooding engine room, a sailor quickly tries to get as high as he could from the rising water.
"I don't wanna die!" He cried. "I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!"
Underwater, the mechanic continues desperately trying to get the door open.
Outside the hull, many sailors climbed onto the Oklahoma's underside.
And many tried to avoid getting shot by the passing Zeros.
At the hospital, Evelyn and the other nurses were trying to help as many injured people as they can as they just kept coming.
Meanwhile, Earl and his men were the planes ready.
"I need more ammo!" Earl yelled. "I need more ammo, ladies!"
Danny's car then arrived.
"I need more ammo!" Earl yelled.
"Earl!" Danny called out as they got out. "We good to go?!"
"Yeah, mostly, but..." Earl said.
"Get down!" A man exclaimed.
Then planes were heard flying by as they got into the hanger as Earl brought out a shotgun from a motorcycle. And then started firing at every Zero that flew by.
"Earl, get in here!" Danny yelled.
Earl continues firing at the planes as the last one flew by.
"Hey, Sergeant!" Rafe said. "They come back around, we gonna need more than a shotgun! You got any other weapons and ammo we can lay down for cover fire?"
"Yeah, inside that ammo locker!" Earl said.
"Come on." Danny said.
They quickly rushed over to the ammo locker.
"Let's go. Move it." Earl said.
They got to the locker and Red broke the lock off with a wrench and they started grabbing as many weapons as they could.
"You said the planes are mostly ready, but... but, what?" Danny said to Earl said.
"Well, she's down, she's broke, she's heck." Earl gestured to 3 P-40s in the hanger. "I got 4 left." He gestured to 4 planes outside. "One's good to go, 2 need ammo, one need's fuel."
"Fall out and load up in the bunker!" Rafe said.
They soon rushed outside and got to a barricade and got down.
"All right." Danny said. "Anthony, Red, you 2 are gonna stay here and man the 50-calibre. Gooz, you get to the next bunker and lay down some cover fire, all right?"
"Planes." Gooz said finishing the 50 cal.
They saw 3 A6M Zeros nearby.
"Should we fire?" Gooz asked ready to fire.
"Stay down, stay down." Rafe said. "No, dagnabbit! Hold your fire. Stay still! Nobody fire!"
"Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God." Red cried.
The 3 Zeros continue flying, and they look as if they haven't noticed them.
"They don't know we're here." Rafe said.
"I don't think they noticed us." Twilight said.
"Are you sure?" Rainbow whispered.
"Stay down." Rafe said.
"Fire?" Gooz asked.
"No, no, no, no, dagnabbit." Rafe said. "Stay down, stay still. Don't fire."
They stayed down and watched as the Zeros flew by without noticing them.
"Oh, God." Red said.
They stayed down as the planes flew by.
"I think they're leaving." Spitfire said.
"I don't see any ordnance." Earl said watching the planes through his binoculars. "I think they're going home."
"No. They'll be back." Rafe said. "We still got planes on the ground."
"What's the plan?" Twilight asked.
"All right, you pilots, listen up." Rafe said to everyone. "Get all the airspeed you can on the runaway, don't get on the stick till you get to the very end. When you get in the air, stay low between the buildings. You see any Zero on your tail, try to wipe him off, don't freeze. All right?"
Earl then noticed a 2nd wave of A6M Zeros high in the air as looks through his binoculars.
"Just keep moving." Rafe continued. "We're gonna try to break 'em up and separate 'em. Now, we can take 'em out one by one."
"That's right." Danny said.
"P-40s can't outrun Zeros, so don't try." Rafe said. "We're just gonna have to outfly 'em."
"Outflyin's my game." Rainbow chuckled.
"We got high-level bombers!" Earl said. "They're gonna bust this hanger wide open!"
Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin looked up and saw the planes.
"Grab the 50s! Let's move!" Earl yelled.
They all yelled as they quickly got up and ran as the Zeros begin to move in.
"Zeros!" Rafe yelled.
Then he and Danny fired at the Zeros giving them cover fire as they ran.
"Take cover!" Rafe yelled. "Take cover!"
The Zeros begin to close in and they started firing at anyone in their way as some dropped to the ground after getting hit. And the newsreel got hit as well while filming and drops dead.
"Get down!" Twilight yelled.
Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin got down as bullets hits near them as one narrowly grazed Twilight on her shoulder.
Danny fires at the passing Zeros.
Rafe looked back and saw him.
"Danny!" Rafe yelled.
Danny then hurries to the newsreel.
"Come on!" Danny yelled hoping he was alive.
"Twilight, are you okay?!" Rainbow said helping her up.
"I'm okay!" Twilight said.
"Come on, buddy!" Danny said and shook the newsreel.
"Leave him, he's dead!" Rafe said getting to him. "He's dead!"
Then a bomb hits the hanger, and goes off and explodes as everyone was thrown off their feet. The dust soon clears as Rafe coughed.
"Alright, they're kicking our butt." Earl said. "Get to the airplanes! Let's go! Go, go, go!"
Everyone quickly got up and hurried to the remaining P-40s. And Rafe quickly got into one of them.
"Knock 'em dead." Red said handing Rafe a headset.
"Quick. Get in." Anthony said as Danny got into another P-40. "Here, put this out." He hands Danny a headset.
1 pilot in a P-40 was getting ready to go when the Zeros came by, and everyone quickly fled as one fired and the bullets went through the roof of the hanger. And struck the plane as it exploded.
"Red, get outta here, dagnabbit!" Rafe said. "Go, go!"
Soon, Rafe's plane started up as the propeller spun.
"Come on, come on, let's go." Joe said as he was in another P-40.
"Joe, get out of the way!" Rafe yelled.
"Joe, get out of there!" Rainbow yelled.
"I'm rollin'! I'm rollin'!" Joe said.
Soon, Joe started rolling away on the plane.
"Incoming!" Twilight yelled.
"Oh, God. Planes!" Gooz yelled.
Then 3 A6M Zeros came back around.
"Come me, help me!" Gooz said as they move the 50 caliber.
Earl quickly grabs a radio.
