PENDLETON Remembering the Doolittle raiders

The gala is in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Doolittle Raids.

Led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle and featuring a group of soldiers stationed in Pendleton, the 80 members of the Army Air Corps’ 17th Bombardment Squadron, the “Doolittle Raiders,” flew a one-way bombing mission to Japan in response to the Pearl Harbor attacks, boosting American morale. All the planes landed in hostile territory. Eight men were killed in action or executed as prisoners of war, while many others were tortured and starved throughout the length of the war.

Armondo Borboa was researching the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor when he learned that the Doolittle Raiders were also celebrating their diamond jubilee.

“It takes a special kind of bravery to know that you’re not coming back to safety,” Borboa said about the Doolittle mission.

Borboa is a staff sergeant with the Oregon National Guard 3-116 CAV Battalion based in La Grande and is the unit’s public affairs representative.

Over the course of his research, Borboa also learned that the 3-116 is in the same brigade as the Bravo Company, 168 Aviation Regiment, which occupies the Pendleton National Guard Armory.

These connections spurred Borboa to begin planning an event to commemorate the Doolittle Raiders in Pendleton, originally planned as a more intimate ceremony that involved 50 people.

When Borboa began making calls to begin organizing the event, it didn’t stay small for long.

“Every time we talked with somebody, they told us, ‘I want to be part of that,’” he said.

The Doolittle Raiders Gala is now an all-day event celebrating World War II veterans.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the gala will be free to the public and feature family-friendly activities like a classic car show, historical re-enactments, screenings of the documentary “WWII in a Wild West Town,” a B-25 bomber and more.

There will be an official military presentation and a laying of the wreath for the Doolittle Raiders from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are required for the dinner and show portion of the gala, which Borboa promised would be blend of an old-fashioned USO show and interactive entertainment.

“It’s going to be personal,” he said. “It’s not going to be people just sitting and clapping to the show.”

Of the 80 men who were involved in the raids, only one veteran — 101-year-old Lt. Col. Richard Cole of Texas — is alive today.

Although Cole will be unable to attend the gala, Borboa said it does have support from the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the 555th Parachute Infantry Association. Members of each organization are expected to attend.

The 555th, colloquially known as the “Triple Nickles,” were an all-black team of smoke jumpers that responded to fires across the West during World War II and spent six months training in Pendleton.

While the gala is a one-day tribute to Pendleton’s role in World War II, the Pendleton Air Museum wants to make that tribute permanent.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the museum, which is looking to find a permanent home for its collection.

Becky Dunlap is the owner of Airport Antiques and a member of the Pendleton Air Museum board.

Dunlap said visitors often visit her store, itself a converted air base mess hall, often ask if there’s a museum to visit at the Eastern Oregon Airport or at the armory. Dunlap pointed to a World War II-era uniform hanging in her store and said that the museum had no place to properly display it.

Gala visitors will get their chance to contribute to Pendleton Air Museum cause.

While the museum will accept donations throughout the event, attendees that donate $250 can ride on the B-25 bomber.

Dinner tickets can be bought at brownpapertickets.com or in person at Community Bank’s Pendleton branch.

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Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836.