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

www.acepilots.com ^

[SAMWolf]

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Grant them a safe and swift return...

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Colonel Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr.
(1915 - *)

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The B-29 Superfortress, Enola Gay, rumbled down the the runway at Tinian, the forward American airbase in the Marianas, as close as the giant Boeing bombers could get to Japan's Home Islands. Heavily laden with the world's first operational atomic bomb, the B-29 shuddered and trembled as its four 2,000 horsepower Wright Cyclones roared. Its pilot, Paul Tibbets, thought briefly of the recent B-29 crashes on Tinian, and then focused on his mission.

"Dimples Eight Two to North Tinian Tower. Ready for takeoff on Runway Able." he radioed to the tower. The Enola Gay picked up speed, 75MPH, 100, then 125. Tibbets held the plane on the runway until it reached 155 MPH, then eased back on the yoke. Near the end of the 8500 foot runway, the B-29 lifted easily and steadily into the air. Tibbets checked his watch, which showed 2:45AM, the morning of August 6, 1945. In ten minutes they were over Saipan, at an altitude of 4,700 feet. In the pleasantly warm tropical night, during the thirteen hour flight, Tibbets and the other crewmen dozed off and on. It's possible that he thought back to another summer day, in 1927, over Miami's Hialeah racetrack.

Youth Paul Tibbets was born Feb. 23, 1915, son of Enola Gay and Paul Warfield Tibbets in Quincy, Illinois. Attracted by the land boom, the Tibbets family moved to Florida when Paul was nine. On that memorable summer day, a barnstorming pilot, Doug Davis, let the twelve-year old Paul ride in his Waco 9 airplane and toss Baby Ruth candy bars to the crowds at Hialeah racetrack and Miami Beach. Tibbets always traced his interest in aviation to that day. The next year, 1928, he entered Western Military Academy (WMA), where Butch O'Hare attended at the same time. Here he learned many of the rituals of military life, such as hazing and room inspections where the inspector was likely to rub a white glove across the sole of his foot and issue a demerit for "dirty floors."



He enrolled in the University of Florida at Gainesville in 1933, more or less to follow his family's plan for him to pursue a medical career. With this goal still in mind, he transferred to University of Cincinnati after his sophomore year, where he continued to take flying lessons. After some major soul-searching, and a difficult conversation with his father, he decided that his heart was not in medicine, but rather in aviation.

Following this dream, he joined the Army Air Corps, and reported to Randolph Field in 1937. From his years at WMA, he was familiar with hazing, inspections, and other demands of military routine. He trained on PT-3's and BT-9's, the standard trainers of the day. He graduated first in his class, and unlike most of the other top pilots, he did not elect Pursuit, but rather multi-engine Observation duty, because he thought Observation would offer him more independence. From 1938 through 1940, while at Fort Benning, he flew O-46 and O-47 observation planes and B-10 bombers.



Here he met George Patton, then a Lieutenant Colonel, and destined to become the world-famous tank General in World War Two. While Tibbets was a lowly Second Lieutenant, they went skeet shooting together. Patton was a fierce competitor and "screamed in fury" at the few quarters he lost competing against Tibbets.

Tibbets learned a whole new approach to flying in 1941, when he began to fly the Army's new attack bomber, the A-20. While earlier bombers has sought refuge in altitude, the development of radar and the A-20's mission, forced the A-20 pilots to fly on the deck, barely 100 feet off the ground. He was flying over the skies of Georgia, listening to a commercial radio station, when he heard the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Amidst the rapidly changing priorities of early 1942, Tibbets (now a Captain) found himself in a squadron of B-18's destined for anti-submarine duty over the Atlantic. He soon transferred to the four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress, as commander of the 40th Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group (Heavy).

Flying B-17s over Europe

In the summer of 1942, he and the 97th flew their B-17s to the war: taking off from Bangor, Maine, stopping in Labrador, Greenland, and Iceland en route to their new base at Polebrook. The 97th BG served as the model for the famous movie Twelve O'Clock High; Tibbets, as a Major left in charge of the Group, was even depicted in the movie. Armstrong, the new CO of the 97th, appointed Tibbets his XO.


SETTING: Lieutenant Colonel Tibbets volunteered his force of five B-17s to support the Allied invasion "Operation TORCH." Asked by Air Marshal Sir William Welsh, Commander of the Royal Air Force in North Africa, to "go up there and harass them with a few bombs," Tibbets led the first B-17 bombing raids against the German-held Sidi Ahmed Air Base at Bizerte, Tunisia. On 16 November 1942, while flying the "Red Gremlin," Tibbets and his small force of B-17s took the German fighter base by complete surprise. The attack was so successful that Tibbets was able to return to base, refuel, rearm, and restrike Bizerte before the Germans could resupply the airfield.

The first mission was scheduled for August 9, but a week of rain delayed it and increased the already considerable tension of the air crews.

On Aug. 17, 1942, he flew the B-17 Butcher Shop in the first daylight bombing raid by an American squadron over German-occupied Europe. On that morning, General Spaatz and various British brass, watched the take-off. 18 bombers flew that mission, the first of over 300,000 bomber sorties that the Eighth Air Force would make. Brigadier General Ira Eaker, head of VIII Bomber Command, also flew this mission in the Yankee Doodle and received official credit for "leading" it. They lifted off just after noon, climbed to 23,000 feet, and headed for Rouen and Buddicum, strongly escorted by RAF Spitfires. Three planes carried 1,100-pounds intended for the marshaling yards at Rouen; another nine planes carried 600-pound bombs for the repair shops at Buddicum. In mileage, it was a short mission. The bombers hit train repair shops near Rouen, and all returned safely.



For the next few months, they flew frequent missions, and continued training intensively in England, practicing gunnery over the Wash. Tibbets. Remembering his days cleaning the cannon at WMA, insisted that his crews disassemble thei1r machine guns, wash them thoroughly, and then lightly rub every part of the gun with gun oil, thus reducing the risk of the guns freezing or jamming at 20,000 feet.

In late 1942, as the Americans prepared for Operation "Torch," the invasion of North Africa, Tibbets was called on to fly General Mark Clark on a secret mission to meet with the French commander in Algiers. Flying the Red Gremlin, he flew Gen. Clark to Gibraltar, where a submarine picked the general up and brought him to Algeria. Clark's mission was successful; numerous French units cooperated with the Allied landing forces. Apparently the brass were impressed with Tibbets' general-ferrying skills; on Nov. 5, her flew General Eisenhower from England to Gibralter. With the plane crowded with staff officers, Ike sat on a two-by-four hastily installed in the cockpit, so he could get a pilot's eye view of the flight, which went off smoothly.



North Africa

After the Allies established themselves in Algeria, Tibbets' B-17 group was based first at Maison Blanche (outside Algiers), then at Tafaraoui ("deep and gooey"), and then at Biskra. In early 1943, he was transferred to the 12th Air Force, under General Jimmy Doolittle, where they wrestled with the challenges of the B-26 Marauder, a good plane, but one that was "a handful" for many pilots. It was during this time that Tibbets first crossed paths (and swords) with Lauris Norstad, a politically adept officer who, in the post-war years, stymied Tibbets' Air Force career.

The B-29 Superfortress

In July, 1943, he reported to "Boeing Wichita," one of the four plants devoted to the new bomber. Originally drawn up as early as 1940, the B-29 was an innovative aircraft: a fire control system that permitted one gunner to operate five pair of machine guns, a pneumatic bomb bay door, and completely pressurized crew compartments (connected by a crawl-through tube), tricycle landing gear. It was larger, faster, could fly higher & farther, and carried a larger bombload than a B-17. At Grand Island, Nebraska, he started a school to train B-29 flight instructors, where he connected with Frank Armstrong, his old commander at Polebrook, Among other things, they found that removing some of the heavy machine guns and ammo made a big difference in the Superforts' performance.



