By Jim Miklaszewski, Correspondent, NBC News

DAYTON, Ohio -- In April 1942, the United States was still reeling from the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military was desperate to strike back, and the American people were in search of a hero.  The legendary Jimmy Doolittle and his Tokyo Raiders answered the call.

As a boy, 98-year-old Dick Cole of Comfort, Texas, dreamed of becoming a military combat pilot.  When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor he was already a pilot in the Army Air Corps, but when he volunteered for an unspecified “dangerous mission” he soon found himself in the cockpit as Jimmy Doolittle’s copilot.  The mission: an air raid over Tokyo.  A mission so dangerous, Doolittle gave his men the chance to back out.

“But nobody jumped ship, nobody backed out,” Cole told NBC News. “You were in to stay.”

The mission itself sounded impossible.  Without any advance testing or training, 16 full-sized B-25 bombers with a total of 80 crew members were to take off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.  When airborne they would skim the water at 200 feet to avoid radar, fly over Japan and drop their bombs on Tokyo and five other industrial centers.  Since the B-25’s could not land on the carrier, they were to fly to China to land in friendly territory.  

The bombing run was a success, but the Raiders encountered a severe storm front on approach to China. Hearing the planes overhead, the Chinese military feared they were Japanese warplanes and ordered a total blackout on the ground.  Flying blind in a storm, and running out of fuel, the American crews bailed out of their planes.  Three crew members were killed and almost all the 16 bombers crash-landed in China.  Today Cole admits he was slightly injured when he bailed out.  

“I pulled the ripcord so hard I gave myself a black eye,” he said. 

While the U.S. airstrikes did little lasting damage to the Japanese military infrastructure, American officials at the time declared it was a huge moral victory.  They felt it dramatically demonstrated Japan was vulnerable -- and following Pearl Harbor it gave the American people a much-needed shot in the arm.

This Veteran’s Day weekend, however, has been bittersweet for Cole and the three other Doolittle Tokyo Raiders who are still alive today: Robert Hite, 93, Edward Saylor, 93, and David Thatcher, 92.  For 68 years they have gathered to raise a toast to all Raiders who died before them.  Each Doolittle Raider has his name inscribed upon his own silver goblet, which is turned over upon death. 

Because of their age, the four living Raiders decided this would be their last toast.  At Doolittle’s wish, they used a bottle of cognac, distilled in 1896, the year of Doolittle’s birth.  Thousands turned out at the National Air Force Museum outside Dayton, Ohio, to honor them.

For Cole, this was the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders' final mission.  

“The story has run its course," he said, marking the end of a long tradition. "It’s time to tie things up and ride off into the sunset.” 

Slideshow: Typhoon Haiyan batters Philippines

Aaron Favila / AP

One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines, with huge waves sweeping away entire coastal villages and devastating the region's main city.

Launch slideshow

Typhoon Haiyan affected a total of 9.5 million people across the Philippines -- and displaced at least 600,000 -- when it slammed into the country on Friday, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Survivors were described as being in desperate need of clean drinking water and food.

"In some cases the devastation has been total," Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras told a news conference. 

Haiyan is estimated to have destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path as it tore into the coastal provinces of Leyte and Samar.

The United States said it is fully committed to helping the Philippines recover, and is providing $20 million in immediate aid, but the need is massive.

The organizations listed below are deploying urgent relief efforts on the islands. See how you can help:

The American Red Cross has launched a family tracing service among other aid operations. If you are unable to reach a family member in the Philippines, you can contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross to initiate a tracing case. Representatives added that it has deployed two people to assist with assessments in the Philippines. It asks those who want to support relief efforts to mail a check to their local American Red Cross chapter, with "Philippines Typhoons and Flood" in the memo line. Go to redcross.org for local chapter information or redcross.org.ph to donate directly to the Philippine Red Cross.

The Philippine Red Cross said it has mobilized teams on the ground to help with rescue and relief operations. Click the link to learn more.

UNICEF is taking donations to help provide children with shelter, clean water, nutrition and vaccines. Representatives said its staff in the Philippines is being repositioned to help in relief efforts and 66 tons of emergency supplies are being sent from Copenhagen. An airlift set to arrive on Tuesday will include water purification systems, storage equipment and sanitation supplies. Donations can be made to UNICEF at unicef.org/support.

