The Enola Gay and the secret history behd the Hiroshima missn - Washgton Post

Contents:

• LAST LIVG CREW MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY DI GEIA AT AGE 93
• WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ENOLA GAY AFTER IT DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB
• THEODORE VAN KIRK, LAST CREW MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY, DI US AGED 93
• THE CREW OF THE ENOLA GAY ON DROPPG THE ATOMIC BOMB
• CREW OF THE ENOLA GAY
• LAST SURVIVG MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY CREW IS DEAD
• ENOLA GAY
• ENOLA GAY CREW
• ENOLA GAY CREW 'HAVE NO REGRETS'
• WHERE IS THE ENOLA GAY TODAY?
• THE ENOLA GAY'S HISTORY LIV ON
• HIROSHIMA’S ENOLA GAY RRIED 12 MEN, HOPE AND THE WORLD’S ADLIT WEAPON
• WHERE IS THE ENOLA GAY TODAY?
• LAST SURVIVG MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY CREW IS DEAD
• PILOT OF ENOLA GAY HAD NO REGRETS FOR HIROSHIMA
• WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE CREW OF ENOLA GAY?
• ARE ANY OF THE ENOLA GAY CREW STILL ALIVE?
• ARE ANY ENOLA GAY CREW STILL ALIVE?

LAST LIVG CREW MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY DI GEIA AT AGE 93

FILE: The crew of US Air Force "Enola Gay" B-29 Superfortrs bomber that livered the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

He was 24 years old when he served as navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortrs that dropped the first atomic bomb ployed wartime over the Japane cy of Hiroshima on Aug. After the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. The Enola Gay is a B-29 Superfortrs, which pilot Pl Tibbets named after his mother, and which had been stripped of everythg but the necsi, so as to be thoands of pounds lighter than an ordary plane of that make.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ENOLA GAY AFTER IT DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB

While did not drop the bomb on Nagasaki, the Enola Gay did take flight to get data on the weather the lead-up to the send strike on Japan. In the aftermath of World War II, the Army Air Forc flew the Enola Gay durg an atomic tt program the Pacific; was then livered to be stored an airfield Arizona before beg flown to Illois and transferred to the Smhsonian July 1949.

But even unr the ctody of the mm, the Enola Gay remaed at an air force base Texas. The Commtee for the Rtoratn and Display of the Enola Gay now has 9, 000 signatur of prott. Adams, who is leavg his job after 10 relatively ntroversy-ee years, sent back a three-page answer stiffly turng down her requt for the Enola Gay.

Demonstrators prott at the Enola Gay exhib at the the Smhsonian Natnal Air and Space Mm's Steven F.

THEODORE VAN KIRK, LAST CREW MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY, DI US AGED 93

And as long as is on display, the qutns rais are likely to ntue — after all, they have been wh the Enola Gay sce first beme a hoehold name.

He was Kirk was the navigator of the Enola Gay, a B-29 Superfortrs aircraft that dropped “Ltle Boy” – the world’s first atomic bomb – over the Japane cy of Hiroshima on 6 Augt 1945.

On Augt 6, 1945, the B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the cy of Hiroshima.

THE CREW OF THE ENOLA GAY ON DROPPG THE ATOMIC BOMB

"Colonel Ferebee died Florida 2000, at the age of Air Force radar specialist Jab Ber was the only man who served on both the Enola Gay the Hiroshima bombg missn and the Bock's Car three days later when s crew bombed Nagasaki.

CREW OF THE ENOLA GAY

"Stiborik died of a heart attack 1984 at age Jeppson was only 23 years old when he was assigned to acpany the atomic bomb on the Enola Gay. Richard Nelson was the youngt of the Enola Gay crew. "Nelson died om emphysema 2003 at age Gay tail gunner Bob Caron wrote a book about the missn lled Fire of a Thoand Suns.

He was 75 years Duzenbury kept tabs on the Enola Gay's eng and other systems while others tend the bomb and the missn self. "Duzenbury died 1992 at age Shumard assisted flight engeer Wyatt Duzenbury keepg the Enola Gay nng.

