Doolittle Raiders Memorial Toast
April 17, 2026
5:45 p.m. ET
AFA's Doolittle Leadership Center is thrilled to once again present the Doolittle Raiders Memorial Toast.
Continuing a decades-long Air Force tradition started by AFA's founding president Gen. Jimmy Doolittle and his fellow Raiders in 1945, Air Force and Space Force units and AFA members around the world will raise a glass to the 84th anniversary of the legendary Doolittle Raid and the Raiders' enduring warfighting spirit, bravery, and innovation.
Toastmaster
Gen. Dan Caine
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Featuring
Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
How to Participate
We will be livestreaming the event right here on AFA.org and on AFA's YouTube channel, so that you or your organization can toast along with us from anywhere in the world. The ceremony will begin at 5:45 p.m. ET and last for 40-45 minutes.
Host an Event
Your organization, chapter, or unit can join us from wherever you are. Use our guide to organize your own Toast.
Share Photos
Share photos and videos from your event with us so we can include them on social media, in Air & Space Forces Magazine, and more.
Honor a Hero
Your gift of $25 or more will directly support the Doolittle Leadership Center, which trains leaders to have the same courage and innovation as the Raiders.
FAQ
How can I participate in the Doolittle Raiders Toast?
AFA will be livestreaming the event on AFA's YouTube channel so that you or your organization can toast along with us from anywhere in the world. The livestream will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and last for 40-45 minutes.
The ceremony livestream time doesn't work for me. Can I still access the Toast?
The Doolittle Leadership Center will post the recorded livestream on AFA's YouTube channel as soon as the event is over. Feel free to use the recording in your own ceremony or on its own.
What does the ceremony entail?
The ceremony will begin at 5:45 p.m. ET with an invocation. A presentation commemorating all 80 Doolittle Raiders will culminate in the traditional Toast. Check back soon for more details.
Are there instructions for how I or my group can prepare for participating?
Yes! Please download this PDF explaining the traditional requirements and wording for the Doolittle Raiders Toast. We recommend using Hennessy Cognac, Jimmy's favorite, for the Toast itself.
My organization already has plans for the commemorating the Toast. Can I still be involved?
Yes! We encourage using our livestream or recording in your own ceremony. We will provide the basics—historical background, an invocation, a listing of the Raiders according to bomber crew, and the traditionally worded Toast presented by our toastmaster—but we encourage more detailed, unique traditions to live on in your organization or unit.