World Food Programme (WFP), a United Nations organization, said it will send more than 40 tons of high energy biscuits and work with the Filipino government to help with logistics and emergency communications systems. Representatives said they have allocated $2 million for the disaster response and officials joined an assessment mission to survey damage in Leyte and Samar provinces. It asks for donations at www.wfpusa.org or by texting the word AID to 27722 to instantly donate $10.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has launched a $10 million appeal and sent an emergency team to Manila who have already started to work on the ground. For more information, visit www.rescue.org.

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) has organized teams of doctors, nurses, surgeons, psychologists, water and sanitation experts and other specialists to respond to the typhoon’s aftermath. The organization is also dispatching nine cargo planes loaded with tons of water, sanitation and medical supplies. The humanitarian cargo includes medical kits for treating the wounded, equipment for medical consultations, tetanus vaccines, relief items such as tents and hygiene kits, water and sanitation equipment and, if needed, an inflatable hospital, said spokesman Tim Shenk. Some of the group’s medical teams were already in place in Cebu Tuesday, but blocked roads, a damaged airport and bad weather have made access to affected areas particularly difficult. Click the link to see how you can help. 

Save the Children is also mounting disaster relief efforts to help children and families in the region with emergency assistance.

Catholic Relief Services is accepting donations on its website as it begins moving supplies and staff to respond to the typhoon.

World Vision said it will provide food and water to those in evacuation shelters. Representative said it is putting together resources to assist 1.2 million people, including food, hygiene kits, emergency shelter and protection. It asked for one-time donations to be made at worldvision.org.

Habitat for Humanity plans to offer shelter repair kits for families who need to re-build their damaged houses.

Operation USA said it will allocate donations directly to relief and recovery efforts.

National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) has created a disaster relief fund for victims in the Philippines.

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has begun collecting donations for relief efforts. To contribute, go to www.jdc.org or call 212-687-6200.

Mercy Corps is accepting donations on its website as emergency responders move food, water, shelter and other supplies to the region.

ChildFund International has been in the Philippines since 1954. The organization is distributing clean water, food and other household items to victims of the typhoon. It is in the process of setting up child-centered spaces in evacuation centers to provide counsel and relief to children and families affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan.

International Medical Corps deployed an emergency response team of medical personnel and sanitation experts to the Philippines to and is accepting donations through their website in order to ship medicine, clean water and food. They are also asking for $10 donations by texting MED to 80888. Infection control is a priority “to keep those already healthy, healthy,” and “medical and social interventions are needed,” to help those who have been injured and displaced,” said Noel Miranda, leader of the Philippines team. 

The Salvation Army is also asking for $10 donations by text. One hundred percent of money donated by sending TYPHOON to 80888 or through their website will be used to sort, ship and distribute donated goods.

Direct Relief has shipped 1.5 tons of medicine, nutritional supplements and first aid supplies to the Philippines and hope to ship more with the help of donations through their website. They have also partnered with Team Rubicon, a veterans’ disaster response organization, who is helping Direct Relief drop off portable kits to displaced survivors.

Apple has created an option in the iTunes Store allowing iTunes customers to donate, and iTunes will transfer 100 percent of donations to the American Red Cross. Donor support will provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. 

Google has also launched a person finder.

AT&T and Verizon are offering free calls and texts to the Philippines for customers trying to contact friends and family there in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

This story was originally published on Tue Nov 12, 2013 7:00 PM EST

GENEVA — In the strongest sign yet that the first phase of a nuclear deal with Iran may be near, Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Geneva on Friday, joining three of his international counterparts who also arrived unexpectedly: British Foreign Secretary William Hague, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

After his arrival, Kerry cautioned that "there is not an agreement at this point in time."

"I want to emphasize there are still some very important issues on the table that are unresolved. It is important for those to be properly, thoroughly addressed," he said. "We hope to try to narrow those differences, but I don't think anybody should mistake that there are some important gaps that have to be closed."

The sudden arrival of so many of the world's top officials sparked a high level of anticipation in Geneva, with increased security, including bomb-sniffing dogs, and an influx of the world's media.

The dignitaries are all expected to meet with Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. While the State Department says Kerry came to Geneva "in an effort to help narrow the differences in negotiations," it appears an initial agreement is virtually a done deal.