In Sept. 1944, he reported to Colorado Springs for a top secret assignment - to organize bombardment group to deliver the atomic bomb. Following a detailed personal interview, he was introduced to General Uzal Ent and Professor Norman Ramsey, who explained the project to him. Tibbets force, the 509th Composite Group, included 15 B-29's and 1,800 men. The 509th settled on Wendover, Utah as their base. Due to its remote location, it was ideal for security. From his old B-17 crew in Europe, he selected Tom Ferebee (bombardier), Sgt. George Caron (tail gunner), Dutch Van Kirk (navigator), and Sgt. Wyatt Duzenberry (flight engineer). These men were assigned to Tibbets' airplane. Bob Lewis flew as co-pilot. As Tibbets could get any men and any planes he needed, the 509th quickly filled out, and the entire organization was complete by Dec. 1944.

The primary challenge would be to drop the atomic bomb, without the shockwave destroying the B-29. The scientists estimated that a B-29 could survive the shockwave at a distance of eight miles. Flying at 31,000 feet, the B-29 would already be six miles in the air. To gain the extra distance, Tibbetts determined that a sharp 155 degree turn would be the best maneuver. In less than 2 minutes, the B-29 would reverse it direction and fly five miles; Another critical concern was accuracy; using the Norden bombsight, the bombardiers would have to put the bomb within 200 feet of the aiming point. Another challenge was to navigate over water and land; the transition could be disorienting. So Tibbets and his men trained for this navigation in Cuba. The Cuba training exercise gave him the opportunity to fly his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets, in a C-54 transport plane to visit him, surviving and even enjoying a turbulent flight, complete with St. Elmo's Fire.

[SAMWolf]

Tinian - 509th Composite Group

By May, 1945, Tibbets and the 509th had moved out to the Pacific, to the island of Tinian in the Marianas. As it was shaped something like the island of Manhattan, the Army engineers named the base facilities with names like Broadway and Forty-second Street. Tibbets' group bivouacked in the "Columbia University district." Tinian was ideal; its 8,500 foot runways were among the longest in the world at the time. Tibbets ran into various confrontations, on issues from maintenance to training, stemming in part from the secrecy of the operations. He flew back and forth to the States three times between May and July, but missed the first atomic test at Alamogordo because he had to return to Tinian to persuade General Curtis LeMay not to switch the atomic mission to another outfit.


Tinian Island, showing its four 8,500 ft. (2,591 m) runways">

On July 26th, the cruiser Indianapolis dropped anchor off Tinian and unloaded a 15-foot wooden crate. Inside was the atomic bomb, complete except for a second slug of uranium that a B-29 later delivered. Having delivered its load without incident, Indianapolis moved on toward the Philippines. Though intelligence reports assured Captain Charles McVay that the route from Guam to Leyte was safe, there were Japanese submarines active in the area. Four days after departing Tinian, Indianapolis was sunk by a Japanese submarine.

The Mission

By early August, 1945, plans for the first atomic mission were set. Seven Boeing Superfortresses would take part, including the primary, a standby, a photo plane, one with scientific instruments to measure the blast, and three others that would scout ahead. Bombing would be visual, rather than by radar. Possible target cities included Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki. Until this time, Tibbets' own plane had been simply number 82, when he decided to name it Enola Gay, after his confidence-building and loving mother. Twelve men crewed the plane:

• Capt. Robert Lewis - copilot
• Maj. Thomas Ferebee - bombardier
• Capt. Theodore Van Kirk - navigator
• Lt. Jacob Beser - radar countermeasures
• Capt. William "Deak" Parsons - weaponeer
• 2nd Lt. Maurice Jeppson - assistant weaponeer
• Sgt. Joe Stiborik - radar
• Staff Sgt. George Caron - tail gunner
• Sgt. Robert Shumard - asst. flight engineer
• Pfc. Richard Nelson - radio
• Tech Sgt. Wayne Duzenberry - flight engineer

Left to Right,
Standing: Lt. Col. John Porter, ground maintenance officer; Capt. Theodore J. Van Kirk, navigator; Maj. Thomas W. Ferebee, bombardier; Col. Paul Tibbets, pilot and commander of 509th Group; Capt. Robert A. Lewis, copilot; and Lt. Jacob Beser, radar countermeasure officer.

Kneeling: Sgt. Joseph Stiborik, radar operator; SSgt. George R Caron, tail gunner; Pfc. Richard H Nelson, radio operator; Sgt. Robert H. Shumard, assistant engineer; and SSgt Wyatt Duzenbury, flight engineer. Col. Porter was not on the aircraft during the flight.

They got the word on Sunday morning, August 5. Conditions were go, and the next day would be the day. At the last minute, it was decided to complete the final assembly of the bomb in flight, thus eliminating the risk of it exploding if Enola Gay crashed on take-off. Navy Captain Deak Parsons, who had earlier opposed this idea, now suggested it, and persuaded the team that he could perform the difficult assembly in the cramped bomb bay of the B-29.

They loaded the bomb into the Enola Gay that afternoon. "Little Boy" was 12 feet long and 28 inches in diameter - bigger than any bomb Tibbetts had ever seen. Its explosive power equalled 20,000 tons of TNT; or roughly as much as two thousand Superfortresses could carry - all in a single bomb that weighed about 9,000 pounds. Deak Parsons practiced the delicate arming process. That night the crew was briefed, for the first time, on the nature of their weapon - an atomic bomb.

Little Boy

Chuck Sweeney, with the scientific instruments in the Great Artiste, would follow Tibbets' closely, duplicating his hairpin turn. George Marquardt's photo plane would stay far behind, out of range of the shock wave. The three weather planes, Claude Etherley's Strait Flush, John Wilson's Jabbitt III, and Ralph Taylor's Full House, would take off an hour ahead, to scout out the designated target cities. Every crewman carried a standard service pistol; Tibbets carried enough cyanide capsules for all. They started engines at 2:30 AM on the morning of August 6, 1945. Three hours after takeoff, they flew over Iwo Jima at dawn, where 5,500 Americans and 25,000 Japanese had died, so that the USAAF could use Iwo as an emergency landing field. They adjusted course and headed northwest. At 7:30, Deak Parsons completed his adjustments; the atomic bomb was live. They climbed slowly to their bombing altitude of 30,700 feet.


Taxiing for takeoff on Hiroshima raid

At 8:30 they received the coded message from Etherley's Strait Flush, flying over Hiroshima, "Y-3, Q-3, B-2, C-1." The message meant that cloud cover over Hiroshima, the primary target, was less than three-tenths. Tibbets gave the word to his crew, "It's Hiroshima." As they reached the coastline of Japan, no interceptors challenged them; the Japanese had become indifferent to small groups of B-29s. They crossed Shikoku and the Iyo Sea.



They looked down at the city below. The other crewmen verified that it was indeed Hiroshima. They spotted the Initial Point, or I.P. They turned and headed almost due west. Tom Ferebee peered into his Norden bombsight, and cranked in the information to correct for the south wind. Tibbets reminded the crew to put on their heavy dark Polaroid goggles, to shield their eyes from the blinding blast. It had been calculated to have the intensity of ten suns. They easily spotted the distinctive T-shaped bridge that was their primary. 90 seconds before drop, he turned the controls over to Tom Ferebee, the bombardier. At 9:15AM (8:15 Hiroshima time), they dropped "Little Boy" and made a 155 degree diving turn to the right. Unable to fly the plane with the dark goggles, they shoved them aside.

43 seconds later, a tingling in Tibbets' teeth told him of the Hiroshima explosion: the bomb's radioactive forces interacting with his fillings. The bomb exploded at 1890 feet above the ground. Bob Caron, the tail gunner was the only crew member to see the fireball. Even wearing the goggles, he thought he was blinded. The plane raced away, while the shockwave from the explosion raced toward them at 1,100 feet per second. When the shockwave hit, it felt like a near-miss from flak. The mushroom cloud boiled up, 45,000 feet high, three miles above them, and it was still rising. They flew away, shocked and horrified at the sight below. The city had completely disappeared under a blanket of smoke and fire. They radioed back to headquarters that the primary target had been bombed visually with good results.

