William S Phillips Aviaition Art from the Greenwich Workshop

"Rising into the Storm" by William S. Phillips

"The Grand Exedition" by William S. Phillips

“They came from our secret base at Shangri-La,” replied President Franklin Delano Roosevelt when asked by reporters where the “land-based” bombers of Lt. Colonel “Jimmy” Doolittle’s raid had originated. In reality, Shangri-La was the USS Hornet and the idea of launching B-25s from an aircraft carrier was the result of determined and superb inter-service conception, planning and execution.

It is now 70 years since the USS Hornet’s loudspeakers blared, “Army pilots man your battle stations for take off!” Task Force 16 had been detected at 7:38 AM April 18, 1942, a staggering 170 miles short of their estimated point of departure, by the Japanese picket boat No. 23 Nitto Maru. The decision was quickly made to launch the attack early. Doolittle’s aircraft, the first to go, roared down and off the deck of the Hornet at 8:20 AM. Fifty-nine minutes later, by 9:19 AM, the sixteenth plane, under the commanded of Lt. W.G. Farrow, was headed towards Japan.

To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of this historic event the five surviving Doolittle Tokyo Raiders will gather at The National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB April 17- 20, 2012. Consider this: of the 80 officers and crew that flew the one-way mission into enemy territory that day, there remain today only enough airmen to man a single B-25.

William S. Phillips’ Rising Into the Storm places us just off the bow of the Hornet seconds after Doolittle’s B-25 has left the deck. The atmosphere moments before had been tense. While two test take-offs from the ship had been performed months earlier off Norfolk, VA, those aircraft were not fully laden with fuel, bombs and crew. Throttles at full power, flaps down and his B-25 straining against its brakes, the plane rattled and roared as Doolittle waited for the release from the flag man.

When the signal was given, it was timed so that the carrier would be surging up on the crest of a wave as Doolittle’s plane left the deck. The joint velocity of the aircraft, ship and headwind pushed 50 knots. As Doolittle cleared the bow, a wind blast combined with the nose-high attitude they practiced, shot his Mitchell bomber sharply up in the air. He leveled out before stalling just as the mighty Hornet crashed back into the sea.

At his side sat Lt. Richard E. Cole, his co-pilot and one of the co-signers of the 70th Anniversary Commemorative Editions of Rising Into the Storm. Time has been kind and granted you the opportunity to own an authentic piece of Doolittle Raider history. These editions, beautiful works of art unto themselves, become historical documents when signed by the actual Raiders attending their 70th reunion in Dayton, OH. Rising Into the Storm has been counter-signed by the following:


Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole Co-pilot of No. 1	Maj. Thomas C. Griffin Navigator of No. 9	Lt. Col. Edward J. Saylor Engineer-Gunner of No. 15	Master Sgt. David J. Thatcher Engineer-Gunner of No. 7	Seaman 1st Class Elmo M. Wojahn USS Hornet	EM-1\C Electrician Allen R. Josey USS Hornet

There are two separate editions of Rising Into the Storm. The Fine Paper Art Edition, to be countersigned by the Raiders attending the 70th Anniversary Reunion, measures 27" x 23 1/2" and is limited to an edition 250. Designed into the border area of this print, along with the real signatures of actual Raid participants, is a complete roster, by plane, of the original Doolittle Raiders. The Fine Art Giclée Canvas is a stunning 36" x 22" and looks and feels like the original work of art. This edition is signed by the Raiders attending the 70th reunion and is limited, in honor of the event, to an edition of 70.

Nearly three quarters of a century ago, 80 men, all volunteers, unhesitatingly climbed aboard their B-25 bombers with the full knowledge that their aircraft did not have the range to land at the friendly airfields the mission design had called for. It is a sense of duty that any service member can relate to; theirs is a job where uncommon acts of valor are common place. Of those original 80 airmen, only five remain. Purchase this piece of history before time passes you by.

Royalties from the sale of these or any other Doolittle Raider Fine Art Editions support the Doolittle Tokyo Raider Scholarship Fund.