Negotiators worked late into the night Thursday night, in advance of Kerry's arrival. And both a senior U.S. official and Iran's foreign minister have said a deal could be signed Friday.

To be clear, this would only be the first step of a comprehensive nuclear deal still to be hammered out.

It would, however, be a significant step. While full details aren't yet known, a senior U.S. official said the deal would reign in advancements in Iran's nuclear program in return for a "limited" and "reversible" easing of economic sanctions.

Ann Curry / NBC News

Secretary of State John Kerry arrives at Geneva's InterContinental Hotel for Iran nuclear talks.

Zarif told NBC News there will be political fallout in both Iran and the U.S., if this first step is indeed signed in the coming hours. 

Already Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has warned for years that Iran is close to having a bomb, is alarmed enough to call the deal being negotiated here "a historic mistake."  

On Friday, he released a video expressing his strong feelings against the deal. 

"Israel is not obliged by this agreement and Israel will do everything it needs to do to defend itself and the security of its people," Netanyahu told reporters after meeting with Kerry in Jerusalem.

President Barack Obama called Netanyahu Friday to discuss Iran, the White House said, and "underscored his strong commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, which is the aim of the ongoing negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran."

Israel, which accuses Tehran of seeking to build atomic weapons, has repeatedly warned it might strike Iran if it doesn't halt its Iran hopes to get a break at the talks from crippling international sanctions that have caused its economy to collapse. The U.S. has said world powers will consider relaxing some sanctions if Iran takes visible steps to limit its nuclear program.

Israel has called for the sanctions to stay until Iran has dismantled its entire uranium enrichment program. 

"I understand that the Iranians are walking around very satisfied in Geneva — as well they should be, because they got everything and paid nothing," Netanyahu said, Reuters reported.

President Obama said sanctions, which have been imposed since 2006, could be slightly eased in the early stages of negotiating a broad deal.

"There is the possibility of a phased agreement in which the first phase would be us ... halting any advances on their nuclear program ... and putting in place a way where we can provide them some very modest relief, but keeping the sanctions architecture in place," he said in an interview with NBC News' Chuck Todd.

Kerry flew to Geneva hours after meeting with Netanyahu. In Geneva, Iran and six world powers will hold negotiations: the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the U.S., Russia, China, France and Britain — plus Germany.

From Israel, Kerry said Washington would not make a "bad deal, that leaves any of our friends or ourselves exposed to a nuclear weapons program," according to Reuters.

NBC's Elizabeth Chuck contributed to this report.

Related content:

 EXCLUSIVE: Iran president blames Israel for 'instability,' calls for peace

This story was originally published on Fri Nov 8, 2013 6:21 PM EST

President Obama said Thursday that he is "sorry" that some Americans are losing their current health insurance plans as a result of the Affordable Care Act, despite his promise that no one would have to give up a health plan they liked.

"I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me," he told NBC News in an exclusive interview at the White House.

"We've got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them and we are going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this."

Obama’s comments come 10 days after NBC News’ Lisa Myers reported that the administration has known since the summer of 2010 that millions of Americans could lose their insurance under the law. 

Obama has made repeated assurances that “if you like your health plan, you will be able to keep your health plan” with Obamacare.

Consumers who buy insurance on their own — about  five percent of the population — are at risk of being forced off their current policies because their plans have changed and don’t meet the new standards of the Affordable Care Act.

Obama’s statement has been called into question as Americans have begun to receive cancellation notices, effectively forcing them to enroll in a new plan either with their current insurer or through the government exchanges, in many cases at a higher rate.

Guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services dating back to July 2010 estimated that “40 to 67 percent” of the 14 million consumers in that marketplace could lose their policies due to turnover in the individual insurance market, NBC News found.

That part of the law does not impact the 80 percent of Americans who receive their health insurance through employers or through Medicare or Medicaid.

“Obviously we didn’t do a good enough job in terms of how we crafted the law," Obama said in the interview Thursday. "And, you know, that’s something I regret. That’s something we’re gonna do everything we can to get fixed ... We’re looking at a range of options.”

After the initial NBC News report, the administration insisted that the president did not mislead Americans, arguing that the law could not have accounted for insurers altering existing plans after passage of the law.

