THE SHANGRI-LA RAIDERS, APRIL 2, 1942

Today, April 2, 2021, marks the 79th anniversary of the beginning of one of the most remarkable adventures in U.S. military history: the bombing raid on Tokyo, Japan, led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. The attack, battling horrendous odds against its success, became legendary in the annals of WWII history.

Bombs were not actually dropped until April 18, 1942, but the warships responsible for getting the raiders as close to Imperial Japan as possible made their way out of fog-streaked San Francisco Bay on April 2.  The USS Hornet, carrying Doolittle’s sixteen B-25s, cruised beneath the Golden Gate Bridge just after 11 a.m.  Many aboard the ship wondered if they’d ever see the iconic bridge again.

The raiders reached their target, but things came apart at the seams after that.  Although most of the airmen survived, only one of the planes did.  All the others crashed or crash landed in China.  It was there the most harrowing part of this stunning saga took place.

My second novel in the When Heroes Flew series, The Shangri-La Raiders is set against this unforgettable adventure.  It’s a captivating tale of bravery, determination, and—in a war-torn nation—an unlikely romance. 

It will be released July 13.  If you enjoyed my MWSA Gold Medal winner, When Heroes Flew, please consider putting The Shangri-La Raiders on your summer reading list.