Last of World War II’s Doolittle Tokyo Raiders turns 102

FILE - In this April 18, 2015, file photo, two members of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, seated front, and retired Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, seated left, pose for photos after the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II is celebrating his 102nd birthday on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Gary Landers, File) FILE - In this April 18, 2015, file photo, two members of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, seated front, and retired Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, seated left, pose for photos after the presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II is celebrating his 102nd birthday on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Gary Landers, File)

By Associated Press September 7, 2017 2 min read

CINCINNATI (AP) – The last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II celebrated his 102nd birthday on Thursday.

Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. “Dick” Cole has remained active, attending commemorative events in recent years including April ceremonies for the raid’s 75th anniversary at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

“I’m holding together,” Cole said Thursday by telephone, adding with a chuckle: “The only thing is I need a lot of WD-40.”

President Donald Trump called the Ohio native in July as Cole was recovering from a fall, to check on him and thank him for his service.

“It was a nice surprise,” Cole recounted. “He was very polite and cheerful. It was very upbeat.”