The Enola Gay landing on Tinian Island after the Hiroshima bombing

The mushroom cloud over Hiroshima was visible for an hour and a half as they flew southward back to Tinian. The crew talked about the effect of the atomic bomb on the war. They thought that perhaps the Japs would "throw in the sponge" even before they landed. Twelve hours after they had taken off, Tibbets and the crew of the Enola Gay touched down, to be greeted by all the military brass that could be mustered: General Carl Spaatz, commander of the Strategic Air Force; General Nathan Twining, chief of the Marianas Air Force; General Thomas F. Farrell and Rear Admiral W.R.E. Purnell, both with the atomic development project; and General John Davies, 313th Wing Commander. Spaatz pinned a Distinguished Service Cross on Tibbets as he descended from the plane.


Hiroshima, Japan - 1945

After the welcoming formalities, they were debriefed and given a quick medical checkup. The interviewers were skeptical of their accounts of the blast. The news of the atomic bomb was promptly announced to the world. The Japanese were given an ultimatum, to accept the Potsdam call for unconditional surrender, or face further atomic attacks. Three days later, Chuck Sweeney, in Bock's Car, dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

After the War


PAUL TIBBETS
COLUMBUS, OHIO
6 MARCH 1991

Not long after the surrender, Tibbets inspected the damage done to Nagasaki. He stayed in the Air Force, and participated in the development of the B-47, our first all-jet bomber. He learned to fly jets with Pat Fleming, a 19-kill Navy ace. In the early 1950's, he flew B-47's for three years. He advised on the making of the movie "Above and Beyond," and was pleased that the famous actor, Robert Taylor, played him. From the 1950's through the 1960's he had a number of overseas assignments, including France and India. After his retirement from the Air Force, he became president of Executive Jet Aviation in Columbus, Ohio.

[SAMWolf]

News Release by Airmen Memorial Museum
June 9, 1994
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



STATEMENT OFFERED BY BRIGADIER GENERAL PAUL W. TIBBETS (USAF, RETIRED) AT THE AIRMEN MEMORIAL MUSEUM ON JUNE 8, 1994 UPON THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE AIR FORCE SERGEANTS ASSOCIATION'S FREEDOM AWARD

A number of people and veterans organizations have asked me to comment on the subject of the Enola Gay, the care afforded her by the Smithsonian Institution together with their treatment of the atomic mission in general.


This is a photo of Col. Paul Tibbets on Tinian Island. It is thought that this photo was taken just prior to the Enola Gay taking off on its mission to Hiroshima. The man on the right is Capt. Robert Lewis, the co-pilot of the Enola Gay. The identities of the other men in the photo are not known. If you know their identity, please contact us via "feedback". This photo was submitted by Michael Carol, whose father, Andrew Carol, was a Staff Sergeant with the 509th Composite Group.

From my point of view, the matter has been politicized, and, as a result, mishandled. Those whose business it is to create, mold, manipulate and utilize public opinion have done so as a matter of self-serving interest. Consequently, history has been denigrated; the Enola Gay has been miscast and a group of valiant Americans have had their role in history treated shamefully. I am an airman, a pilot. In 1945, I was wearing the uniform of the US Army [Air Forces] following the orders of our commander-in-chief. I was, to the best of my ability, doing what I could to bring the war to a victorious conclusion-just as millions of people were doing here at home and around the world. Each of us -- friend and foe alike -- were doing the dictates of our respective governments. I recruited, trained and led the members of the 509th Composite Bomb Group. We had a mission. Quite simply, bring about the end of World War II. I feel I was fortunate to have been chosen to command that organization and to lead them into combat. To my knowledge, no other officer has since been accorded the scope of the responsibilities placed on my shoulders at that time.


General Spaatz Presents Distinguished Service Cross to Col. Paul Tibbets as General Davies Looks On - 1945

As for the missions flown against Japan on the 6th and 9th of August, 1945, I would remind you, we were at war. Our job was to win. Once the targets were named and presidential approval received, we were to deliver the weapons as expeditiously as possible consistent with good tactics. The objective was to stop the fighting, thereby saving further loss of life on both sides. The urgency of the situation demanded that we use the weapons first - before the technology could be used against us.


Col. Paul Tibbets After Receiving DSC. - 1945

During the course of the half century that has elapsed since the use of the atomic weapons, many scribes have chronicled the flight of the Enola Gay with nothing but descriptions of the destructive nature of our atomic weapons. Few such narratives have been objective. Indeed, I suggest to you that few, if any of the articles, books, films or reports have ever attempted to discuss the missions of August 6th and August 9th, 1945 in the context of the times. . Simply stated the Enola Gay and the 509th Composite Bomb Group have been denied a historically correct representation to the public. Most writers have looked to the ashes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; to find answers for the use of those atomic weapons. The real answers lay in thousands of graves from Pearl Harbor around the world to Normandy and back again. The actual use of the weapons as ordered by the President of the United States was believed to be the quickest and least costly (in terms of lives lost) way to stop the killing. I carried out those orders with the loyal support of the men of the 509th Composite Bomb Group and the United States military at large. Our job was to serve. Our sworn duty was to God, country and victory. Today, there is a debate on how to present the Enola Gay and the use of the atom bombs to the American public and the world at large. There are questions as to how to best present the events of the summer of 1945. I have had many requests, -many appeals; to openly voice my opinions as to the Smithsonian's proposal and depiction of these realities. Consequently, I suggest that the Enola Gay be preserved and displayed properly- and alone, for all the world to see. She should be presented as a peace keeper and as the harbinger of a cold war kept from going "hot." The Enola Gay and her sister ship Bock's Car should be remembered in honor of the scientists who harnessed the power of the atom for the good of mankind. The talents and skills of those men and women who gave us the means to use, regulate and control atomic energy. Such notable positive contributions are worthy of Smithsonian recognition.


Col. Paul Tibbets Grins After Receiving DSC Award - 1945

The Enola Gay has become a symbol to different groups for one reason or another. I suggest that she be preserved and given her place in the context of the times in which she flew. For decades she has been relegated to a storage facility. Her place in history has been dealt with unfairly by those who decry the inhumanity of her August 6th mission. Ladies and gentlemen, there is no humanity in warfare. The job of the combatants, the families, the diplomats, and factory workers is to win. All had a role in that "all out" fight.

I am not a museum director, curator, or politician. I am a pilot. I am a military man trained to carry out the orders of a duly elected commander-in-chief.


This is a unique photo of Enola Gay signed by Col. Paul Tibbets. This photo was submitted by Betsy Daste, whose uncle, H. F. Martin, was with the 509th Composite Group.

For decades the Enola Gay has been in pieces. During this same period the subject of the atomic missions has provoked a flood of emotions. Virtually each and every narration of the events surrounding the flight of the Enola Gay has delved into the horrors and tragedies brought on by the atomic bombs.

Today, on the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the end of World War II, many are second-guessing the decision to use the atomic weapons. To them, I would say, "STOP!" It happened. In the wisdom of the President of the United States and his advisors at the time, there was no acceptable alternative but to proceed with what history now knows as Special Bombing Mission No. 13. To those who consider its proper presentation to the public, I say; "FULL SPEED AHEAD!" We have waited too long for all the wrong reasons to exhibit this aircraft. Too many have labeled the atomic missions as war crimes in an effort to force their politics and their opinions on the American public and to damn military history. Ironically, it is this same segment of society who sent us off to war that now wish to recant the flight of the Enola Gay.


Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets
United States Air Force

Thus far the proposed display of the Enola Gay is a package of insults. Resting on an arrangement that will be shaped like a cradle, the sixty-some feet of fuselage and forward bomb bay - without wings, engines and propellers, landing gear and tail assembly - makes for an awesome sight. If nothing else, it will engender the aura of evil in which the airplane is being cast.