"Hey, Joe." Earl said. "Joe, you got 3 Zeros right behind you. You got 3 Zeros on your six!"
Joe looked back and saw the 3 Zeros beginning to close in.
Danny soon saw he was in trouble as Joe heads down the runaway with the 3 Zeros right behind him.
"He's not gonna make it!" Rainbow said.
Gooz fires the 50 caliber trying to give Joe some cover, but the Zeros were beginning to lock onto him.
"TURN!" Earl yelled. "TURN!"
Joe's P-40 just got off the ground as the 3 Zeros started firing at him.
"Oh, God!" Joe cried trying to gain speed.
The Zeros continued firing as then the P-40's engine was hit, and then the whole plane exploded and hits the ground.
"What are you doing?" Anthony said to Danny. "Get going. Get moving."
"Danny, start that thing up and get in the air, now." Rafe said. "I'm not much good without a wingman. I need you!"
"I got you!" Danny replied.
Soon Danny's plane starts up.
"Let's do it!" Danny yelled.
Soon, Danny's P-40 started rolling forward as well as Rafe's as Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin quickly followed them.
Then an explosion hits a tower as it falls over and hits the hanger with the damaged P-40.
"It's real tight, Rafe." Danny said. "It's real tight."
2 Zeros flew through the smoke and saw the 2 P-40s rushing over the runaway field.
"We got 2 incoming!" Rainbow yelled.
"Hey, Rafe, I'm not sure we have enough runaway!" Danny said.
"Get your airspeed up before you leave the dirt!" Rafe said.
"Don't freeze." Danny said. "Don't freeze."
Soon, the 2 P-40s got off the ground as they start to pull up as Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin flew behind them.
"I don't think I'm gonna make it above it!" Danny said as they near a building.
"Come on! Come on!" Rafe gritted his teeth.
They flew over the building as soldiers fired at the Zeros.
"We did it!" Rafe said. "I'm up!"
They flew through the smoke with the Zeros right behind them.
"We got Zeros behind us, Rafe!" Danny said.
The Zeros soon flew through the smoke.
"How many do you see back there?!" Rafe asked.
The Zeros then started shooting at them.
"We got 5 on our six!" Danny yelled.
They continued flying as they avoid getting shot, and a team of Zeros flew over Earl and the others.
"Take it down to the deck, Danny." Rafe said. "Now!"
They then dove down near the ground and people yelled as avoided the gunfire from the Zeros as the planes flew by, and a truck exploded.
"There's too many to deal at once!" Twilight yelled.
"We gotta split 'em up, Danny!" Rafe said. "You take left, I'll take right."
They then split up as Rainbow and Spit fire went with Rafe, and Twilight and Soarin with Danny. The broke away from each other from a tower as some of the Zeros split flying after them.
"Earl, you better get some guns in that dagnabbit tower, up there!" Rafe yelled.
"OK, OK!" Earl said. "Let's go! Get into the truck! Let's go!"
They hurried off to the truck.
Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire flew through the air as they had 3 A6M Zeros behind them.
"Danny, I got 3 on my six." Rafe said.
Then the lead plane started shooting at them.
"WHOA!" Rainbow exclaimed nearly missing a bullet.
They flew by the beach, and then a soldier fired a 50 caliber at one of the Zeros. And it crashed into a tower.
"Whoo!" Rafe cheered.
"1 down!" Spitfire yelled.
They flew through the air as they had 2 more behind them.
Meanwhile, Earl and the others soon got to the tower.
"Stop!" Earl yelled. "Stop! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! Move it! Move it, Red!"
They quickly got out of the truck and hurry up the tower as soldiers fired at nearby passing Zeros.
Danny, Twilight and Soarin flew through the smoke.
"I still got 2 behind me, Rafe." Danny said.
The 2 Zeros flew through the smoke as they were still on their tails.
They quickly flew by some people as the Zeros fired at them.
Meanwhile, Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire were still being chased as they were avoiding getting shot.
"YAAH!" Rafe yelled trying not to get hit.
The bullets continue flying by.
"Son of a witch!" Rafe cursed.
They flew forward and then flew in between 2 buildings.
"Whoa!" Rafe exclaimed as he turns the plane.
Soon, a Zero nears him.
"Earl, do you hear me?" Rafe said. "Dagnabbit, get some guns in that tower!"
"On the tower. Yeah." Earl said heading up the staircase. "Going 10 stories up. It's a long son of a witch."
Meanwhile, Danny, Twilight and Soarin were still being chased by the 2 Zeros.
One fired as they flew over the airfield.
"Rafe, they're all over me!" Danny yelled. "I can't get them off me!"
The Zero continues shooting at them.
"Whoa!" Twilight yelped missing a bullet.
They flew over the airfield as soldiers ran by.
"Danny, I still got 3 on my tail!" Rafe said.
He, Rainbow and Spitfire had no luck of shaking the Zeros as well.
"Keeping jinking it!" Rafe said. "Don't let them get a handle!"
"I can't shake 'em, Rafe!" Danny cried.
"I don't know how much we can keep this up!" Twilight said.
"I don't think we can either!" Rainbow said.
"Dang it." Rafe looked back as the Zeros. "Danny, let's play some chicken with these Jap suckers!"
"All right, I'm with you." Danny said.
They continued flying as the Zero continued firing.
"Jesus!" Danny exclaimed of the flying bullets.
"Whoa!" Twilight cried.
"I'm coming right at you, Rafe!" Danny said.
"Don't brake till I tell you." Rafe said. "Hold on."
"Hang in there, Twilight!" Rainbow said.
They continue flying closer to each other.
"Not yet! Not yet!" Rafe yelled.
Rainbow and Spitfire got ready.
"Come on. Come on." Danny said all ready.
"Let's get 'em!" Twilight said all ready.
They closed in on each other.
"Go left!" Rafe yelled. "Now!"
They all rolled left bypassing each other, and the Zeros soon saw they were coming at one another as 4 crashed into each other.
"Whoo! We got 'em!" Rafe cheered.
"Ha ha ha!" Danny laughed.
"You okay, Twi?!" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah!" Twilight said. "Ha ha!"
