Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Not long after Pearl Harbor, Lt. Col. James Doolittle assembles two dozen B-25 crews at Eglin Field, Florida. Among them are Ted Lawson and his crew, and Lawson's wife Ellen joins him at the base. The volunteers prepare for a secret, high-risk mission despite the option to decline, showing their resolve.

The crews are trained to take off from a runway only 500 feet long by a naval aviator from Pensacola. They practice under demanding conditions, testing their nerve for the unorthodox attack. The atmosphere is tense but determined.

Doolittle briefs the crews that their mission is to bomb Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, and Nagoya. They will launch from the carrier Hornet about 400 miles from Japan and land in Chinese Nationalist areas afterward. The plan details their flight path and regrouping in Chungking.

The bombers are loaded aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Doolittle informs the men of the mission and the plan to launch from sea. They must strike Japan and then reach designated spots in China after the raid. The crew steels themselves for a bold, dangerous attack.

Doolittle leads the raid, dropping incendiary bombs to mark targets for the others. The Ruptured Duck arrives over Tokyo, finding some targets already burning and encountering little resistance. Anti-aircraft fire bursts harmlessly around them as they press on toward China.

The Ruptured Duck runs low on fuel as darkness and bad weather close in. Lawson tries a belly landing on a beach and crashes in the surf. With the other crew members injured, they push on through the perilous journey toward Chinese-held territory.

Friendly Chinese soldiers help the Americans as they are escorted through Japanese-occupied territory. They face hunger, pain, and the constant risk of discovery, with no medical supplies to ease their injuries. The group endures harsh conditions while awaiting rescue.

Doc White volunteers to amputate Lawson's leg above the knee, as there is no surgeon available. The anesthesia wears off too soon, and Lawson grapples with excruciating pain before losing consciousness. He dreams of Ellen as he endures the ordeal.

The elder Dr. Chung takes the wounded toward his hospital, about 19 miles away, offering hope where medical care is scarce. He warns that one crew has been captured and that Japanese search parties are moving into the area. The Americans carry on, clinging to the chance of reaching safety.

Chung presents Lawson with an heirloom bracelet for his wife Ellen, which confuses Lawson because he cannot recall speaking about her. The gesture links his struggle to a future home and a sense of duty to stay alive. He begins to recover, aided by the makeshift medical care.

General Doolittle visits Lawson in the hospital and assigns him work to do, keeping him engaged despite his injury. Lawson wants a prosthetic leg first but resolves to contribute in any way he can. Plans to regroup and return home grows as word of rescue options emerges.

Ellen arrives unannounced at the hospital, sparking a powerful emotional moment. Lawson hesitates, wanting to wait for a proper prosthetic, but their embrace breaks through the tension. The reunion strengthens his resolve to push through the rehabilitation.

A chorus of Scouts singing The Star-Spangled Banner in Mandarin fills the hospital, celebrating Lawson's first day out of bed. The moment emphasizes friendship with the local Chinese people and the shared hope of survival. The sound carries a sense of uplift amid hardship.

The elder Dr. Chung's hospital stay and the bracelet gift stand as symbols of resilience. His continued aid deepens the bond between Americans and Chinese locals during the ordeal. The community's kindness becomes a quiet anchor for the wounded crew.

With Ellen by his side and a path home ahead, Lawson's reunion signals a hopeful end. They prepare for the long road back to the United States, carrying memories of sacrifice and the promise of normal life. The film closes on a note of resilience and look toward the future.