Memorials Remind Airmen of Raider Heritage

  • Published
  • By Airman Quentin K. Marx
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  The 28th Force Support Squadron unveiled memorials inside the Raider Café at Ellsworth AFB, Jan. 24.

The purpose of the Doolittle Raider and the B-1B Lancer Crash Site Memorials is to remind Airmen about Raider heritage and preserve history.

The Doolittle Raider memorial shows pictures of Lt. Col. James "Jimmy" Doolittle and his squadron with the aircraft, the B-25 "Mitchell," used during the April 18, 1942 Doolittle Raid, a brief description of the pictures and the four squadrons' patches that were responsible for the Raid. The memorial also highlights what the aircrews accomplished during the raid, to include those lost during it.

"l don't like things to be forgotten, especially when it comes to history, and I felt like the Raiders were being left in the past since a lot of Airmen don't know the history of the base," said Airman 1st Class Jalen Mackall, a 28th FSS food services journeyman.

The B-1B Lancer Crash Site Memorial shows the support Ellsworth Services employees provided at the Montana B-1B Lancer Crash Site Sept. 19 through Nov. 3, 1997. The employees provided food and water to response members helping with the crash site continuously for three months, with them staying at the crash site in tents to help with the mission.

"Not many people know about this piece of history, and how the service members and civilians help in emergency situations," said Staff Sgt. Jan Vincent Pilapil, the 28th FSS training and production manager at the Raider Café. "Services play a big role in the Air Force mission, and I wanted to remind everyone that we do so much more than just serve food at the Café."