I am unaware of any positive achievements being credited to the men and women who built the B-29 bombers that carried the war to the Japanese homeland, or the soldiers, sailors, marines, and Seabees who fought, lived and died fighting to take Pacific Islands that were needed for airplane bases within striking distances of the mainland. What about the airmen who flew those strikes and lost their lives? And, those who survived. Are they to be denied recognition for their efforts? Something is wrong with this scenario.



In closing, let me urge consideration and let the exhibition of the Enola Gay accurately reflect the American spirit and victory of August 1945. Those of us who gained that victory have nothing to be ashamed of neither do we offer any apology. Some suffered, some died. The million or so of us remaining will die believing that we made the world a better place as a result of our efforts to secure peace that has held for almost 50 years. Many of us believe peace will prevail through the strength and resolve of the United States of America.

Paul W. Tibbets
Command Pilot
Enola Gay

Additional Sources:

www.theenolagay.com
www.tangischools.org
www.hill.af.mil/museum
www.leisuregalleries.com
www.nebraskastudies.org
www.stelzriede.com
www.childrenofthemanhattanproject.org
www.warofourfathers.com
www.au.af.mil
www.strategic-air-command.com
www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk

[SAMWolf]

ENOLA GAY
B-29



Manufacturer: Boeing Aircraft Company
Assembler: Glenn L. Martin Company, Omaha, Nebraska
AAF Serial Number: 44-86292
Engine: Four Wright R-3350-57 Cyclone
Horsepower: 2,200 hp/engine
Wingspan: 141 ft. 3 in.
Height: 29 ft. 7 in.
Weight: #70,140 empty
Propellers: Curtiss Electric four-blade 16 ft. 7 in.
Maximum Speed: 360 mph (576 km/h) at 25,000 ft.
Stalling Speed: 125 mph
Range: 3,250 miles Loaded
Crew: 12 (usually 10)
Armament: 20,000 bomb (other B29s were equipped with 10 machine guns and a 1x20 mm cannon)

The B-29 Superfortress bomber was the single most complicated and expensive weapon produced by the United States during World War II. Nearly 4,000 B-29s were built for combat in the Pacific theater, including the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Assembled on a rush basis by a vast manufacturing program that involved hundreds of thousands of workers, the B-29 boosted the Allies' wartime fortunes as it transformed the economies of cities and towns from Seattle, Washington, to Marietta, Georgia, and from Wichita, Kansas, to Woodridge, New Jersey.

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ENOLA GAY
Chronology

Serial Number B-29-45-MO-44-86292 Victor 12 or 82

Shown below are the key dates in the history of the Enola Gay, the B-29 SuperFortress commanded by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets that dropped the first atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. The references used in compiling this chronology are shown at the end. Dates given are based on the local time zone.

9 May 45 B-2945-MO 44-86292 selected by Colonel Tibbets at the Martin Omaha plant in Omaha, Nebraska.

18 May 45 Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces by the Glenn L. Martin Company at the Martin Omaha plant.

14 Jun 45 Flown to Wendover Army Air Field, Utah, by Robert Lewis and crew.

27 Jun 45 Departed Wendover for Tinian (commanded by Lewis with crew).

2 Jul 45 Arrived at North Field, Tinian.

7 Jul 45 Practice bombing mission (500 lb, bombs) to Marcus Island (Opns Order #9, Ralph Devore as airplane commander with crew.)

12 Jul 45 Practice bombing mission (1,000 lb. bombs) to Rota Island (Opns Order #14, Jim Price as airplane commander with crew).

17 Jul 45 Training mission (Opns Order #16, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

18 Ju1 45 Night orientation mission (Opns Order #17, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

19 Jul 45 Practice bombing mission (1,000 lb. bombs) to Guguan Island (Opns Order #18, Lewis as airplane Commander with crew).

21 Jul 45 Practice bombing mission (500 lb. bombs) to Marcus Island (Opns Order #21, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

22 Jul 45 Practice bombing mission (1,000 lb. bombs) to unknown target (Opns Order #22, McKnight as airplane commander with crew).

24 Jul 45 Combat bombing mission (#6) with pumpkin bomb, target: Kobe Steel Works (Opns Order #24, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

26 Jul 45 Combat bombing mission (#9) with pumpkin bomb, target: Nagoya urban area (Opns Order #27, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

31 Ju1 45 Little Boy (L6) atomic bomb drop test mission (Opns Order #31, Tibbets as airplane commander with modified crew ).

5 Aug 45 Little Boy (Ll1) atomic bomb loaded in front bomb bay. Name Enola Gay painted on nose.

6 Aug 45 Special bombing mission (#13) with Little Boy atomic-bomb (Lll), target: Hiroshirna (Opns Order #35, Tibbets as airplane commander with modified crew)

9 Aug 45 Advance weather reconnaissance to Kokura in support of Fat Man atomic bombing mission to Nagasaki (Special Bombing Mission #16)(Opns Order #39, George Marquardt as airplane commander with crew).

20 Aug 45 Local mission (purpose unknown) (Opns Order #47, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

22 Aug 45 Local mission (purpose unknown) (Opns Order #48, Lewis as airplane commander with crew).

4 Nov 45 Departed Tinian for United States.

8 Nov 45 Arrived Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico.

Mar 46 Assigned to Task Force t.5 for Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests.

18 Apr 46 Departed Roswell AAF for Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests.

1 May 46 Arrived Kwajalein Island.

1 July 46 Departed Kwajalein for United States.

2 July 46 Arrived Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Field, California.

24 July 46 To Davis-Monthan Army Air Field, Arizona (4105th Base Unit) in preparation for storage.

30 Aug 46 Placed in storage at Davis-Monthan Army Air Field and dropped from Army Air Forces inventory.

3 Jul 49 Retrieved from storage and flown to Park Ridge, Illinois, (now O`Hare airport) by Paul Tibbets; accepted by Smithsonian Institution for restoration and display. Stored at Park Ridge.

12 Jan 52 Flown to Pyote Air Force Base, Texas, for temporary storage.

2 Dec 53 Flown to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, for temporary storage.

10 Aug 60 Disassembly started in preparation For transfer to Smithsonian storage and restoration facility at Suitland, Maryland.

21 Jul 61 Disassembled components moved to Suitland.

5 Dec 84 Restoration started at Garber facility, Suitland, Maryland.

28 Jun 95 Forward section of the Fuselage and other pieces of Enola Gay put on display at the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

18 May 98 Enola Gay exhibit closed and pieces returned to the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility In Suitland, Maryland.

-- Compiled by:
Col. Richard H. Campbell (USAF, Ret.)

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

---

Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

---

Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

Thanks to CholeraJoe for providing this link.

---

Iraq Homecoming Tips

~ Thanks to our Veterans still serving, at home and abroad. ~ Freepmail to Ragtime Cowgirl | 2/09/04 | FRiend in the USAF

---

PDN members and fans. We hope you will consider this simple act of patriotism worth passing on or taking up as a project in your own back yard. In summary:

Who They Are: Operation: Stitches Of Love was started by the Mothers of two United States Marines stationed in Iraq.

What They Are Doing: We are gathering 12.5"x12.5" quilt squares from across the country and assembling the largest quilt ever produced. When completed we will take the quilt from state to state and gather even more squares.

Why They Are Doing This: We are building this quilt to rally support for the Coalition Forces in Iraq and to show the service members that they are not forgotten. We want the world to know Nothing will ever break the stitches that bind us together as a country.

Ideas to start a local project:

Obtain enough Red, White and Blue material (cloth) for a 12.5 x 12.5 quilt square.
If you have someone in your family that sews, make it a weekend project and invite neighbors to join you.

Consider this tribute as a project for your civic group, scouts, church or townhall group.