Meanwhile, Earl and the others have finally got to the top of the tower.
"Set up over there!" Earl said.
They quickly got into place.
"Come on, load it!" Gooz said.
"OK, we're on top of the tower." Earl contacted Rafe.
Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire start heading to the tower with a A6M Zero right behind them.
"Earl, I got one on my tail." Rafe said. "I'll bring him right by you."
"He's gonna be surprised." Rainbow smirked.
"He's comin' around!" Earl yelled. "He's comin' around! Let's get this Jap sucker!"
They all got ready.
Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire start leading the Zero towards the tower.
"Hold your fire, hold your fire." Earl said. "Here he comes."
Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire flew towards the tower.
"You better be cocked and locked when I come by there!" Rafe said.
They watched as they flew closer as they got ready.
"Hold your fire!" Earl said.
Soon, Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire flew by.
"FIRE!" Earl yelled firing his shotgun.
They then fired at the Zero as it flew by, and the plane took multiple shots as it soon falls and hits the roof of a building.
"WHOO! Good shootin', boys!" Rafe cheered. "Nice shot, Earl!"
"We got him!" Rainbow cheered.
"Now let's over to Battleship Row!" Rafe said to Danny.
"I'm with you!" Danny said.
They soon flew over to Battleship Row, and flew pass the smoke.
"Let's go do some business." Rafe said.
Soon, they were coming at 3 Zeros ahead of them.
"I'm going after 'em." Danny said.
"Let's get them!" Twilight said.
They flew after the Zeros, and started firing at them as well as Twilight. And soon, one had it's tail and wing shot off and fell and then exploded.
"Rafe! I got him!" Danny yelled.
In the water, many sailors cheered out.
"P-40s!" A sailor cheered.
3 other Zeros start to retreat.
"They're pulling into the clouds, Danny!" Rafe said. "We ain't gonna let these sons of witches get home!"
"Not on your watch!" Spitfire said.
"Let's get 'em!" Soarin said.
1 Zero flew pass the clouds.
"How do you like someone shooting back at you?" Rafe glared at the Zero.
Soon, Rafe, Spitfire and Soarin were hot on his tail as Rafe fired at the plane.
"Oh, I'm on your tail now!" Rafe said.
Rafe fired at the Zero, and soon shot the plane's tail off and wing as it fell.
"Yeah! I got one!" Rafe cheered.
Elsewhere in the sky, Danny, Twilight and Rainbow were hot on the tail of a 2nd Zero.
"Come on!" Danny said.
Danny and Twilight started shooting at the Zero as this one was proving more of a challenge.
"Come on!" Twilight gritted her teeth.
They continued chasing the Zero through the clouds.
"God, come on!" Danny angrily said.
They continued firing as the Zero turns avoiding getting hit.
"Come on, stay in there!" Danny said. "Stay in there!"
Danny continues firing as he nears the Zero, and then Twilight fires a blast hitting the as it went down.
"Whoa!" Danny yelled.
Meanwhile, Rafe, Spitfire and Soarin were closing in on the last Zero.
And Rafe soon locks onto it.
"I got you, son of a witch!" Rafe said and fires.
The Zero's tail was soon hit as the plane fell through the air, and the right wing broke off as it fell.
230 miles north of Oahu, the Japanese fleet were reported of the success of the 2nd wave.
"Colonel Fuchida reports... "Tremendous Victory. Many ships destroyed." An officer said in Japanese.
Another officer went over to the captain.
"Out of 350 planes, we have lost only 29." The officer said. "We are prepared to launch a third wave, Admiral."
"We no longer have surprise." Admiral Yamamoto said. "We will withdraw the third wave."
"Admiral!" The officer said.
Back at the airfield, everyone was trying to relax as the worse is finally over.
And soon, Danny's P-40 rolled up near them as Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin landed next to it. And Danny climbs out.
"Who taught you how to fly, Lieutenant?" Earl asked.
Danny turns to Rafe. "He did."
Rafe got out of his P-40 as Earl nod to him.
"That was some real flying, Princess." Spitfire said to Twilight. "Who taught ya?"
Twilight smiled and turned to Rainbow. "She did."
Rainbow smiled.
Meanwhile, Evelyn and the other nurse were trying to help as many injured people as they could.
They soon headed outside to get them sorted out as they kept coming by the dozens.
"I just found her!" A man said carrying a woman with hair covering her face. "I don't... I don't think she's breathing."
Evelyn checks her heartbeat. "No, she's dead. Take her..."
Evelyn moves her hair aside, and sadly saw it was Betty who was killed in the gunfire from earlier. And she and Sandra were soon in tears.
"Oh, God." Sandra cried. "Oh, are you sure, Ev? Please could you check her 1 more time."
"She's dead." Evelyn said. "Take her over there!"
"But you've gotta be sure!" Sandra cried.
"She's already dead! Go back to work, Sandra." Evelyn said.
"I don't know what to do." Sandra cried.
The yelling continued as injured people keep coming in by the hundreds.
At the harbor, bodies were being lifted out from the water as many survivors were holding on to ropes or chains.
A small dog swims over to a sailor as he pulls him out of the water.
In one of the smaller boats, Dorie saw what was left of the Arizona as he used a harpoon to grab a flap out from the water. And he knew many who worked on the ship.
At the hospital, Rafe and Danny soon arrived as Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin followed. And the 4 were horrified of what they were seeing.
And soon, they saw Evelyn who looked completely exhausted.
"How can we help?" Rafe asked.
"We need blood." Evelyn said. "Come on."
Soon she started to gather some blood from them.
Then footsteps were heard as a soldier came in.
"We've got men trapped everywhere in the harbor." He said. "We need help from anyone who can move."
Soon they got to the harbor to help as many were on Oklahoma's underside trying to pinpoint where the trapped men were.
"There's somebody in here!" A sailor yelled pinpointing the trapped men. "Get somebody down here!"
Inside the hull, the men soon saw they were starting to cut through.
"They're cutting through!" A man said.
They then all cheered.
They helped them all out from the hull.
At another ship, 2 men were struggling to free other men trapped inside as they managed to cut a small hole through.