He armed the first atomic bomb while the Enola Gay was airborne. He was upset that manr Pl Tibbets had named his plane the Enola Gay. Theodore Van Kirk, also known as "Dutch", was 24 when he beme the navigator of the Enola Gay, the aircraft which dropped the attack on Japan on 6 Augt 1945 killed an timated 140, 000 people.

LAST SURVIVG MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY CREW IS DEAD

"I know he was regnized as a war hero, but we jt knew him as a great father", he told Van Kirk died of natural at the retirement home where he lived, his son source, PAImage ptn, The Enola Gay was named after the mother of pilot Pl had been the last survivg member of the Enola Gay crew sce 2010 when Morris Jeppson, the assistant weaponeer, funeral is expected to take place next week Pennsylvania.

There were three strike plan that flew over Hiroshima that day: the Enola Gay, which rried the bomb, and two observatn plan, the Great Artiste and the Necsary Evil. The Enola Gay rried the weapon, nicknamed "Ltle Boy.

Then, the rad went ad: that was the signal om the Enola Gay that the bomb had been released. Fifty years after the crew of the Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, hasteng Japan's surrenr, The Amerin Legn honored Tibbets and his crew wh the Distguished Service Medal.

ENOLA GAY

"There is no doubt my md that many of you who are here today would not be here if hadn't been for the urageo missn of the men of the Enola Gay, " Natnal Commanr William Detweiler told nventn legat. As Enola Gay's pilot, Tibbets said Pearl Harbor was the animatg force for his missn.

ENOLA GAY CREW

Tibbets named the B-29 bomber Enola Gay, for his mother. Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb, "Ltle Boy, " was dropped at 8:15 a.

For more on the Enola Gay, click here (). The crew of the Enola Gay bomber that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima is now only the history books.

ENOLA GAY CREW 'HAVE NO REGRETS'

” (Read more Enola Gay stori. Jt as s unterpart the Enola Gay, the Bocksr had been altered to serve the purpose of rryg and ployg the heavy bomb. Enola Gay, the B-29bomber that was ed by the Uned Stat on Augt 6, 1945, to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, the first time the explosive vice had been ed on an enemy target.

” The Enola Gay—Tibbets had a matenance man pat that name on the aircraft’s nose shortly before takeoff—was acpanied by var other plan. Tibbets flew the Enola Gay back to Tian, where he was award the Distguished Service Cross.

WHERE IS THE ENOLA GAY TODAY?

Three days later the Enola Gay nducted weather rennaissance the lead-up to the bombg of Nagasaki, Japan.

Japan officially surrenred on September 2, Enola Gay remaed service for several years before beg given to the Smhsonian Instutn on July 3, 1949.

In 2003 the fully rtored Enola Gay was put on display at the NASM’s Steven F. The survivg members of the Enola Gay crew say their missn was jt. On this ocsn, the survivg members of the Enola Gay crew would like the opportuny to issue a jot statement.

THE ENOLA GAY'S HISTORY LIV ON

On Augt 6, 1945, the B-29 Superfortrs Enola Gay dropped the world's first atomic bomb on the island of Hiroshima hopg to expede the end of World War II. The survivg members of the Enola Gay crew - Pl W Tibbets (pilot), Theodore J "Dutch" Van Kirk (navigator) and Morris R Jeppson (weapon tt officer) - have repeatedly and humbly proclaimed that, "The e of the atomic weapon was a necsary moment history. In this year, 2005, we will observe the anniversary of the epic flight of the Enola Gay close to our hom and our iends.