Locate an elementary school with an after school program in your neighborhood or locate an after school program in your neighborhood not attached to a school and ask if you could volunteer one or two afternoons and create some squares with the kids.

Invite some VFW posts to share your project in honor of their post.

Send us webmaster@patriotwatch.com for digital photos of in progress and finished project for various websites, OIFII.com and the media.

PDN is making this appeal in support of Operation: Stitches Of Love
Media Contact: Deborah Johns (916) 716-2749
Volunteers & Alternate Media: PDN (916) 448-1636

Your friends at PDN

---

The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[snippy_about_it]

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Monday Morning Everyone.


If you would like added to our ping list let us know.

[SAMWolf]

Night Snippy. See you in Carentan. ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

he he he. Watch your back. ;-)

[Humal]

Good morning, Sam and Snippy,
A question for you, please. I have heard that the Japanese people at the two sites were warned by leaflet drop before the bomb was dropped to leave the area, that it was unsafe. The Japanese ordered the people to ignore the leaflets; they were untrue. Is the leaflet drop true?

2nd, just a comment. I'm a life-long member of the Methodist church. One Sunday, about 10 years ago, our preacher (I can't say "minister") got up in church condemning America for dropping the bomb. I cannot recall ever being so angry in my life. It took all the self-control I had to sit in my seat and not walk out in the middle of his tirade, not "sermon". He was relieved shortly after this, as I for one complained about it to the church's board.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

I took this picture of a Canadair 215 water bomber Saturday afternoon.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

Microsoft releases their may security update for Windows tommorow. Donload those updates if you run Windows.

[snopercod]

If the atomic bombs hadn't been dropped when they were, I probably wouldn't be here.

My father, a USNR fighter pilot, was enroute to participate in the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He got as far as Saipan.

[Professional Engineer]

Good Morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.

An Alabama Guardsman renders honors during the National Anthem, before a Blue Angels performance.

[snopercod]

I posted this on Compuserve in 1995. The transcription of his diary is lost on my hard drive somewhere.

I was going through some of my dad's things the other night, and stumbled
across the diary he kept while on his way to support the invasion of
Japan. My dad, John R. Cooper, was an F6F pilot in the USNR, in Air Group
Eight.  VF-8 left Alameda on May 18, 1945, and returned on October 19th; I
was born about a year later, so I guess I'm one of those 'A-Bomb
survivors' who might not have been born had the bomb not been dropped.

His diary contains no combat stories, since he never saw any combat. But
as a record of military life, it made me smile, having been in the Army
myself. As a record of the events of those days in the South Pacific, I
think some of you might find it interesting - maybe some of you were there
with him, or know somebody who was. Here are the people he mentioned:

Snider, Lt.Cmdr. Cagle, Fletcher, Bob Einar, Johnny Bogdan, Barney Stelzer
(Steltzer?), Bill Lyons, 'Weasel' Turner, Tom Coalson, Jack Carson,
Schroder, Brother Galvin, Battaglia, Mendoza, G'mitro, DeGolia, Rosen,
McGuire, Commander Ruehlow, Donaldson, Letts, (Harold "Hank"?) Bosacki
(who I think drew the excellent pen and ink drawings in Dad's diary), Ted
Daily, McComb, Lesicka, Cox, Admiral Sprague, Bill Anderson, C.M. Brown,
Capt. Braun, Cmdr. Hoover.

The ships he was on:

CVE-1 USS Long Island (Alameda > Hawaii), CVE-81 USS Rudyerd Bay (Hawaii >
Guam), USS Bennington (Saipan > Eniwetok) , CVE-74 USS Nehenta Bay
(Eniwetok > Alameda). 

Dad spent most of his time on Saipan, but the other places mentioned were:

Puunene, Barbers Point, Kahului, Rota, Guam, Orote, Kagman, Eniwetok,
Kwajalein, Marpi Point, Tinian, Tanapag,  Wenger, Runit Island, Engebi 

Anyway, with all the discussion these days on 'dropping the bomb' I
decided to transcribe his diary, which I did - 14 typewritten pages of it.
For anyone interested, I uploaded it as VF8.zip to the Aviation History
section of the library. Hope you find it interesting.

[The Mayor]

How long will You hide Your face from me. —Psalm 13:1

When living under clouds of adversity, remember that the sun is still shining.

[snopercod]

I found part of my father's diary. The last portion seems to have "gone away". This thread seems like a good place to post what I have:

PERSONAL LOG OF JOHN ROBERT COOPER, ENSIGN, USNR
            AIR GROUP EIGHT - HELLCATS

     covering August, September, and October of 1945

On the 18th of May 1945 Air Group Eight embarked from Alameda 
aboard the USS Long Island, CVE-1. Six days later we put into 
Pearl Harbor. We immediately transferred from there to NAS 
Puunene on the island of Maui. In a few days we had a combat 
flight training program in operation. The previous air group left 
us some fairly decent F6F-5's, so we started doing our bit to 
wear them out. We did a lot of gunnery and tactics and bombing 
and rocket work, and then they decided we needed some carrier 
work.

We went out one day and made a couple of landings aboard 
the Saratoga, and a little later, we all went aboard for a short 
cruise. We launched strikes and CAPs just as if we were in 
combat. All went well until Snider's accident. He landed aboard 
with a full belly tank which went into the prop. In the fire that 
ensued, two crewmen were burned to death, two more jumped 
overboard - later picked up, and Snider was very badly burned. He 
pulled thru and is now on the road to recovery. They sent him 
home not so long ago. The 'Sara' was very complimentary of our 
work, however.

We lost two more pilots on the return trip to Puunene. A TBM 
piloted by Lt.Cmdr. Cagle developed a case of dead stick, 
necessitating a water landing. Fletcher climbed out of the turret 
and joined Cagle in a raft, but Bob Einar and Johnny Bogdan 
(L.S.O) who were riding in the tail end were no where to be 
found.

Some time later we had nite qualification with two landings. 

The squadron photo team - Barney Stelzer, Bill Lyons, 'Weasel' 
Turner and myself spent about two weeks at Barbers Point in a 
CASU photo training unit. We gained some experience in flying all 
types of photo rec. missions. We rather enjoyed our 'tour' up 
there. we managed to get into Honolulu now and then, and we saw 
Snider several times at hospital #8.

After another month of flying we used up the supply of bombs and 
ammo on the station and as the wild parties became more frequent 
they decided it was time we got going. They sent us out for 
another refresher aboard the USS Antietam. We landed aboard, 
refueled, took off on a simulated strike, returned for a second 
landing, and then back to Puunene. Tom Coalson's hook broke on 
his second landing and he took a couple of barriers out by the 
roots. I blew a spark plug out on the strike, but the mill still 
turned up OK, so I flew it back to Puunene.

We are now packing up to pull stakes on the 6th of Aug. Lot of 
big parties going on. They had a bowling game over in 180 the 
other nite using beer bottles for pins and more beer bottles for 
bowling balls. Less work to setting pins this way. For some 
reason the station O.D. couldn't see it that way.

Jack Carson was here recently with a USO show. Had some very sexy 
blondes with him - Mary McCarthy, some ballet dancer, and Chili 
Williams. **Gasp**!

Last nite was party nite at the club (Saturday nite). Guess a rip 
roaring time was had by all. Some of the boys had to flatten out 
some marines after they closed the place up. I think the station 
is glad we are moving out - while there are a few buildings 
standing. Some of them need to be torn down anyway. Air Group 
Eight did it's part. A while back Brother Galvin blew a building 
away while checking his mags. Numerous walls have been kicked 
down, and numerous fire extinguishers squirted. I don't think the 
BOQ officer ever lost much money tho; he made enough from us.

Today, August 5th, we finished packing our gear so as to be ready 
to shove in the morning. About noon, Schroder came steaming in 
rounding up some of boys to take the plane to Ford Island this 
afternoon. I volunteered along with about 20 other guy. We rushed 
around and got our luggage on a bus and went over to Kahului NAS. 
They wouldn't stop at Puunene for us - took too much gas. We 
waited for three hours, but no C46 ever showed up for us, so we 
got a bus to take us back to Puunene.