"Get us out of here!" A man called from inside.
"The room's filling up with water!" Another yelled.
"Get an airline in here!" A man yelled.
A man was seen desperately screaming for help.
Rafe, Danny, Twilight and Rainbow soon arrived.
"We need the air hose!" A man yelled.
"What can we do?" Danny asked.
They continue trying to get the hole bigger as hands from the trapped men reached out as the room has flooded.
"It won't cut any faster!" A man yelled.
They continue trying to get the plate loose as gurgling cries were heard from the trapped sailors, and Rafe grabs hold to one, and the metal plating was too thick for Twilight to blast through.
"Cut him out!" Danny yelled.
They desperately tried to work faster, but soon the hands limped as they were all shocked.
The next day, President Roosevelt gave out a speech to the entire country of America.
"Yesterday... December 7, 1941... a date which will live on in infamy the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan." Roosevelt spoke.
At Pearl Harbor, many were putting out fires and listening to the speech through radios as well as mainland America. As even Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin listened.
"It is obvious that planning the attack began many weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements... and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American military forces. I regret to tell you that over 3,000 American lives have been lost. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory."
Everyone in the room clapped an applause.
"Because of this unprovoked, dastardly attack by Japan, I ask that the Congress declare a state of war." Roosevelt declared.
Everyone clapped again.
At Pearl Harbor's Battleship Row, Twilight by staring at they very spot were the ship Arizona once stood. And was now 40 feet underwater.
Then Rainbow appeared next to her.
"Twilight?" Rainbow said concerned.
"Is it true... men are still trapped alive inside the Arizona?" Twilight asked.
"Well, I heard rumors from others, I'm afraid so." Rainbow sadly confirmed.
Days later, a trumpet plays "The Last Post" as a funeral was placed for the thousands lost from the attack.
And many stood by their fallen friends or family members.
And among them, Red stood over the coffin were Betty was in as he was in tears he proposed to her just months ago.
Close by, Dorie found the coffin with Captain Mervyn.
"Hey, Captain." Dorie greeted and saluted.
Evelyn turns to he as he saw her and nodded.
Later, a solider went up to Rafe and Danny.
"Lieutenants Rafe McCawley, Daniel Walker." He said.
"Yes, Major?" Rafe said as they saluted.
"You're both going stateside." The Major said. "Fly out in 2 hours."
"What for, sir?" Rafe asked they were handed sheets.
"Ask Colonel Doolittle." The Major said.
"Yes, sir." Rafe said.
Danny then turns to Evelyn.
Later, they arrived to Doolittle's office.
"Congratulations on your promotion, sir." Rafe said.
"I heard what you did." Doolittle said.
"We can explain that, sir." Rafe said.
"Explain what?" Doolittle inquired.
"Whatever it is you heard about us, sir." Danny said.
"You mean the hula shirts you were flying in?" Doolittle questioned. "Or the 7 planes you shot down? You're both being awarded the Silver Star and promoted to captain."
"Is that the good news, sir, or...?" Rafe asked.
"You're just about the only pilots in the Army with combat experience." Doolittle said. "I need you for a mission I've been ordered to put together." He glanced back to them. "You know what top secret is?"
"Yes, sir." Rafe answered. "It's the kind of mission where you get medals. But they send 'em to your relatives."
"Top secret means you train for something never done in aviation history... and you go without knowing where you're going." Doolittle said. "You do it on that basis or not at all."
"I'll go, sir." Rafe said.
Doolittle turns to Danny.
"I'll go, too, sir." Danny said.
"By the way, McCawley, the Brits sent this over, it's your personal effects." Doolittle said handing Rafe a box of his things.
"Thank you, sir." Rafe said.
"There's only 1 more thing I can tell you." Doolittle said. "Leave your hula shirts at home."
March 3, 1942
A team of men stood shoulder to shoulder along with Rafe, Danny, Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Soarin at a hanger with a few B-25 bomber planes.
And Doolittle walked forward to them.
"The mission I'm asking you to volunteer for is exceptionally dangerous." Doolittle said. "Take a look at the man beside you. It's a good bet that in the next 6 weeks you or he... will be dead. Everyone brave enough to accept this... step forward."
They all stepped forward.
They all walked outside of the hanger 4 B-25s flew above them.
"Your grandmother and could take a B-25 off on a mile-long runway." Doolittle said. "Well, I'm gonna train you to do it in 467 feet. Because in 468 feet... you're dead. And once you get it up you'll gonna learn to fly it like a fighter... 30 feet off the ground. I want you to say hello to Lieutenant Jack Richards, Navy Aviation."
Behind him was Lieutenant Jack Richards.
"Who's gonna help us lighten these fat ladies." Doolittle said.
Soon, they were removing any unneeded parts of the B-25s as Twilight looked over a plans sheet of one helping out as well.
"Dump that ash can." Jack said. "See that bomb sight? Get rid of it."
"Colonel, he's crazy!" Rafe said to Doolittle.
"The lady's fat!" Jack said.
"Listen to him." Doolittle said.
"She's a fat-lady we want a skinny lady!" Jack said.
Soon, 4 B-25s lined up on the runway ready for testing as the 467 foot mark was out with a red flag as Rafe was in the first plane.
"All go!" Twilight waved out a green flag.
"Max power!" Rafe said.
He puts the B-25 to full throttle as they rolled across the runway.
"Get up, get up, get up!" Rafe said.
But the B-25 rolled pass the 467 foot mark.
"Dam!" Rafe cursed
"How the heck..." Red uttered.
"Dam!" Doolittle said.
Soon, the next B-25 lines up for the runway, and heads out but only manages to pass the red line with it's nose gear off the ground.
"They just keep rolling past that line." Doolittle said to Jack.
"Maybe this mission's a bad idea." Jack said having doubts.
"No, they're too heavy." Doolittle said. "We gotta get drastic with these planes."
"This armor plating's gotta go." Jack said. "I'm sure I'm sure. Now, lose it like a skirt, son."
"Release brakes!" Danny said.
The B-25 starts rolling across the runway.
"Come on, come on, come on, come on!" Danny said.