970 Boeg B-29 bombers ever built, Enola Gay is perhaps the most well-known.

HIROSHIMA’S ENOLA GAY RRIED 12 MEN, HOPE AND THE WORLD’S ADLIT WEAPON

For famo reasons, only is one of jt 26 Boeg B-29 bombers still existg, but is also the plane that dropped the nuclear bomb over Hiroshima to the effort of the Smhsonian staff members, Enola Gay is on public display today. It stood for s abandoned, left outsi to the elements, souvenir hunters, and the Enola GayEnola Gay is a Boeg B-29 Superfortrs bomber aircraft manufactured B-29 Superfortrs was a 4-enge, propeller-driven bomber aircraft and was one of the most advanced aircraft World War II. When the B-29 entered service 1944, was one of the largt aircraft all of World War Gay left the assembly le on 18 May 1945 Bellevue, Nebraska, and stayed service until s retirement on 24 July 1946.

It is one of only 65 B-29s built unr the "Silverplate" specifitns, makg them pable of rryg nuclear Enola Gay on Tian the Marianas Islands where took off before bombg Hiroshima Gay beme the first aircraft to drop a nuclear bomb warfare spe s short service life.

WHERE IS THE ENOLA GAY TODAY?

On 6 Augt 1945, Enola Gay dropped the nuclear bomb Ltle Boy over Hiroshima. He had named the bomber after his mother, Enola Gay explosn stroyed about 75% of the cy, killg tens of thoands.

Wh the nuclear bomb over Nagasaki three days later, the attacks ultimately end World War Bombg of HiroshimaWhile still on the assembly le, Enola Gay, pilot Pl W.

LAST SURVIVG MEMBER OF ENOLA GAY CREW IS DEAD

When livered to the USAF on 18 May 1945, they assigned to 393d Bombardment July 1945, Enola Gay flew eight trag flights and two missns to drop nventnal bombs over Kobe and 5 Augt, Tibett assumed mand of the B-29 and named after his mother. Enola Gay took off om the Northern Mariana Islands on 6 Augt, piloted by Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay wav om the ckp before takg off to Hiroshima on 6 Augt other B-29s rted Enola Gay on the missn and provid measurg and photography equipment.

PILOT OF ENOLA GAY HAD NO REGRETS FOR HIROSHIMA

The flight to Japan took about 6 hours, and Enola Gay arrived over Hiroshima clear weather at 32.

As planned, Enola Gay released the "Ltle Boy" bomb at 8:15 am lol Boy took 53 sends to reach tonatn height 600 meters above the cy. 000 people, 30% of the cy's populatn, were Gay returned safely to the Northern Mariana Islands to great applse 12 hours after the war, Enola Gay was a ndidate for the nuclear tt program at the Biki Atolls but was ultimately not selected. Enola Gay did not serve aga and retired 2003, the Enola Gay has been on public display at the Natnal Air and Space Mm Washgton, 1946 the Air Force cid to prerve Enola Gay.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE CREW OF ENOLA GAY?

The Air Force gave the aircraft to the Smhsonian Instutn, but they lacked Gay was left outdoors durg s storage as the Air Force had no hangar space available. Enola Gay remaed there for many more the early 1980s, two veterans, Don Rehl and Frank B. Stewart began lobbyg for the rtoratn of Enola Gay.

ARE ANY OF THE ENOLA GAY CREW STILL ALIVE?

The plane's rtoratn beme a prry 1983 when the mm got a new director, a former Air Force Enola Gay at the Natnal Air and Space Mm Washgton, DC.

000 staff hours of staff shipped Enola Gay piec to the Natnal Air and Space Mm 2003. ConclnEnola Gay is a Boeg B-29 Superfortrs, the most advanced airplane World War 2. The bomber airplane beme the first to drop a nuclear weapon warfare when the Uned Stat bombed Hiroshima on 6 Augt World War 2, Enola Gay was left outsi for s, exposed to weather, souvenir hunters, and animals.

ARE ANY ENOLA GAY CREW STILL ALIVE?

000 staff hours of work to rtore Enola Gay pletely. The staff pleted the rtoratn 2003 and put Enola Gay on display at the Natnal Air and Space Mm Washgton, DC, where you n see today. Seventy-five years ago, the Uned Stat dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, brgg an end to a long and vastatg World War II and makg the Enola Gay, the B-29 that livered , one of the most famo history.

The Enola Gay, known only as No.