Richard E. Cole papers

Richard (Dick) E. Cole was born in Dayton, Ohio on September 7, 1915. He graduated from Steele High School in 1934. He then worked for periods on a farm in Shelby County, Ohio and at the National Cash Register Company in Dayton. Cole completed two years at Ohio University and then attended Civilian Pilot Training at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio where he received his private pilot's license. He is also a graduate f the State Department Foreign Language Institute, the Air University Air Tactical School, the Air Command and Staff School, and the Armed Forces Staff College.

Cole enlisted in the U.S. Army in November of 1940. After acceptance for Army Air Corps Flying Training he attended Parks Air College, East St. Louis, Illinois and Randolph and Kelly Flying Schools in San Antonio, Texas. Cole was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in July of 1941. He was assigned to the 34th Bombardment Squadron, 17th Bombardment Group stationed at Columbia, South Carolina in February 1942. Cole volunteered and took part in the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, Japan on April 18, 1942. He remained in China until June 1943 flying bombing and transport missions over The Hump.

Cole returned to the United States and was assigned to the Ferry Command. In October 1943 he volunteered for the First Air Commando Group and took part in the aerial invasion of Burma and flew missions in support of General Wingate and the commando ground forces. He then returned to the U.S. in June 1944 and was assigned as a test pilot at the Douglas Aircraft Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Cole was relieved from active duty in January of 1947, but was recalled in June of 1947. He served in the Far East flying administrative and cargo missions. He became jet-qualified and rated as a Command Pilot during peace-time service in Ohio, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, California, and Venezuela. He retired from the service in 1967 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Cole's decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Air Force Commendation Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, and the Chinese Army, Navy, Air Corps Medal Class A 1st Grade.

Cole went into the construction business in Comfort, Texas until his final retirement.

Leona Hughes had known Cole when he attended Ohio University and re-contacted him when the Doolittle Raiders held a reunion in Sarasota, Florida in 1996. Since then she has continued attending the reunions and has passed on materials relating to Cole and the reunions which have been made a part of the collection.