I was just reading through some stuff on the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo:

"...After dropping their bombs, mainly on or near their intended
targets, Doolittle's sixteen B-25B bombers left Japanese airspace,
essentially unhindered by enemy air interception and anti-aircraft
gunfire. One of them, suffering from excessive fuel consumption, had
no hope of reaching China and so headed for the closer Soviet Maritime
region. After landing north of Vladivostok, this plane and its five
crew members were interned by the then-neutral Soviet authorities. The
crew ultimately returned to the U.S. by way of Iran...."

I'm wondering why they didn't ALL head for Vladivostok... seems a
safer alternative in my mind...

(although I don't know the facts - there may have been a real good
reason for heading to China)

Cheers,
Richard