MasterWork™ Greenwich Workshop Fine Art Giclée Canvas: Countersigned by attendees of the 70th Anniversary Reunion. limited to 70 s/n. 36"w x 22"h. $650	Greenwich Workshop Fine Art Giclée Paper: Countersigned by attendees of the 70th Anniversary Reunion. limited to 250 s/n. 24" w x 15 1/2" h. $395


For as heralded an event in military and aviation history as the Doolittle raid has become, little remains in the way of original documentation of the events leading up to and during the raid. Artist William S. Phillips, in the course of his nearly 30-year relationship with the Raiders, has recreated those moments that would otherwise be lost to history. Click on the images below for additional details. A list of titles is below.
Historical Chronology: Alameda Bound (to come) Approaching the Gate to Destiny (to come) Toward the Setting Sun Rising to the Storm I Could Never Be So Lucky Again The Giant Begins to Stir Evasive Action Over Sagami Bay Engagaing the Enemy Westbound: A Date with the General Fuel State Critical—Outcome in Doubt Into the Arms of the Dragon Mission Complete, The Journey Continues	As shown above: (Top row:) Alameda Bound (to come) I Could Never Be So Lucky Again Toward the Setting Sun Rising into the Storm Approaching the Gate to Destiny (to come) (Middle row:) Engaging the Enemy Mission Complete, The Journey Continues Evasive Action Over Sagami Bay (Bottom row:) Into the Arms of the Dragon Westbound: A Date with the General The Giant Begins to Stir Fuel State Critical—Outcome in Doubt


William S. Phillips’ *Rising to the Sun* was signed at the 70th reunion by the four Raiders in attendance . . .
	Richard E. Cole, Colonel Co-Pilot Crew 1 Cole was the co-pilot of Doolittle’s plane and the first off of the Hornet’s deck, around 0800 (8:00 am ship time) April 18, 1942. Close to 1330 (1:30 pm ship time), they dropped their first bombs on Tokyo. They continued on toward China. At 2120 (9:20 pm ship time) after 13 hours in the air and having covered nearly 2,250 miles, Cole and the rest of his crew bailed out over China. Cole enlisted November 22, 1940. He completed pilot training and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, July, 1941. Cole remained in China-Burma-India until June, 1943 and served again in the China-Burma-India Theater from October, 1943 until June, 1944. Cole was relieved from active duty in January, 1947 but returned to active duty in August, 1947. He was Operations Advisor to Venezuelan Air Force from 1959 to 1962. His peacetime service included posts in Ohio, North Carolina and California. Cole rated as Command Pilot. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and the Chinese Army, Navy and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.

	Edward Joseph Saylor, Major Engineer Crew 15 Saylor’s plane was nicknamed TNT and bombed an aircraft factory and dock yards of Kobe. He and all his crew escaped injury when they ditched near an island west of Sangchow, China. Lt. T.R. White, M.D., who flew with Saylor, would amputate the leg of the Ruptured Duck’s Lt. Lawson in China. Saylor enlisted December 7, 1939 and served throughout World War II in enlisted status both stateside and overseas until March, 1945. Saylor accepted a commission in October, 1947 and served as Aircraft Maintenance Officer at bases in Iowa, Washington, Labrador and England. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Chinese Army, Navy and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.

	Thomas Carson Griffin, Major Navigator Crew 9 Griffin was navigator on the Whirling Dervish. After a smooth take off and bomb run over the Kawasji truck and tank factory in Tokyo the crew headed for China. They bailed out about 100 miles south of Poyang Lake. Griffin entered service on July 5, 1939 as Second Lieutenant, Coast Artillery, but requested relief from active duty in 1940 to enlist as a Flying Cadet. He was rated as a navigator and re-commissioned on July 1, 1940. After the Tokyo Raid, Griffin served as a navigator in North Africa until he was shot down and captured by the Germans on July 3, 1943. Griffin remained a POW until release in April, 1945. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Chinese Army, Navy and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.