Yet earlier this week, Obama tweaked his promise, acknowledging that plans that have been substantially changed since passage of the law would no longer be “grandfathered” into acceptance under the ACA.

“If you had one of these plans before the Affordable Care Act came into law and you really liked that plan, what we said was you can keep it if it hasn't changed since the law passed," he said.

On Thursday, Obama said many of the people being canceled could get better cheaper plans in the marketplaces, but he acknowledged glitches are preventing that.

“The majority of folks will end up being better off," he said. "Of course, because the website not working right they may not know it."

White House spokesman Jay Carney has also argued those being forced to find new plans will receive better quality of coverage.

“What we're talking about here is the five percent in the country who currently purchase insurance on the individual market,” Carney said last month.  “And that market has been like the Wild West. It has been under-regulated, it is the place where Americans have most keenly felt the challenges posed by the insurance system in this country.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Katherine Sebelius acknowledged in a hearing Wednesday that a “majority” of those in the individual market would end up with plans with better coverage while “others will have to choose” an ACA-compliant policy.

In Thursday's interview, Obama defended his health secretary and argued that the website bugs aren't necessarily her fault: "Kathleen Sebelius doesn’t write code. She wasn’t our IT person."

Frustration among even some Democrats supportive of the Obamacare bill boiled over this week as coverage of the dropped plans continued.

Sen. Max Baucus, the Democratic Senate Finance Committee Chairman and a key author of the bill, called the problems “unacceptable” during a hearing at which Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was grilled on Wednesday.

“It has been disappointing to see members of the administration say they didn't see the problems coming,” he said.

House Speaker John Boehner responded to the president’s comments Thursday, saying, “an apology is certainly in order, but what Americans want to hear is that the president is going to keep his promise.”

Pointing to a scheduled House vote next week on a measure that would allow insurance companies to continue policies that don’t meet the ACA's standards, Boehner added, “if the president is sincerely sorry that he misled the American people, the very least he can do is support this bipartisan effort. Otherwise, this apology doesn't amount to anything."

NBC News’ Carrie Dann contributed to this report.

Related: 

• Obamacare website to go offline overnight daily for repairs
• Popular Obamacare provision is causing 'sticker shock' for some
• Obama administration knew millions could not keep their health insurance

Tonight, “NBC Nightly News” profiled Sgt. Kevin Briggs, who has been stationed at the Golden Gate Bridge for more nearly two decades. He is one of the many police, bridge staff, and volunteers who have encountered people contemplating suicide.

Now, after helping more than 200 people, Briggs is retiring from the California Highway Patrol. He says he will dedicate all of his time to suicide prevention.

“Just getting up in the morning is a blessing. Just waking up,” he said.  “And I want people to see that -- to see that it's a gift. Don't throw it away.”

Below, please find online resources for those seeking help.  

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a good place to start for those wanting to learn more about risk factors and warning signs, treatment and the latest research.  

In an emergency, the AFSP recommends contacting the Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or 911. Alternatively, they suggest going to a hospital emergency room or walk-in clinic.  

For help finding a mental health professional, the American Psychiatric Association website can narrow your search for a therapist by location and specialization, among other criteria.

And for veterans, the Defense Suicide Prevention Office provides a military crisis hotline, confidential online chat, and other resources for service members and their families.

By Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Chief Medical Editor, NBC News

It was on a poker hot July afternoon 27 years ago when I drove from Little Rock, Ark., three hours west to the small town of Fort Smith. Just 48 hours earlier, a 16-year-old-girl had delivered a baby and knew throughout the pregnancy that she would be giving the baby up for adoption. That drive and seeing that newborn on June 30, 1986, would turn out to change the trajectory of my life forever. It continues to do so. 

I had no desire to be a mother. I had no interest in parenting. I was a young, 34-year-old cancer surgeon and my career was on fire. My introduction to motherhood wasn't years or months of waiting. I had no maternal longings. I had other things on my mind. I was making a name for myself as a woman in the exclusive men's club of head and neck cancer surgery. My goal was to be the first female chair of an Otolaryngology Department at a prestigious university.

But funny things happen when you envision your life as linear. Out of the clear on a Saturday night I got a call at home from a young family medicine doctor in Fort Smith who heard through his sister, a pharmacist in my hospital, that I did not have any children. He told me that he remembered me from his rotation as a medical student on my surgical service, that I was kind to him, and that I came to mind when he found himself in this particular situation.