August 6 -  We try again. This time we won the battle. Along 
about 0900 some C46s show up and VF got aboard ahead of VFB. I 
think everyone finally got here (Ford Island). don't think they 
ever found out what happened to that plane that was supposed to 
come after us yesterday. (Hank Drew the pictures in the front 
while we were waiting.)

August 7 - Day of embarkation. All the VF group mustered at Fox 9 
(Ford Island) about noon and stowed our gear aboard the CVE-81 
Rudyerd Bay. At 1600 the lines were cast off and we were on our 
way to Guam. We learned this morning of the atomic bomb they 
dropped on Hiroshima. Sounds like hot stuff.

August 8 - Put in my time today by eating, sleeping, sunbathing, 
playing volleyball, reading, and attending a movie. Russia 
declared war on Japan.

August 9 - Today about the same as yesterday. Monotonous isn't 
it! Radio reports that Nagasaki was given the same dose as 
Hiroshima.

August 10 - More volleyball and sunbathing. Today Japan offered 
to accept the Potsdam terms of surrender - if she could retain 
her emperor. Washington is conferring with England and Russia on 
the matter.

August 12 - We crossed Longitude 180 degrees last nite. So we 
skipped Saturday, the 11th. The allied Nations decided that Japan 
could retain her emperor as long as he would take orders from our 
commanding general. This word is being broadcast to them. We are 
anxiously awaiting the results.

August 13 - Still no reply from the 'Sons'. Still we continue on 
toward Guam. Passed four merchant ships yesterday. They were 
headed in the 'right' direction. I was tempted to swim over to 
one of them.

August 14 - A beautiful, calm day. Resplendent sunset. About 1800 
reports that the Japs have finally thrown in the jock. Seems to 
be true this time. About 2000 we listened to a broadcast from the 
streets of San Francisco. Seems that the populace was taking the 
surrender news pretty hard. Hard drinking I mean. They probably 
outdid some of our VF-8 parties. Anyway - I should get caught out 
here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. *!#@*&!*

August 15 - Ship had gunnery practice this morning. They used 
weather balloons as targets. They sure can turn on of these jeeps 
on a dime. About 1000, official reports of the Jap surrender 
came. At 1300 the Captain announced the surrender and offered a 
prayer of thanksgiving. The ships work knocked off, and a holiday 
routine proclaimed. I hear there were some pretty good parties 
here and there. We listened to more celebrations on the radio. V-
J day will not be proclaimed until the surrender has been 
signed. MacArthur will do the dictating.

August 16 - Everything is back to normal again. Everyone is now 
trying to figure how to get out of the Navy. The point system 
won't help very many. I can't see any discharge in sight. 
(Dammit!) I spent my time today reading a book.

August 17 - Today we should land at Guam. Had gunnery practice As 
we went past Rota. The Japs there probably thought we were 
shooting at them./ We had it in mind. A B26 and a turkey came out 
and towed sleeves. The Japs told MacArthur they would send a 
peace envoy when they got good and ready. Everyone is P.O.'ed at 
the bull they've been handing out.

Sighted Guam about noon. Came into harbor at 1600 amid a heavy 
rain squall. Took some little time to get the ship tied up. We 
began going ashore about 1900 Had to carry all our gear down a 
ladder from the hanger deck. Don't think I ever sweated more in 
my life. We got our gear loaded on trucks after Schroder checked 
(most of) it for a *!$#@* carbine the ship lost. We unloaded our 
gear into a wind tunnel and headed for the 'O' club. It was a 
wind tunnel too with a refrigerator and some benches. Boy, did 
those two beers taste good! We are to fly to Saipan in the 
morning. I'm gonna take a shower. 

P.S. Some of the boys are whooping it up in the 'O' club. T.I has 
his squeezer.

August 18 - Between the drunks and the thunderstorms last nite, 
some of us got a little sleep. After early breakfast, we sat 
around waiting for a lull in the rainstorm. It finally stopped 
and we hauled our luggage down to the airstrip and loaded it 
aboard some C47s. About the time we were loaded they canceled the 
flights because of a frontal storm up the line. A little later 
one load of luggage took off and got thru, so we all took off (4 
C47s). We left Orote at about 1000 and landed at NAB Kagman on 
Saipan at about 1100. We soon got squared away in wind tunnels. 
We now enjoy all the comforts of home. The chow hall is near by - 
also a nice little 'O' club. We rifled some of the empty huts for 
furniture such as packing box cabinets and chairs and desks.

We decided VFB could make their own, since they will probably 
occupy those empty huts. 

Went down to what is known as the 'swimmin hole' this afternoon. 
What an ideal spot for swimming. You just dive off the cliff into 
the water. There is a raft and a life guard. I found the place 
inhabited by tropical fish and coral such as no aquarium ever 
had. With my little diving goggles I toured the bottom for a 
couple of hours. (I came up for air once in a while). Below the 
surface of the water is a brilliant new world.

We tried out the 'O' club. Some of the boys really whooped it up.

19 August - The rest of the Air Group arrived this morning. I 
spent most of the morning at the swimming hole - underwater - 
exploring. Thunder showers this afternoon. Stayed in and did some 
drawing.

The radio announced that the Japs had sent envoys to IE. They 
just saved their necks from an all out bombing. The B29s here and 
on Tinian were all set to let 'em have it.

20 August - Toured around the base this morning looking for the 
photo lab and also some fishing gear. Saw some Japs over in the 
First Lieut's office who had just surrendered. Guess they were 
getting a little hungry up in the hills, although they looked 
pretty healthy. They looked a little scared too.

I went swimming as usual later in the morning, and spent the 
afternoon doing some drawing.

August 21 - for a change of scenery I walked up the hill to where 
the Seabees were excavating coral. They had three of four 
LeTorneau 'Carryalls' and were using a bulldozer as a pusher. I 
rode on the bulldozer for a while - shootin' the bull with the 
driver. He checked me out and let me run it a while. Some fun!

Swam for couple hours this afternoon. Went to the movie tonite. 
There was s musical stage show before the movie. The movie was 
'Keys of the Kingdom'.

August 22 - Went for a drive over to the opposite side of the 
island - near fleet landing - to get some khaki shorts. On the 
way over we stopped and watched while the Marines appealed to the 
Japs at large to surrender by means of a Jap prisoner and a P.A 
system. Nothing happened.

Spent the afternoon reading and swimming. A lot of the fellows 
were busy spearing fish. Went to the movie 'Girl Crazy'.

August 23 - A gang of us took off this morning in a weapons 
carrier to see the island. Stopped at the Army supply depot for 
more shorts. From there we toured Isley field to look at the 
B29s. There must be 200 of them there. They have been dropping 
supplies to our P.W.s in Japan. We continued on up to Marpi Point 
- saw 'suicide cliff' where all the Japs jumped into the sea. the 
stench of dead was nauseating. We climbed down below the cliff to 
look at the caves. They were littered with bones and various 
pieces of decayed clothing and equipment. Nothing worthwhile as 
souvenirs tho. Many skulls had neat bullet holes between the 
eyes. Many shoes had bony feet in them. A lot of Japs had joined 
the Royal Order of Ancestors there.

We continued on along the ledge to where it met the ocean. 
Apparently molten lava had oozed into the water there and had 
boiled into a frothy mass and solidified thus. Thousands of years 
of pounding surf have worn it down exposing razor-like edges ow 
what had been air bubbles. Along the surf was a flat shelf of 
pools rimmed by partitions of coral. These pools teemed with all 
sorts of tropical fish and coral formations.

On the way home we stopped by the Fleet Club and had a few Pepsi-
Colas. We stopped at Isley field again to locate an A.P.O.  Saw 
'Dodge City' tonite at the movie.