The B-25 rolled across the red line with it's front landing gear off the ground.
"God!" Danny complained.
"Okay, that's it." Spitfire said.
"Put every man on the line, now!" Doolittle ordered and walks off.
Later, everyone gathered at the 467 foot mark, and a B-25 stood at the start of the runway with it's engine at max RPM with Doolittle and Spitfire in it.
"Let's show these boys how this thing is done!" Doolittle said.
"Release!" Spitfire said.
Doolittle puts the B-25 at full throttle at it charges across the runway.
"COME ON!" Doolittle yelled. "Max power!"
The B-25's nose gear lifts off the ground as the tail elevators pulled up.
And the B-25 was off the ground passing the 467 foot mark as everyone cheered.
"Well, if he can do it..." Rafe said.
Later, Doolittle, Rafe, Rainbow and Spitfire watched the 4 B-25s fly over them and Doolittle laughed and Rainbow and Spitfire shook wings.
April 2, 1942 USS Hornet
The fleet of ships traveled across the Pacific as the USS Hornet carries an army of 16 B-25s on it's deck.
"Well, gentlemen, now I can tell you that we're going to Tokyo." Doolittle said to everyone. "And we're gonna bomb it."
Everyone then cheered.
"That comes as a special request directly from President Roosevelt." Doolittle said. "They navy's gonna sneak us about 400 miles off the Japanese, and we'll lanuch from the carrier there."
"Has that ever been done before?" Gooz asked. "Taking army bombers off navy carriers?"
"No." Doolittle said.
"OK." Gooz said.
"Any other questions?" Doolittle questioned.
"Well, sir, is it even possible to land a B-25 on an aircraft carrier deck?" Rafe asked.
"That won't matter." Doolittle said. "As soon as we're airborne, the carrier will head straight back for Hawaii."
"But if the carriers head home, where do we land?" Anthony asked.
"I have a phrase I want you to memorize." Doolittle said. "Wo shimeiguo ren. It means "I am an American". In Chinese."
Later, Rafe, Danny, Twilight and Rainbow stood at the front of the Hornet's deck.
"Ain't gonna be any easier." Rafe said. "That's 3 feet shorter than our practice runway."
"Will you relax?" Twilight said. "With the right speed and wind current, the planes can get off the deck. In theory."
"That's comforting." Rainbow said sarcastically.
"Fellas?" Doolittle said approaching them.
"Sir." Rafe said.
"Sir." Danny said.
"Secretary of the Navy game these." Doolittle said holding out some medals.
"What are they?" Danny asked.
"Friendship medals the Japanese gave us when they were pretending to want peace." Doolittle said.
"What'll you do with them?" Rafe asked.
"We're gonna wire them to the bombs and give them back." Doolittle said. "So what's going on?"
"Well, sir, we only have 16 planes." Rafe said.
"So?" Doolittle inquired.
"Well, Japs hit us, they had more than 300." Rafe said. "I mean, how much difference can we make?"
"It's not that we're afraid, sir." Danny said. "It's just that we might die, and we want to know what's it for."
Doolittle remained momentarily silent. "You know, at Pearl, they hit us with a sledgehammer. This raid, even if we make it through... it'll only be a pinprick. But it'll be straight through their hearts. Victory belongs to those that believe in it the most, and believe in it the longest. We're gonna believe. We're gonna make America believe, too."
Later, the bombs were being brought out to the deck.
"Hey, Red, you think they picked us to do this cause we're young and dumb?" Gooz asked Red filming a camera as Red was painting an angry Donald Duck on the side of the plane.
Red turns to him.
"Come on, Gooz, we're the tip of the sword." Gooz said.
Later, they were getting the bombs ready with the medals wired to them. And some marked as one was for Betty, and Twilight did one for the USS Arizona as well as she and Rainbow did another for Pearl Harbor. And soon the B-25s were being loaded each with 4 bombs.
"All right, in honor of our trip to Japan I got us some, uh... victory cigars! Gooz said holding out a box with cigars.
Rafe then laughed.
He then tossed them one.
Sometime later, the day before launch, they all gathered in a room as Doolittle spoke.
"My friends in the war department don't want me to lead this raid... because they said I'm too valuable." Doolittle said. "They don't want me in the air flying with the men that I've chosen... that I've chewed out, cussed out, pushed to the limit... and I've come to respect. They want me to stand on the flight deck and wave you off. Well, I don't see it that way. So I'm going with you."
Everyone turns to each other.
"We take off tomorrow afternoon... drop our fire, and head for China." Doolittle said. "Our mission is to hit military targets aircraft and tank factories."
A solider then raised his hand. "Colonel, you've given us the homing beacons but you've also told us China is overrun with Japanese troops. What do we do if the beacons are switched off?"
"You bring her down any way you can and do your best to avoid capture." Doolittle said.
"What'd we do if our planes are damaged and we have to bail out over Japan?" Another asked if the choice was made.
"Well, in situation, I can't tell you what you should do." Doolittle said.
"What would you do, Colonel?" Rafe asked.
Doolittle thought for a moment.
"I wasn't built to be a prisoner... so I would have my crew bail out." Doolittle said. "I'd find the sweetest military target I could and drive my plane right smack into the middle of if and kill as many of those suckers as I possibly could."
Everyone remained silent as they stared by his speech.
"But that's just me." Doolittle said. "I'm 45 years old, I'm an old man. You guys got your whole lives ahead of you, so what you do is up to you." He walks off.
April 18, 1942
The next day, the fleet was traveling over the Pacific still over 200 miles from launch point.
"Japs transmitting!" A sailor said listening to the radio. "Japs transmitting! Captain, radar reports Japanese patrol boats. Range of 400 yards."
"How many yards?" Doolittle asked.
"400 yards and closing, sir." The sailor said.
"Richards, Japs!" Doolittle said. "400 yards, let's go!"
The captain's quarters were soon alerted.
"Admiral Halsey's ordering the cruisers to open fire!" The captain ordered.
"Let's sink these Jap boats before they give away our position." A solider said. "Go to general quarters!"
Below, many men rushed around to get ready.
"This can't be good." Rafe said.
