Sergeant Douglas V. Radney

Douglas v. Radney was the son of Isaac T. Radney and Margereth A.  Radney. He had one sister, Autie Radney (Rook). The couple had 3 children.

We mention that the couple (his parents) lost a son born 1 february 1922 and the infant son died on 3 february 1922. The boy was named Radney. The infant son was buried at the Hope Cementary in Mineola, Texas.

 Douglas V. Radney married Mary Jane Radney on 7 july 1943.

In the book of George Nolta - The Doolittle Raiders - What Heroes Do after the War - on page 38 we read that Doug send his girlfriend and later wife Mary Jane a letter with a secret note, infact a very small part of Tennyson's famous poem (see below) Crossing the Bar which said ;

 Sunset and evening star, and one clear call from me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

when I put out at the sea.

As Doug  was training for the Doolittle Raid, it was a secret mission, Doug always told Mary Jane to let her know when he was going overseas. When reading this part of Doug's letter, Mary Jane was immediately convinced that Doug was about to depart on his secret mission. However she had no idea were he was going.

Also in the book we read that Doug asked his friend Paul Leonard (also an engneer/ gunner - crew 1) to buy him a ring. Paul did. Doug sent the ring to his girlfriend Mary Jane. It was not possible for Doug to leave the base to buy the ring himself as he and others were in isolation and were not allowed to leave the base due to the classified nature of the mission he was training for. It was different for Paul Leonard. He was Doolittle's personal helper and Paul Leonard was a regular visitor to town as a result. Doug mailed the ring to Kansas were Mary Jane lived by that time. 

4 months after the Doolittle Raid Mary Jane was told that Doug survived the raid on Tokyo  by Paul Leonard. 

The book of George Nolta - The Doolittle Raiders - What Heroes Do after the War - ISBN - 978-0-7643-5614-8

Doug's his Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:
For extraordinary achievement while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on April 18, 1942. First Lieutenant Miller volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on Lieutenant Miller and the military service. Taken from : http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=376

Inducted in the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame on 9 November 2001. 

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