Enola gay pilots
released another atom bomb on Nagasaki, devastating the city and ushering in the nuclear age. As the city disappeared under a mushroom cloud, Captain Robert Lewis – co-pilot of the Enola Gay, the bomber that dropped the weapon – wrote in his log “My God, what have we done?” Three days later the U.S. He also was an inductee of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped a nuclear weapon on Hiroshima, Japan – the first time such a catastrophic weapon was ever used in conflict. He received numerous honors, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, the European Campaign Medal, the Joint Staff Commendation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the American Campaign Medal. Tibbets was one of the most famous pilots in history. Tibbets continued to reside in the Central Ohio area. By 1970, Tibbets had returned to the United States and had settled in Columbus, Ohio, where he eventually became the chairman of the board of Executive Jet Aviation. Upon retirement, Tibbets continued to fly, including working for Lear Jet in Geneva, Switzerland. On August 31, 1966, Tibbets retired from the United States Air Force. Enola Gay: this was the name given to (and painted on) the plane which carried the bomb to Hiroshima. His most important assignments included serving as commander of two of the Strategic Air Command’s bomber wings and establishing the National Military Command Center in Washington, DC. For successfully carrying out this mission, Tibbets received the Distinguished Service Cross.įollowing World War II, Tibbets remained in the military, principally advising military leaders on advances in aviation technology. This atomic bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," along with a second atomic bomb, dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945, prompted the Japanese government to surrender, bringing World War II to an end. On August 6, 1945, the crew of the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. He altered the interior of the plane as well, making the B-29 capable of dropping an atomic bomb. The flight to Japan took about 6 hours, and Enola Gay arrived over Hiroshima in clear weather at 32.333 feet (9.855 meters). Two other B-29s escorted Enola Gay on the mission and provided measuring and photography equipment. He modified them dramatically, allowing the planes to fly farther, faster, and higher. Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay waves from the cockpit before taking off to Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. Fuel was low, spare parts were low, what spares there were, also were of dubious quality. 11 tyvar said: The problem is by august 1945 the supply situation for Japanese aircraft was critical. Why waste the fuel and maybe one of the few skilled pilots left 27 TrivetLurker.
To carry out this new directive, Tibbets selected fifteen B-29s. From their point of view, Enola Gay and Bocks Car was probably just recon flights. At this point in time, the existence of the atomic bomb was entirely secret, and it was crucial for Tibbets to surround himself with skilled pilots, plane crews, and ground-support staff that could maintain secrecy. Because of his testing experience with the B-29, in September 1944, the United States military selected Tibbets to train a unit of men that would be responsible for dropping the atomic bombs on Japan. He helped the Boeing Aircraft Company solve this plane’s problems, providing the United States military with a superior bomber and highly effective weapon. In the autumn of 1942, Tibbets was flying bombing missions in support of American troops in North Africa.ĭue to his extensive experience with the B-17 and his excellent reputation as a pilot, the United States military selected Tibbets to test the B-29 Super Fortress, beginning in March 1943.
In 1942, Tibbets, a B-17 pilot, performed admirably, flying twenty-five missions, including the first B-17 raid against German forces in Europe. With the United States’ involvement in World War II, Tibbets became the squadron commander of the 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group. After a year of training, he became a pilot and earned the rank of second lieutenant. Tibbets was not happy studying medicine, and in 1937, against his parents’ wishes, he enrolled in the Army Air Corps. As a teenager, he attended the Western Military Academy and then enrolled in the University of Florida, followed by the University of Cincinnati, where he pursued a medical degree. He spent much of his youth in Florida, where he had his first experience flying at twelve years of age. Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., was born on February 23, 1915, in Quincy, Illinois.