"No way this is good." Rainbow said.
Crew members rushed out to the deck.
"Japs 1 mile away." The captain said. "They reported our position."
"We were supposed to launch 400 miles away." Doolittle said. "How far away are we now."
"624 miles." The captain said.
"Jesus." Doolittle said.
"What do you want to do?" The captain asked.
"624..." Jack mumbled.
Doolittle turns to him.
"I don't know, Colonel, I don't know if the planes can carry enough fuel to make it to China." Jack admittedly said.
"Now." Doolittle said taking the risk. "We launch now!"
"Army pilots!" The captain called out. "Man your planes!"
"They're shooting at something!" Danny said looking through the window.
"We got the word the launch!" Spitfire called out. "Move out, champs!"
They all begin to head out and rushed out to the deck.
"You think we can make it?" Rainbow asked.
"It's too far to call it." Twilight said. "We'll have to take that chance."
"Colonel!" Jack said to Doolittle. "We're too far out to make it! These planes need more fuel, but if they're too heavy they might not get off the deck!"
"Listen." Doolittle said to a solider. "I want you to strip everything out of this plane you don't need, and I mean now!"
They begin to head to their assigned planes, as Rainbow and Spitfire were with Rafe. And Twilight and Soarin with Danny.
"Start pre-flight!" Rafe said climbing into the B-25. "Let's go!"
"Add 10 more fuel cans for each plane!" Jack said to a soldier. "Every plane!"
They started grabbing as many fuel can for the planes, with 10 for each one.
"What's your favorite gun?" Jack asked.
"What?!" A solider asked.
"You wanna get off this deck, you give me one of those guns now!" Jack said. "It's still too heavy!"
They brought out the side gun out.
"You, I want you to go to the kitchen, get some broomsticks." Jack said to a solider. "Cut 'em down, paint 'em black, and bring them here."
They brought out as many broomsticks they could find and were sawed off and painted black.
"We've got broomsticks for tail guns." Danny said to Rafe.
"Yeah. Maybe it'll scare 'em." Rafe said.
"You take care of yourself up there." Danny said.
"Yeah, I will." Rafe said. "Danny, be careful, you hear me?"
"I will." Danny said and heads off. "I'll see you, Rafe."
"Rafe! We're the tip of the sword!" Gooz called out.
Soon, they were all in the B-25s as the engines begin to start up.
"You ready for this?" Danny asked Gooz as he nodded.
"All ready back here!" Twilight said.
"We're full into the wind!" The Admiral said.
"More speed!" The captain said. "Move speed!"
The ship was then singled to full speed.
A flight instructor waves a checkered flag.
Doolittle saluted to captain and admiral.
"Are you nervous?" Doolittle asked his co-pilot.
"No- Yes, sir." He said. "Yes."
"When did you find religion?" Doolittle asked.
"When you assigned me to this mission, sir." The co-pilot said.
"I want you to do me a favor." Doolittle said.
"What's that, Colonel?" The co-pilot asked.
"Pray for both of us." Doolittle said.
"Tell me when!" Jack called out.
"Let's go!" Doolittle said.
The co-pilot closed his window.
Then the flight instructor sends the single out and duck, and the B-25 rolls forward as everyone watched.
"Max power!" Doolittle ordered.
The B-25 rolls forward across the deck as it's nose gear lifts off the deck.
"Up please." Jack begged.
The B-25 rolls closer to the deck's edge.
"It's gonna be close!" Rainbow said.
"COME ON!" Doolittle yelled. "COME ON!"
They quickly near the end of the deck, and then rushed off and dropped a bit and then flies off.
"Yeah!" The captain cheered.
"Way to go!" Red cheered.
"YES!" Rainbow cheered.
"Jesus, that was short." Doolittle said.
The B-25's landing gear retracts in.
"Move 'em up!" Jack called out.
"All right, full power, full power, here we go!" Rafe said putting the B-25 to full throttle.
The B-25 then starts rolling forward and Rafe pulls back as the plane soon takes off into the air. And they all cheered.
"Come on, here we go, here we go!" Danny said as they rolled forward. "Yeah!"
"Yee-haw!" Soarin cheered.
They all cheered as they rushed across the runway, and soon took off into the air. And they all cheered.
"Yahoo!" Twilight cheered. "Ha ha!"
"We made it!" A member cheered.
Soon, all the other B-25s took off from the Hornet, and everyone came out and cheered.
And the last of the B-25s took off as they begin the long flight to Japan.
At the White House, President Roosevelt begins a speech of the Doolittle Raid.
"From Berlin, Rome, and Tokyo we have been described as a nation of weaklings and playboys who hire British, or Russian, or Chinese soldiers to do our fighting for us." Roosevelt said. "Let them repeat that now. Let them tell that to General MacArthur and his men."
Over the Pacific, the army fleet of the Doolittle Raid's B-25s flew towards Japan as they listened.
"Let them tell that to the soldiers who today are fighting hard in the far waters of the Pacific."
"Let them tell that to the boys in the flying fortresses." Roosevelt said. "Let them tell that to the Marines."
The B-25s begin to close by on the east coast of Japan.
"That's Japan right there, fellas." Rafe called out. "Tighten up back there. Man your guns!"
They already got ready.
"We're in the enemy's backyard!" Doolittle said.
The B-25s charged towards Japan.
"All right, look alive back there." Danny said. "I see coastline."
They flew over Japanese waters as they near the coastline, and with factories ahead.
"Heads up, boys!" Doolittle said. "Heads up!"
The B-25s begin to fly over the factories.
"Man your guns back there." Danny said.
"I'm cocked and locked!" A gunnerman said.
"Get ready, you suckers." Anthony said.
Back at Hawaii, Evelyn pretends to work on a type-writer as she kept her eyes on the work station.
And Major Jackson turns to her.
At Japan, the fleet of B-25s begin to approach their targets.
"Approaching targets for bombing raid!" Doolittle called out. "Open bomb bay doors. Open bomb bay doors."
The B-25s' lower hatch doors opened as they begin to close in.
"Ripley, you got a target in sight?" Rafe asked.