August 24 - Didn't do much of anything today. Spent most of the 
afternoon hunting for shells and cat eyes down at the swimming 
hole. Not much luck. Found an eight inch shell laying on the 
coral. It is still there - untouched.

August 26 - Sue and I have been married one year today. Visited 
the seaplane base this evening with 'Weasel' and some of the 
boys. Had a couple of beers and shot the breeze with the P-boat 
boys.

August 26 - A gang of us took off this morning for a sightseeing 
tour. We stopped at the 2nd Marine Engineers so Battaglia could 
look up a friend. We took him with us up to Marpi. Stopped in at 
one of the Jap caves. Picked up a souvenir or two. Had lunch at 
Marpi officer's mess. Spent the afternoon looking for shell along 
the beach and viewing invasion damage. We stopped and watched a 
bunch of Jap kids having a children's day celebration, or some 
such affair. They were in a playground and having all sorts of 
contests and games.

August 27 - Flew a familiarization hop this morning. We cruised 
around Saipan and Tinian. Went down to Rota and back and had a 
tail chase. It rained most of the day. B29 hit the hillside last 
nite.

August 28 - More rain. Everyone stayed inside today. I shampooed 
my hair under a stream of water pouring off the roof. Rain water 
is the only soft water.

August 29 - Flew down to Guam and back this morning. Sort of a 
nav hop.

August 30 - Schroder, Mendoza, G'mitro and DeGolia left this 
morning for home. They went over to the seaplane base at Tanapag 
to hitch hike a ride home. There is often a PBY heading back to 
the States. Some of the B29s have gone back carrying 50 men.

Had a bounce hop this afternoon. This field is pretty poor for 
FCLP. Rain and calm air also helped.

August 31 - CAP standby duty today - about six hours of it. No 
scrambles tho. Most of the squadron went out to shoot a couple of 
landings on the Casablanca. Along in the afternoon they secured 
because of lack of wind. Beer at the club was free with the 
compliments of those who made the last ALNAV.

September 1 - Not scheduled to fly today. The Casablanca is going 
back to the states so no more carrier landings on it. Suits me 
fine. I didn't want to go out there anyway. Crapped out today. 
Got some fishing gear ready for our fishing trip tomorrow. 

September 2 - Deep sea fishing trip today. We left Kagman NAB 
about 0730 and drove over to Tanapag seaplane base. There were 
about 20 of us. We got a 45' picket boat from the CASU boat pool 
and made our way out of the harbor. We trolled for hours and had 
one strike. We cruised down

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on May 10:
1724 Johan A Zoutman Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral (battle of Doggersbank)
1730 George Ross US judge (signed Declaration of Independence)
1770 Louis Nicholas Davout French field marshall (defeated Prussians)
1788 Augustin-Jean Fresnel optics pioneer/physicist
1810 James Shields Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1879
1813 Montgomery Blair Franklin County KY, lawyer (Dred Scot v Sandford)
1824 Charles Henry Van Wyck Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1895
1838 John Wilkes Booth assassin of Abraham Lincoln
1850 Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton Glasgow Scotland, yachtsman/tea magnate (Lipton Tea)
1886 Karl Barth Basel Switzerland, theologian/author (Action in Waiting)
1886 Olaf Stapleton British religious sci-fi writer (Star Maker)
1894 Dimitri Tiomkin Russia, composer (Academy Award 1954-High & Mighty)
1899 Fred Astaire Omaha NE, tap dancer/actor (Easter Parade, Swingtime)
1902 David O Selznick Pittsburgh PA, producer (Gone With the Wind)
1908 Carl Albert (D) speaker of the House
1909 Maybelle Carter(Mother Maybell) Nickelsville VA, country singer
1910 Margot Turner matron-in-chief (Army Nursing Service)
1915 Denis Thatcher husband of British PM Margaret (1979-90)
1921 Nancy Walker Philadelphia PA, Bounty ads/actress (Rhoda, McMillan & Wife)
1929 Antoine "Fats" Domino rocker (Blueberry Hill)
1930 Pat Summerall NFLer (New York Giants)/Sportscaster (CBS)
1934 Cliff Wilson snooker player
1936 Gary Owens Mitchell SD, disc jockey/TV host (Laugh In, Gong Show)
1938 Maxim Shostakovich Leningrad Russia, conductor (Atlanta Symphony)
1940 Taurean Blacque actor (Neal Washington-Hill Street Blues)
1943 Donovan [Leitch] Glasgow Scotland, guitarist/folk singer (Mellow Yellow)
1943 James Earl Chaney US civil rights activist
1947 Dave Mason Worcester England, singer/songwriter (We Just Disagree)
1955 Chris Berman sportscaster (ESPN)
1955 Homer Simpson animation (Simpsons)
1955 Mark David Chapman assassin of John Lennon
1957 Sid Vicious [John Beverly], London England, punk rocker (Sex Pistols)
1958 Rick Santorum (Representative-R-PA)
1963 Lisa M Nowak Washington DC, Lieutenant Commander USN/astronaut
1965 Linda Evangelista St Catherines Canada, model (Elite)
1972 Emma Ridley Hanpstead England, actress (Return to Oz)

---

Deaths which occurred on May 10:
0238 Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus the Thracian, Roman Emperor, murdered
1566 Leonhard Fuchs German botanist, dies at 65
1569 Juan the Avila Spanish minister/writer
1710 Georg Dietrich Leiding composer, dies at 46
1774 Louis XV king of France (1715-74), dies at 64
1794 Elisabeth princess of France, beheaded at 30
1798 George Vancouver British explorer, (Voyage of Discovery), dies at 40
1818 Paul Revere American patriot, dies
1829 Thomas Young physicist/decipherer of Egyptian hierogolyphics, dies
1849 Katsushika Hokusai Japanese painter, dies at 89

1863 Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson Confederate General (Civil War), dies from wounds received at Chancellorsville

1864 James Clay Rice lawyer/Union Brigadier-General, dies in battle at 34
1864 Thomas Greeley Stevenson Union Brigadier-General, dies at about 27
1904 Henry M Stanley [John Rowlands] British explorer, dies
1910 William Huggins discoverer of stellar nature of Andromeda, dies
1920 John Wesley Hyatt inventor/plastics pioneer, dies
1942 Joseph M Weber comedian/singer (Weber & Lewis Fields), dies at 74
1943 André Bertulot Belgian resistance fighter, hanged
1943 Arnaud/Armand Fraiteur Belgian resistance fighter, hanged
1943 Maurice-Albert Raskin Belgian resistance fighter, hanged
1950 John G Fletcher US poet (Burning Mountain), dies
1973 Jack E Leonard Chicago IL, comedian, dies at 62
1992 Joan Merrill vocalist, dies of a stroke at 74
1992 John Lund actor (Perils of Pauline), dies at 81
1994 John Wayne Gacy mass murderer, executed in Illinois at 52
1997 Joanie Weston roller derby queen (Bay Bombers), dies at 61