He was the doctor taking care of this young, pregnant girl, who never missed a prenatal check-up and usually came to her appointments alone. He had arranged a private adoption with a nice couple who already had a five year old. But at the last minute the family changed its mind. They just didn't feel like going through the diaper stage again. So, he asked me, "Would you be interested in adopting this girl's baby?"

It was a lightning bolt, to say the least, and I asked for some time to think it through. I figured I had time—maybe two weeks?— to sort things out. But I didn't have time. Turns out, my daughter was delivered 48 hours later and a quick call from the hospital about my decision prompted an impulsive and immediate "yes."

Courtesy of Nancy Snyderman

Dr. Nancy Snyderman and infant Kate in 1986.

When I went to the nursery, I saw Kate immediately. I just knew which baby she was and I was right. She was perfect. I must have counted her fingers and toes a thousand times. She had the darkest eyes, a shock of black hair, and all the right holes in all the right places. When I got back to my office at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, my partners had painted an extra office pink, loaded it with a crib and diapers, and my fabulous assistant, Brenda, became an overnight nanny. You couldn't do that today.

As soon as Kate could talk (and that was early) she knew she was adopted. There were no secrets. Over the years I had two other children, Kate’s siblings, Rachel and Charlie. They too have always known that their sister is adopted. While Kate’s mother did not know my identity, I knew the name of Kate's birth mother, Cheryl. I always told Kate that to me, Cheryl was one of the strongest and bravest women I had ever known: so selfless and smart to know that she wasn't equipped to raise a child at the age of 16; so courageous to hold a newborn and then surrender her to a stranger for the hope of a better life.

When Kate was 16, she off-handedly said she wondered who she looked like. What she didn't know was that I had a letter from her birth mother, Kate's sonogram, and a faded Polaroid of Cheryl holding Kate hours after the delivery. I had been waiting for years for a sign to give Kate those papers. To this day, no one has seen them but Cheryl, Kate, and me. But now they belonged to Kate. And in that moment I knew that her quest would start.

Kate Snyderman: The journey to find my birth mother

She wanted to find her birth mother. I remember my words of caution. I told her this was her journey and that I would do nothing to block it. I knew I was her mother and I had no doubt about her love for me. But I also warned her that finding someone is like opening Pandora's box. It could be filled with spiritual presents or demons or disappointments. And she would have no control of the outcome. My second piece of advice was to wait until she was an adult and had some sense of self. Being a teenager is tough enough. And with that I gave her my blessing.

Years passed, web sites scoured, information posted and voila....Kate found her family: Cheryl, two siblings, a niece and nephew. We wondered how to proceed, and initially, the communication was cautious. There was Facebook, then email correspondence and then one day a phone call. On Kate's 27th birthday, I asked her if I could call Cheryl and she said yes. As Kate nervously looked on, I had a short phone call with the woman who changed my life forever. I thanked her 27 times for giving me the opportunity to raise her daughter.

When the idea of meeting came up, I stepped aside and left that to Kate and Cheryl. After all, this was Kate's journey and I didn't want to influence her in any way. It turned out they were all in. We decided to meet in a neutral place, so we all headed to Little Rock the weekend of September 12. I was more anxious than I expected to be.

Cheryl was waiting for Kate in a park. I watched from a distance as Kate tentatively approached this woman who gave her—and me—so much. They paused in awkward silence and then hugged and giggled.

As they sat down to talk, and stare at their facial similarities, I could hear Kate say, "I want to thank you for what you did. And I want you to know I've had a really good life.”

And then she asked her: “Would you like to meet my mom?" 

Fabio Frustaci/EPA

Pope Francis waves to the faithful from a window of the Apostolic Palace during the Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square.

Pope Francis is shaking things up again.

The pontiff with a penchant for surprises is making new waves by launching a survey of his flock on issues facing modern families — from gay marriage to divorce.

Very specific questions are being sent to parishes around the globe in preparation for next year's synod of bishops, a grassroots effort that experts say is unprecedented.

"It's fascinating," said Thomas Groome, a professor of theology at Boston College.