	David J. Thatcher, Staff Sergeant Engineer-Gunner Crew 7 Thatcher flew on Lt. Lawson’s Ruptured Duck. On take-off, the plane’s flaps were not extended and the plane seemed as if it would fall into the water. They recovered and went on to bomb an industrial section of Tokyo. He was the only member of his crew not seriously injured when his plane crashed in the water short of the beach on which they were trying to land. Thatcher’s exploits can be read in detail in Lawson’s Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. Thatcher enlisted December 3, 1940. After the Tokyo Raid, he served in England and Africa until January, 1944. Thatcher was discharged from active duty in July, 1945. His decorations include the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Chinese Army, Navy and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.

	Allen R. Josey EM-1\C Electrician USS Hornet

	Elmo M. Wojahn Seaman 1st Class USS Hornet

The time itself is closing the door on your opportunity to own an authentic piece of Doolittle Raid history. The story of the Doolittle Raiders’ Goblets drives that point home.

There are 80 silver goblets, one each for the 80 men who flew on the Doolittle Raid against Japan. After this year’s 69th reunion, only the five belonging to the surviving Raiders will remain upright in their cabinet, while seventy-five will be turned upside down, each representing one of the Doolittle airmen that has passed away. Over the years, these goblets have taken a highly symbolic place in the history of military aviation.

When the five remaining aviators gather in Omaha in a few short weeks, they will conduct their somber "Goblet Ceremony." Each Raider that has passed since their last reunion will be formally toasted and his goblet will be turned upside down. This year, Col. William Bower, Col Frank A. Kappeler, Captain Charles John Ozuk will be remembered. Each goblet has the Raider's name engraved twice—so that it can be read if the goblet is right side up or upside down.

A bottle of Hennessy Very Special Cognac from the year of Doolittle’s birth, vintage 1896, is reserved for when only two Raiders remain. When that time comes, those two men will drink the final toast to their departed comrades from that bottle.

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the current home of the 80 silver goblets. The goblets were a gift to the Raiders from the city of Tucson, Arizona, presented to Doolittle during a Raiders' reunion in that city in 1959. Later that year Doolittle turned them over to the United States Air Force Academy during halftime of the Air Force-Colorado University football game.

The Goblets travel to each Raider reunion, guarded by a pair Cadets from the Air Force Academy. The portable display case used to transport them to the reunions was built in 1973 by Richard E. "Dick" Cole, Doolittle’s copilot during the raid.

About William S. Phillips

“Aviation was my first artistic love,” says William S. Phillips, “but my true, enduring love remains my Christian faith, home and family. So it is my pleasure to combine all of it in my work. The historical aviation subjects, I research; the contemporary and nostalgic subjects, I live.” Phillips grew up loving art but never thought he could make it his livelihood. At college he majored in criminology and he had been accepted into law school when four of his paintings were sold at an airport restaurant. That was all the incentive he needed to begin his work as a fine art painter. Bill Phillips is now the aviation artist of choice for many American heroes and the nostalgic landscape artist of choice for many collectors. Bill’s strengths as a landscape painter are what gave him an edge in the aviation field: respect and reverence for a time and place. When one sees his aviation pieces, thoughts are about the courageous individuals who risked their lives for our freedom. In Bill’s nostalgic works, the viewer understands fully what that freedom is . . . the precious values that make life worth living. After one of his paintings was presented to King Hussein of Jordan, Phillips was commissioned by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. He developed sixteen major paintings, many of which now hang in the Royal Jordanian Air Force Museum in Amman. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum presented a one-man show of Phillips’ work in 1986; he is one of only a few artists to have been so honored. In 1988, Phillips was chosen to be a U.S. Navy combat artist. For his outstanding work, the artist was awarded the Navy’s Meritorious Public Service Award and the Air Force Sergeants Association’s Americanism Medal. In 1991, three of Phillips’ works were chosen as part of the top 100 in “Art for the Parks,” the prestigious annual fund-raiser for the National Park Service, and one painting received the “Art History Award” from the National Park Foundation.