Fort Miles Museum to Host Open House on Doolittle Raid

The Fort Miles Museum at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware is hosting an open house featuring a film and lecture on the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo during World War II. The Saturday, March 25 event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature a lecture by Fort Miles Historical Association President Dr. Gary Wray. The lecture will be accompanied by a film revolving around Delaware native Lt. Col. Dick Cole.

Cole flew with the legendary Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle in the lead B-25 bomber over Tokyo on April 18, 1942.  Autographed copies of Cole’s book, “Dick Cole’s War,” will be available for purchase. In addition, Matt Sager from the Delaware Aviation Museum will discuss the last remaining B-25 aircraft used in the raid, which is located at the Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware.

Activities starting at 10 a.m. will include guided tours through Battery 519, and the museum’s art gallery. Visitors will see the paintings of local artist Paul Rendel. Paul is known for his depictions of World War II aircraft and was a commissioned artist of the United States Air Force. The gallery will also feature paintings completed by Howard Schroeder while he was stationed at Fort Miles , as well as paintings by Abraxas Hudson and Mary Marshall.

The entrance to Battery 519 is reached by walking/biking through the Fort Miles Museum Artillery Park.

Admission to Battery 519 is $5 per adult or $15 for a family package.  Free for children ages 7 and under accompanied by a paying adult. Seating by ticket only – tickets available in the Fort Miles Gift Shop on a limited, first come, first serve basis. Park fees will be in effect.

The Film & Lecture Series will start at 1 p.m. in the Fort Miles Museum Theater.

For more information, go to the Fort Miles Historical Association website, or call, 302-645-0753.