I sent the following message by email to Mr. Wilma and think it should be posted here on the form.
 
Good evening Mr. Wilma -

I read your comment on "2242" (B-25 than landed near Vladivostok, Russia 18 April 1942.)

Off and on, over the last 20 years I have researched several unexplained elements about the mission.  I got to know the navigator and gunner before they passed away.  I had a long discussion with Ski York's son before he passed away (AFA graduate and later practiced law in Colorado).  C.V. Glinnes and I have discussed York's actions and all have come to the same conclusion - York was given a deniable order to fly into the Primosky Krai.  Glimmes told me Doolittle gave a big hint that there was a secret mission given to him.  The knowledge of internal Soviet facilities and capabilities was very limited.  At the time Washington was operating with intel provided by a Chinese spy that Japan was about to bomb the Vladivostok area.

The military attaches in Moscow had less freedom of movement than York's crew.  (Reference Guest of the Kremlin, by R. Emmons, Co-Pilot on the mission.)  Something you might find interesting is Stalin was paranoid about the US.  We had essentially invaded Russia twice following WWI.  Murmansk with British 1919 and later Vladivostok for where we staid and build military facilities for over two years.  The thought that Stalin would not have wanted US forces in the Soviet Union at that time for fear of pulling the tigers tail - Japan - does not hold water.  Stalin had aircraft pilots and advisors helping the Nationalist Chinese fight the Japanese.  In fact at one of the dinners honoring Doolittle before he returned to the US after the raid Soviet advisors were among the guest.

There is more to the story with many interesting twist.

Cheers,

Steve Leavell
925.381.9999

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Since I first read "30 Seconds" in elementary school I was curious about the flight of "2242". Why did those guys go north and no one else? Internment in the Soviet Union was certainly preferable to bailing at night over the Chinese wilderness and it should have occurred to one of the other crews. 
 
It is no surprise that Stalin was suspicious of the U.S., particularly with a capitalist like Roosevelt as president (even though FDRs policies toward the USSR were open). Stalin was afraid of everyone.
 
Key to the story is York's and/or other crew's qualifications as intelligence agents. I have forgotten, was there anything in York's background that would attract Doolittle? Wasn't there a former military attache aboard the Hornet?
 
Although I was/am cautious about attributing the landing in Vlad as part of an intelligence mission I would offer these ideas in support of the theory:
 
- U.S. intelligence gathering was casual at best in those days. Tasking a "civilian" with an intelligence mission was typical. Consider the whole American Volunteer Group project in China.
 
-Knowledge of the SU and particularly the Soviet Far East was critical to prosecuting the war against Germany. The supply line across the Pacific to Vlad dates back to the First World War and promised to be an important lifeline for Stalin (my own father delivered P-39s to the Sovs in Montana and Alaska in '43 and '44)
 
-Five GIs killing time in Vlad could learn a lot. As it worked out, they took the train (didn't they?) to Iran which would have given them an idea of the quality of the rail net.