"It's pretty astonishing," agreed Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of the gay Catholic organization DignityUSA.

Vatican watchers say Francis' polling attempt is extraordinary on two levels: first, because it seeks input from rank-and-file Roman Catholics and second, because it touches on issues that might have been considered off-limits in past papacies.

The document sent to every nation's conference of bishops notes that the ancient church and its members are grappling with "concerns which were unheard of until a few years ago."

Same-sex unions, mixed marriages, single-parent families and surrogate mothers are all mentioned in the prelude to a list of questions that get into the nitty-gritty of 21st century life:

• "What pastoral attention can be given to people who live in these types of [same-sex] union?"
• "In the case of unions of persons of the same sex who have adopted children, what can be done pastorally in light of transmitting the faith?"
• "Do [the divorced and remarried] feel marginalized or suffer from the impossibility of receiving the sacraments?"
• "In cases where non-practicing Catholics or declared non-believers request the celebration of marriage, describe how this pastoral challenge is dealt with."

The survey is the latest sign of Francis' willingness to engage ordinary Catholics and promote a less judgmental approach to hot-button social issues.

The Argentine Jesuit elected to the throne of St. Peter in March has drawn widespread praise — and some scattered criticism from conservatives — for his comments about gays, women, atheists and priestly celibacy.

There is nothing in the questionnaire that says he is planning any big changes, and a senior Vatican official said Tuesday that the church remains "loyal to the vision of the family where a man and a woman join together and procreate children."

But Fordham University theology chair Terrence Tilley said the questionnaire does suggest the church might tweak some policies that don't involve doctrine — such as denying the sacraments to Catholics who have divorced and remarried or opening the church to gay couples that want to raise adopted children Catholic.

"I think it demonstrates a grounding in the practical realities of the world," Duddy-Burke said, though she cautioned that the real test is if the Vatican agrees to hear from a diverse range of families at the actual synod.

Groome said it "remains to be seen" if the polling will translate into any action, but he's impressed nonetheless.

"To my knowledge, it's the first time in the history of the magisterium have genuinely attempted to consult the laity," he said.

"At least he's started the conversation," Groome said.

"All of these things have been closed issues and you could be fired for even talking about them. Raising these questions and polling people — it at least signals something other than a closed mind. You have to thank God for small mercies."

NBC News' Claudio Lavanga and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Michael Dalder / Reuters

A previously unregistered painting, thought to be by artist Henri Matisse, is beamed onto a wall at a news conference in Augsburg, Germany on Tuesday.

SALZBURG, Austria -- A trove of Nazi-looted art discovered in a German apartment contains previously unknown works by painters including Henri Matisse, officials said Tuesday.

More than 1,400 paintings, drawings and prints were found – dirty, but undamaged – in what experts say is one of the largest and most significant discoveries of masterpieces plundered by the Nazis, and which could be worth more than $1 billion.

“When you're standing in front of these works, which for a long time were believed to have disappeared or to have been destroyed, it is an incredible feeling of joy,” Meike Hoffman, art historian at Berlin’s Free University, told a news conference in Augsburg, Germany.

“They have an incredible artistic value. Many of the works were not at all known until now," she said, according to Reuters.

Investigators face an enormous and complex task in appraising the works and deciding whether any criminal charges can be brought.

Cornelius Gurlitt, the elderly, reclusive owner of the Munich apartment who was described by neighbors as being “like a ghost,” has disappeared.

Hoffmann said that among the previously unknown paintings was a self-portrait by Dix, in impeccable condition, and probably painted around 1919. A similarly unknown Matisse painting, of a seated female figure that he painted several times, probably dated from the mid 1920s and was confiscated in 1942. 

Michael Dalder / Reuters

Two previously unregistered paintings, thought to be by German artist Otto Dix, are beamed onto a wall at a news conference in Augsburg, Tuesday.

Officials discovered the cache during searches of the Munich apartment in late February and early March 2012. The searches were carried out after Gurlitt, 80, was stopped on a train from Switzerland carrying a large but legal amount of cash.

His father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, was a modern art specialist in the early 20th century. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, recruited Gurlitt to raise cash for the Third Reich by selling art that had been deemed degenerate by Adolf Hitler.

When Hildebrand Gurlitt died, in a traffic accident in 1956, his son inherited the art, apparently unaware of its origin.

