Rescued crew members pose in front of the air raid shelter at the 13th Air Station in Wangcun village, Quzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: quzhoufb]

During World War II, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 16 American B-25 bombers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle, conducted a raid on Japan in 1942.

Forced to parachute over China on their way back due to low fuel and other issues, the pilots were aided by Chinese civilians and military. Brutal retaliation from the Japanese ensued, resulting in the tragic loss of 250,000 Chinese lives. 

The stormy night of April 18, 1942, saw co-pilot Robert L. Hite of the 5th plane of the Doolittle Raid landing in Suyuan village, Jiangshan, Quzhou. Mao Guangxiao, a resident in the village, discovered Robert and brought him back to his home.

Unable to communicate verbally, Robert drew a railway line in the sand, using gestures and mimicking train sounds to convey the direction he wanted to go. With the help of Mao, Robert successfully reunited with some of the rescued pilots.

Out of the 75 Doolittle Raiders who landed in China, 64 were successfully rescued, with 51 later returning to the anti-fascist battlefield, marking a miraculous rescue feat in the history of World War II.

The bond forged during this time has led to enduring connections and friendly exchanges between Quzhou and Red Wing, Minnesota, including the establishment of sister city and sister school relationships.

The Doolittle Raiders' Children's Association has furthered people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States by establishing scholarships, organizing essay competitions, and more.