"37 degrees! Target in sight!" Ripley called out.
Back in the office, Evelyn got up and went over to place some papers at a drawer near the station.
And Jackson turns to her for a moment.
The B-25s soared towards their targets beginning to close in.
"All right, boys, let's knock their clocks off!" Rafe said.
"Let's get 'em!" Rainbow said.
"Drop your ordnance!" Doolittle said giving the word.
"Bombs away!" Danny called out.
"1 AWAY!" Gooz yelled.
The first bomb drops down.
"Bombs away!" Rafe called out. "Bombs away!"
"2 AWAY!" Ripley yelled.
The second bomb drops.
Japanese ran for their lives as the B-25s flew over them as buildings exploded.
"3 AWAY!" Ripley yelled. "4 AWAY!"
The B-25s flew over the exploding buildings.
"We caught 'em by surprise." Doolittle said through the radio.
"Dropping ordnance!"
"Bombs away! Bombs away!"
"Factory- Just factory."
The B-25s flew over the buildings as the last of the bombs were dropped as a building exploded.
"Whoo!" Danny cheered.
"We got it!" Twilight cheered.
"We hit our targets!" Doolittle said. "Good job, raiders!"
"HA HA! Let's see 'em bite fight!" Rainbow cheered.
Below, the Japanese came out and started loading an A.A. gun.
The B-25s begin to leave as their hatch doors closed, and then flak clouds started appearing.
Below, the A.A. gun fires as the Japanese try to shoot them down.
Suddenly, Rafe's plane was being hit.
"Jesus! What-" Rafe exclaimed.
"Whoa!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"We got flak everywhere!" Rafe yelled.
The B-25s flew through the explosive flak clouds.
"We gotta get outta here!" Spitfire yelled.
"Go down there and get Gooz!" Danny yelled.
"I want everyone to separate!" Doolittle yelled.
Major Jackson heard the trouble through the radio.
"Clean that up." He said. "Try and clean that up."
The door was then closed as Evelyn got worried.
The B-25s continue flying through the flak clouds.
"I'm getting covered up here!" The gunnerman yelled.
"I just hope they don't hit a prop!" Danny said.
"We're sitting ducks up here!" Twilight said.
Then the gunnerman was hit by flak after it broke through the glass.
"I'm hit!" He yelled.
"They're gonna tear this plane apart!" Danny said.
"Get into the clouds, Danny, right now." Rafe said. "Get up into that soup."
"Get us outta here!" Spitfire yelled.
"All right, we're gonna pull out of this, Gooz!" Danny said. "Come on!"
They begin to fly above from the flak clouds.
Towards sunset, Rafe's and Danny's B-25s were flying over the East China Sea heading west for the mainland.
"We're still not getting a signal." Rafe said.
"All ocean and no land." Danny said. "Homing in on nothing."
"We gotta reach land sooner or later." Twilight said. "As long as we keep heading west."
"How many cans of fuel we got left?" Rafe asked.
"These are all empty." A solider said moving the empty fuel cans away.
"Is this all you got?" Red asked holding the last can.
"That's all we got, Red." He said.
"Rafe! You'd better pray for land!" Red said.
Elsewhere, Doolittle's B-25 was still in the air.
"Break radio silence." Doolittle said and grabs a microphone. "I'm sorry, gentlemen. You're all brave souls."
"Among the bravest I've ever had the privilege of flying with."
Rafe and Red turn to each other.
"But we're on our own." Doolittle said.
"This really was a suicide mission." Rafe said.
Danny looks at a photo of Evelyn.
They continued flying as then sputtering was heard from the left engine of Rafe's plane.
"Engine 1's fluctuating." Red said. "We're gonna lose it any minute."
Rafe then pulls the throttle back on the engine.
"Rafe, you gotta prime it." Red said.
"I'm priming it." Rafe said. "How about now?"
The engine starts up again.
"I'm not sure how longer it will keep going." Rainbow said.
Then Rafe saw something up ahead.
"I see the coast." Rafe said. "I see the coast!"
A few miles away, the coast of China was coming up.
"China, dead ahead!" Spitfire said.
"Copy that, Rafe." Danny said. "We're gonna make it."
"Danny, follow me, now." Rafe said. "We can make this. I can see the coast right now. It's only a few miles out. Follow me."
"We're following you, Rafe." Danny said. "We gotta find a spot landing spot."
"I'm pushing it up on 2." Rafe said. "Fellas, it's gonna be a hard landing! Hold on! I see rice paddies, right there! We'll bring it in right there."
"Okay, nice and easy." Rainbow said.
The B-25 begins the approach, but then the left engine went out completely.
"Oh, God, engine 1's dead." Red said. "We're gonna lose engine 2 any second."
"Hold on, it's gonna be close." Spitfire said.
They kept flying with the remaining right engine.
"We can make it in. Easy." Rafe said. "Pull it back, we'll glide in, go in on fumes."
They glide through the air as then suddenly they saw the familiar enemy country mark.
"Japs!" Rafe called out through his mic. "We got Jap patrols all over the place!"
"Pull up! Pull up!" Twilight said.
Danny and Gooz quickly pulled up.
"There's Japs everywhere, Danny! Land somewhere!"
"Strap yourselves in, boys!" Rafe said. "We're coming in hard! We're a deadstick!"
"Get outta the nose!" A soldier yelled.
They begin to crawl out of the nose and move further back in the plane.
"Hold on, boys!" Rafe yelled. "We're going down!"
The members below crawled further back.
"Watch the trees!" Rafe yelled.
The B-25 continues gliding through the air as it nears the ground.
"Brace!" Spitfire yelled.
Within a few seconds, the B-25 hits the ground with a tremendous thud. And everyone held on as the B-25 skids across the ground and soon came to a stop in a rice paddie field.
"Everyone all right?!" Rafe asked.
"I'm OK!" A solider replied. "I'm OK!"
Rainbow coughed. "Me too!"
"Where's Ripley?" A solider asked.
"He's dead." Rafe said.
They begin to climb out the damaged plane.
"Watch for Japs!" Rafe said.
Rainbow and Spitfire climbed out and dropped to the ground.