German magazine Focus, which broke the story about the existence of the haul, said the works were hidden in darkened rooms in the disheveled, food-littered apartment.

However, Siegfried Kloeble from the Augsburg customs investigation office, told Tuesday’s news conference that the paintings were “professionally stored and in a very good condition."

Augsburg state prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz said there were “concrete indications” that the works were among those stolen by the Nazis and sold by the Third Reich because they were deemed "degenerate” by Adolf Hitler.

Officials declined to put a value on the haul, but Focus said it could be worth $1.35 billion.

It was not clear why German authorities kept last year’s find secret. The British newspaper The Guardian reported that it may be because of diplomatic and legal complications, particularly claims for restitution from around the world.

Meanwhile, neighbors at Gurlitt's dilapidated second home in Salzburg, Austria, said they had not seen the man for two years.

The garden was overgrown and the iron mesh over windows facing the street was rusty.

Neighbor Helmut Ludescher said Gurlitt had lived there for 50 years, but he had not been seen for two years.

"To us, he was like a ghost,” Ludescher said. “The only time you ever saw him was when he was driving by in his car and he didn't even look left or right. We didn't have much contact with him; only once I asked him if he was in fact the owner of this house and he was really grumpy and just said 'I won't give you an answer', entered his car and just drove off."

Ludescher said the rumors in the neighborhood were that he was a painter, but the only activity in the building they ever saw was a small light in a room under the roof.

"We never saw any visitors or friends at the house," Ludescher said, adding that there had not been any visible police activity. "I'm surprised they haven't searched the house," he said. "Maybe there are some more paintings hidden inside."

Marcus Neher, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Salzburg, said there was no current investigation by authorities in Austria into Gurlitt.

"In December 2011 the German authorities approached us for legal assistance in a finance offense case, which was closed due to the low value of the amount," Neher said.

More than 20 percent of the art of Europe was looted by the Nazis under Hitler, and as many as 100,000 works are still thought to be missing, according to the U.S. National Archives.

The allies recovered and cataloged much of the art, which had been stashed by the Germans in churches and other buildings. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower personally inspected some of the stolen treasures after the allied victory.

Slideshow: Art looted by Nazis

More than 20 percent of the art of Europe was looted by the Nazis under Hitler, and as many as 100,000 works are still thought to be missing, according to the U.S. National Archives.

Launch slideshow

Andy Eckardt reported from Mainz, Germany. NBC News' Erin McClam, in New York, and Reuters contributed to this report. 

Related: 474-year-old painting stolen by Nazis given to owner's heirs

The cameras strapped to the skydivers' helmets were supposed to memorialize their perfectly timed jumps and exhilarating descent from two small planes to the earth 12,000 feet below.

John Rodrigo via TODAY

Instead, the footage filmed by five daredevils shows the terrifying moment when the aircraft collided above Wisconsin, flinging parachuters into the air like plastic action figures and sending one plane into a fiery dive across a sunset-lit sky.

Amy Olson via TODAY

The images are heart-stopping: One Cessna suddenly sandwiched atop another; the legs of a jumper dangling over the tail of a plane; a skydiver hanging onto a step like an acrobat before he lets go; a fireball roaring out of one plane as it plunges downward.

The thrill-seekers' helmets also filmed the miraculous aftermath of the crash: one by one, the jumpers landing on the ground, shaken but largely uninjured, and hopping into a truck to gather up the others.

All nine skydivers survived. The only person injured was the pilot of the Cessna that lost its wing. He had on an emergency parachute and escaped through an emergency chute and suffered cuts.

The pilot of the other plane was able to pull out of a dive and land at Richard I. Bong Airport in Douglas County.

Chad Ebling via TODAY

“The outcome for us was as good as it could be,” Mike Robinson, one of the passengers, told NBC News over the weekend.

Robinson, 64, said then that the two single-engine planes were in position for a maneuver called a tracking dive, with one closely following the other.

“The sun was just getting ready to set, it was our last load of the day,” he said Saturday. “It was just a perfect time to be up in the sky.”

There were several passengers in position to jump from an exterior step on each plane when the collision happened. Others were inside but quickly leaped out.

