Paul Tibbets Jr., who flew plane that dropped first atomic bomb, dies at 92

Columbus Dispatch ^ | Thursday, November 1, 2007 10:29 AM

[snippy_about_it]

Paul Tibbets Jr., who flew the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb — on Hiroshima, Japan — died this morning at his East Side home. He was 92.

Tibbets had suffered small strokes and heart failure in his final years and had been in hospice care.

He was born in Quincy, Ill., but grew up in Miami after his father moved the family there.

See link for complete story. Tibbets fell in love with flight and, at age 12, volunteered as a backseat assistant to a biplane pilot, dropping leaflets for the Curtiss Candy Co. at fairs, carnivals and other public gatherings.

He joined the Army Air Corps in 1938.

[jwalburg]

Guess he was high enough to keep from getting any residual radiation. 92. Not even leukemia then.

[Badeye]

Rest in Peace, Colonel Tibbets.

Your actions saved a million American lives, and at least fifteen million Japanese lives by averting an invasion that would have degenerated into an ‘extermination’ ala Okinawa, Tarawa, Iwo Jima.

You never once backed down from your detractors, most of whom were born well after December 7th, 1941. You didn’t seek glory, you just did your duty.

[abb]

RIP, General Tibbetts. You did your duty well.

[snippy_about_it]

Foxhole Interest Ping

RIP COL. TIBBETS Jr.

[Young Werther]

So Long Airman!

May your wings allow you to soar and touch the face of God!

[abb]

ping

[Fitzcarraldo]

Always remember the buck stopped at Harry Truman’s desk.

[Ditto]

[GreyFriar]

Ping.

[tioga]

RIP

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Tibbets’ death will bring out the usual kook rewriters of history who can’t believe Japan had more than a million men still at arms, waiting for our invasion.

[Proud2BeRight]

“Rest in Peace, Colonel Tibbets.

Your actions saved a million American lives..”

Amen, rest in peace. You helped get my Dad home.

[gridlock]

Yep.

[The Louiswu]

You saved my fathers life, I salute you sir.

[reagan_fanatic]

RIP, Paul. Your actions helped avoid a certain bloodbath and could have very well taken my Father, who would have been one of those taking part in a mainland Japan invasion.

You will be missed. God bless you.

[Jeff Head]

RIP General Tibbets. Thank you and God for your service which, in all probability, saved my father's life as he was preparing for the invasion of Japan, and allowed myself and my borthers and our families to be born into this world as Americans, and citizens of the freest and most blessed nation on earth.

God's blessings of peace and comfort to your family and loved ones.

[skeeter]

He did his duty & never suffered a second thought - he was convinced of the rightness of his cause.

A trait conspicuously absent in our nuerotic era.

RIP Colonel, and thanks.

[snippy_about_it]

The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Colonel Paul Tibbets - May 10th, 2004

[dfwgator]

I shudder to think about what the DUmmies are saying about Tibbets.