"Definitely had softer landings." Spitfire said.
Then a troop of Japanese approached the plane wreck.
"Jap patrols!" Rafe yelled.
"Take cover!" Red yelled.
"Get down!" Spitfire yelled.
They quickly hid behind the B-25 as the Japs started firing at them. Rafe then fires back at them.
"The got us pinned down!" Rafe yelled.
The Japs continued firing as then suddenly an incoming plane was heard and then bullets hit the ground taking out most of the Japs. And a B-25 flies by shooting most of the Japs, and Rafe watched as it then hits the ground nearby and realized it was Danny's plane.
"DANNY!" Rafe yelled.
Rafe then started running to it.
"Rafe! Rafe, no!" Red yelled.
"Twilight!" Rainbow yelled.
They ran through the field as then a remaining Jap got up and Rafe shot him. They then hurried to the damaged plane.
"Gooz! Can you hear me?" Red quickly got to Gooz.
"Yeah." Gooz replied dazed.
"Twilight, are you okay?" Rainbow quickly rushing to her.
"I'm fine!" Twilight said and winced in pain. "I think I sprained my wing and broke a hoof."
Spitfire quickly found Soarin as Rafe soon found Danny by the side of the plane.
"Danny. Easy, easy, easy." Rafe said.
"I've had better landings." Danny said.
"You saved us back there." Rafe said.
"I got something in my neck." Danny said in pain having a piece of metal in the side of his neck.
"Let me try to pull this out." Rafe said.
"Where's Gooz?" Danny asked.
"He's fine." Rafe assured.
He slowly begins to pull the metal piece, but then suddenly he was struck in the head by a gun when a troop of Japs appeared.
They shouted in Japanese as they surrounded all of them aiming their guns at them.
Then one tied Rafe's legs, and then another came in with a beam and then tied Danny to it. Rafe and Danny stared at each other for a moments, and then Rafe started moving over and grabs a gun and then fires at the 2 Japs, and 2 more. But then the gun clicked being empty.
One Jap was about to shoot when then Danny quickly shoves him away.
The Japs then fired as Danny was hit in the chest twice.
Then the others fought back.
"Grenade!" Gooz yelled grabbing a grenade from a fallen Jap.
He then tossed it out as Twilight a beam, and then it went off taking out the remaining Japs.
Then Danny falls over on his back.
"Danny. Danny!" Rafe said quickly getting up.
He quickly rushed over to him.
"Oh, no!" Twilight said.
"Hold on!" Rafe said quickly untying his hands. "You're all right. You're all right."
"I'm not... I'm not gonna make it." Danny said weakly in pain.
"Oh, yes, you are." Rafe said. "Yes, you are. Now look at me."
"Rafe, I'm so cold." Danny said shakenly. "I'm so cold."
"Danny, just hang in there!" Rainbow said.
"You're all right." Rafe said.
"Hey, Rafe?" Danny said. "Can you do me a favor?"
"What?" Rafe asked.
"Can you have someone else write my name on the tombstone?" Danny asked.
"Danny, don't talk like that." Twilight said. "Just hold on."
"You're not gonna die." Rafe said. "Look at me, listen to me. You ain't gonna die, you hear me? Danny. Danny, you can't die. You can't die. You know why? Because you're gonna be a father."
That soon got Danny's attention as well as Twilight and Rainbow.
"You're gonna be a daddy." Rafe said in tears. "I was... I was... I wasn't suppose to tell you. You're gonna be a father. Please."
"No. You are." Danny said weakly.
And then a few moments later, Danny's life fades away.
"Danny, Danny?" Rafe said. "Danny? Please, please! Please. God. Please, Danny."
Everyone was sadly silent as Rafe sobbed.
Later, a troop arrived.
"Hold your fire!" Gooz said. "They're Chinese."
Sometime later, at Pearl Harbor, families gathered for the return of the Doolittle Raiders including Evelyn.
Doolittle came out as soon everyone else followed, and Rafe came out as Evelyn smiled.
Rafe stared sadly at Evelyn as he carried out a coffin holding Danny, and Evelyn knew something had happen.
They soon went over to her and soon hugged Rafe.
"When the action is over and we look back we understand both war and less."
Later, Evelyn was given a medal.
"This much is certain. Before the Doolittle Raid, America knew nothing but defeat. After it, there was hope and victory. Japan realized for the first time that they could lose and began to pull back. America realized that she would win, and surged forward."
Doris Miller was given a medal and he saluted.
"It was a war that changed America, and the world. Dorie Miller was the first black American to be awarded the Navy Cross."
At the White House, Roosevelt gives Rafe a medal.
"But he would not be the last. He joined a brotherhood of heroes."
Rafe saluted and turns to Doolittle.
"That's for all the raiders." Doolittle said.
Water stirred from a passing ship.
40 feet under, the remains of the USS Arizona wreck lays where she sank. With 1,177 souls that lay inside her hull.
"World War II for us began at Pearl Harbor... and 1,177 men still lie entombed in the battleship Arizona. American suffered... but America grew stronger. It was not inevitable. The times tried our souls...and through the trial, we overcame."
At Twilight's castle, Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire, Soarin and the rest of the Mane 6 and Spike and Starlight gathered. And had a picture frame with Danny.
"To Danny Walker." Twilight said raising a glass of apple cider. "The bravest friend we ever knew."
"To Danny." They all said.
In Tennessee, a little boy stood by a tombstone with flowers.
Rafe and Evelyn watched as she hugged him, and knew a part of Danny was still with them.
And then Rafe went up to the boy.
"Hey, Danny, how'd you like to go flying?" Rafe asked.
Little Danny smiled and pointed to the red biplane as he laughed.
"Come here." Rafe held his son up.
They then walked off.
Later, they were in the air as Rafe flew the plane as Little Danny had flight goggles on as Rafe had an arm around him.
In Dedication to the 2,403 lives lost in the events of the attack
of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
And the 1,177 souls inside the USS Arizona
In honor of Pearl Harbor's 80th anniversary
And 20th anniversary of Michael Bay's 2001 film, Pearl Harbor