Patricia Roy via TODAY

The video shot by Amy Olson, apparently taken while she was still inside the plane, shows three fellow divers out on the step when the plane below them is suddenly right underneath. They leap as a fireball flashes.

Down below, John Rodrigo looks up to capture the planes pancaked on each other and then the tiny figures of his fellow passengers floating down.

Footage from Chad Ebling's helmet shows two people on the step when the planes hit each other, and then his own legs draped over the tail.

Robinson's camera filmed the crippled plane he left behind as it plunged to the ground — missing a wing.

The cause of the accident is unknown, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The planes were owned by Skydive Superior.

John Rodrigo via TODAY

Robinson told NBC News after the crash that he was the oldest member of the group.

“This was my fourth jump of the day – I have over 900 skydives,” Robinson said.

"I'll remember this one more than most.”

NBC News' Elisha Fieldstadt contributed to this report.

The family of the accused gunman in last week's Los Angeles airport rampage broke their silence Monday to express sympathy for the victims and pledge love and support for the suspect.

In a written statement read by their attorney outside the police station in their New Jersey town, the family of Paul Anthony Ciancia asked for privacy and understanding.

"We, like most Americans, are shocked and numbed by the tragic events of last Friday," the statement said. "We acknowledge the need to understand what happened and why it happened."

They said they had fully cooperated with federal investigators probing the ambush of Transportation Security Administration workers and offered their condolences to the family of slain TSA officer Gerardo Hernandez.

They said their family was also struggling with the aftermath of the attack.

"Paul is our son and brother. We will continue to love him and care for him. We will support him through the difficult times ahead," they said.

Ciancia, 23, is charged with killing a federal officer and committing violence at an international airport — crimes that carry the threat of execution.

Shot in the face by police officers as he roamed the terminal with a semi-automatic rifle, the suspect is in critical but stable condition with injuries to his jaw, mouth and tongue, law-enforcement officers said.

Officials have said Ciancia sent a suicidal text message to his family the morning of the shooting, saying he was thinking of taking his life. They called cops in Pennsville, N.J., who notified the LAPD.

AP Photo/Reed Saxon

Police stand guard in Terminal 2 at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, Nov. 1, 2013. A gunman armed with a semi-automatic rifle opened fire at the airport on Friday, killing a Transportation Security Administration employee and wounding two other people. Flights were disrupted nationwide.

But when officers went to Ciancia's Los Angeles apartment, he wasn't there and his roommates said everything was fine.

Related: Roommate dropped off alleged shooter

Ciancia allegedly entered the secure area of the airport through a gateway normally used by travelers exiting the terminal, pulled a semiautomatic .223 rifle from his duffel bag and opened fire on the unarmed TSA workers.

A criminal complaint said that he walked away, then returned to shoot Hernandez a second time. A passenger was also wounded.

As reported by NBC News, the suspect was carrying anti-government literature outlining an purported conspiracy to create a single global government, possibly prepared by a group known as the "New World Order." A criminal complaint said a note made it clear TSA officials were the target and included a threat to "instill fear in your traitorous minds.'

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said Ciancia was on a "suicide mission."

"It’s clearly one of those notes that reads, ‘I’m going to kill people and I don’t want to kill civilians,’ with the idea that he’s going to die at the end of this,” McCaul told CNN on Sunday.

McCaul said Ciancia's note made reference to what he saw as lax airport security.

"The other thing he wanted to talk about was how easy it is to bring a gun into an airport and do something just like he did," McCaul said.

Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday that security at the nation's airports will be reviewed in the wake of the LAX tragedy.

"The function of TSA is to ensure that people can board planes safely, take flights safely," Holder said at a news conference in response to a question about Friday's rampage.

"The responsibility for protecting airports' security is not a TSA function, but it's something that we need to examine given what happened in Los Angeles," he said.

Hernandez, 39, was the first TSA employee to be killed in the line of duty in the agency's 12-year history.

The other officers — nine-year TSA veteran Tony Grigsby, 36, who was grazed by a bullet near his foot; and five-year TSA veteran James Speer, who was shot in the shoulder — are home resting and are expected to recover.

Passenger Brian Ludmer, a Los Angeles-area high school teacher, is recovering in the hospital after being shot in the leg.

NBC News' Daniel Arkin contributed to this report.

This story was originally published on Mon Nov 4, 2013 12:20 PM EST