---

Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1966 BAILEY JOHN EDWARD---MINNEAPOLIS MN.
[REMAINS IDENTIFIED 03/17/99]
1966 ECKES WALTER W.---NEW YORK NY.
[06/18/66 ESCAPED, ALIVE AND WELL 1998]
1967 AHLMEYER HEINZ JR.---PEARL RIVER NY.
1967 MILLER MALCOM T.---TAMPA FL.
1967 NETHERLAND ROGER M.---BEAVER PA.
[REMAINS IDENTIFIED 06/16/00]
1967 SHARP SAMUEL A. JR.---SAN JOSE CA.
1967 TYCZ JAMES N.---MILWAUKEE WI.
1968 BLACKMAN THOMAS J.---RACINE WI.
1968 CZERWONKA PAUL S.---SOUTHTON MA.
1968 COOK JOSEPH F.---FOXBORO MA.
1968 FLEMING HORACE H. III---PENSACOLA FL.
1968 FRITSCH THOMAS W.---CROMWELL CT.
1968 HEMPEL BARRY L.---GARDEN GROVE CA.
1968 HEYNE RAYMOND T.---MASON WI.
1968 KING GERALD E.---KNOXVILLE TN.
1968 LOPEZ ROBERT C.---ALBUQUERQUE NM.
1968 MC GONIGLE WILLIAM D.---WICHITA KS.
1968 MITCHELL DONALD W.---PRINCETON KY.
1968 MILLER GLENN E.---OAKLAND CA.
1968 PERRY THOMAS H.---CANTON CT.
1968 SARGENT JAMES R.---ANAWALT WV.
1969 WALTERS WILLIAM---PHILADELPHIA PA.
1971 BINGHAM KLAUS Y.---WAHIAWA HI.
1971 LUTTRELL JAMES M.---FAYETTEVILLE NC.
1971 WALTON LEWIS C.---CRANSTON RI.
1972 BLACKBURN HARRY L. JR.---HIGHLAND SPRINGS VA.
[REMAINS RETURNED 04/10/86]
1972 HARRIS JEFFREY L.---CLINTON MD.
[REMAINS RETURNED 05/97]
1972 LODGE ROBERT A.---LYNBROOK NY.
[09/30/77 REMAINS RETURNED]
1972 RUDLOFF STEPHEN A.---NEW YORK NY.
03/28/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1972 WILKINSON DENNIS E.---WEST PALM BEACH FL.
[08/26/78 REMAINS RETURNED]

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

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On this day...
1267 Vienna's church orders all Jews to wear a distinctive garb
1278 Jews of England imprisoned on charges of coining
1291 Scottish nobles recognize authority of English king Edward I
1427 Jews are expelled from Berne Switzerland
1497 Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci leaves for 1st voyage to New World
1503 Columbus discovers Cayman Islands
1534 French navigator Jacques Cartier reaches Newfoundland
1559 Scottish Protestants under John Knox uprise against queen-mother Mary
1570 Czar Ivan IV becomes Protestant
1652 John Johnson, a free black, is granted 550 acres in Northampton VA
1676 Bacon's Rebellion, frontiersmen vs Virginia Government begins
1752 Benjamin Franklins 1st tests the lightning rod
1774 Louis XVI ascends to throne of France

1775 2nd Continental Congress convened in Pennsylvania; issues paper currency for 1st time
1775 2nd Continental Congress names George Washington, supreme commander
1775 Green Mountain Boys capture Fort Ticonderoga NY-American Revolution

1796 Napoleon defeats Austria in Battle of Lodi Bridge
1797 1st Navy ship, the "United States" is launched
1823 1st steamboat to navigate the Mississippi River arrives at Fort Snelling
1857 Indian Mutiny begins with revolt of Sepoys of Meerutkazerne, Delhi
1861 Union troops march on state militia in St Louis MI
1862 Battle of Plum Run Bend TN (Plum Point Bend)
1864 Battle at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
1864 Skirmish at Ny River VA
1865 President Jefferson Davis is captured by Union Cavalry in Irwinsville GA
1869 Golden Spike driven, completes Promontory Point UT-Transcontinental RR
1870 Jem Mace defends his heavyweight crown against Irish champion Joe Coburn, it lasts 1 hour & 17 minutes, and neither is struck by a punch
1872 Victoria Woodhull becomes 1st woman nominated for US president
1876 Centennial Fair opens in Philadelphia
1879 Meteor falls near Estherville IA
1893 19th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Kunze aboard Lookout wins in 2:39¼
1905 31st Kentucky Derby: Jack Martin aboard Agile wins in 2:100.75
1906 Russia's Duma (Parliament) meets for 1st time
1908 1st Mother's Day observed (Philadelphia)
1910 1st aircraft air display held (Hendon, England)
1910 36th Kentucky Derby: Fred Herbert aboard Donau wins in 2:06.4
1910 Halley's Comet closest approach to Earth in 1910 pass
1913 39th Kentucky Derby: Roscoe Goose aboard Donerail wins in 2:04.8
1915 Zeppelin drops hundred of bombs on Southend-on-Sea
1916 Disastrous fire in Ellendale ND
1917 Atlantic ships get destroyer escorts to stop German attacks
1919 45th Kentucky Derby: Johnny Loftus aboard Sir Barton wins in 2:09.8
1919 Race riot in Charleston SC, 2 blacks killed
1924 J Edgar Hoover appointed head of the FBI
1930 1st US planetarium opens (Adler-Chicago)
1933 Nazis stage public book burnings in Germany
1933 Paraguay declares war on Bolivia
1936 Nahas Pasja becomes premier of Egypt
1940 British Local Defense Volunteers (Home Guard) forms
1940 Dutch-Indies Governor Van Starkenborch proclaims end to state of siege
1940 French marines stationed on Aruba
1940 French troops arrive in Zealand/Brabant Netherlands
1940 Nazi armies invade the Benelux countries of Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg
1940 Winston Churchill succeeds Neville Chamberlain as British PM
1941 Adolf Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland
1944 Smith v Allwright (excluding Blacks from primary voting) is illegal
1945 Allies capture Rangoon from the Japanese
1945 Russian troops occupy Prague
1946 Umberto II succeeds Victor Emmanuel III as king of Italy
1948 1st attack by Egyptian irregular forces at Kfar Darom Israel
1956 French Government sends 50,000 reservists to Algeria
1959 Soviet forces arrive in Afghánistán
1960 John F Kennedy wins primary in West Virginia
1960 US atomic sub USS Triton completes 1st circumnavigation of globe under water
1963 Decca signs the Rolling Stones on advice of Beatle George Harrison
1966 25ºF lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in May
1967 Foundation AZ soccer team forms in Alkmaar
1967 Hank Aaron only inside the park homerun (vs Jim Bunning)
1967 Keith Richards, Brian Jones & Mick Jagger arrested on drug charges(SHOCK!)
1967 Stockholm Vietnam-Tribunal declares US aggression in Vietnam/Cambodia(Yawn)
1968 Vietnam peace talks began in Paris between the US & North Vietnam
1969 Apollo 10 transmit 1st color pictures of Earth from space
1969 US troops begin attack on Hill 937/Hamburger Hill
1975 Brian Oldfield of the US put the shotput 75', an unofficial record
1979 Federated States of Micronesia becomes self-governing
1979 Vivekananda (Sri Lanka) completes nonstop cycle ride of 187 hours, 28 minutes, around Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo, Sri Lanka
1981 François Mitterrand defeats Valery Giscard d'Estang for President of France
1983 "Laverne & Shirley" last airs on ABC-TV
1983 Lee Chin Yong performs 170 continuous chin-ups in Seoul
1988 Edgar Degas' "Danseresje of 14" sold for $10,120,000
1989 General Manuel Noriega's Government nullifies country's elections, which the opposition had won by a 3-1 margin
1992 Bible Land Museum opens in Jerusalem Israel
1993 Paul Cézannes still life sells for $28,600,000 in NYC
1994 Barbra Streisand's begins 1st concert tour in 30 years
1994 Nelson Mandela sworn in as South Africa's 1st black president
1994 Silvio Berlusconi forms Italian Government
1995 Britain lifts a 23-year ban on ministerial talks with Sinn Fein
1996 2 US Marine helicopters collided during joint US & British war games, killing 14 people
1997 Chicago Cubs turn baseballs 68th triple play (vs San Fransisco Giants)
2001 The U.S. House of Representatives voted to withhold some back U.N. dues until the United States was reinstated on the U.N. Commission on Human Rights.

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Hong Kong : Tin Hau's Day
North & South Carolina : Confederate Memorial Day (1868)
Thailand : Ploughing Ceremony
Ireland : Feis Ceoil music festival (1897)(Monday)
US-Indians : Native American Day
National Hamburger Week (Day 2)
Salvation Army Week
Iowa Tourism Month

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Religious Observances
Denmark : Common Prayer Day
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of SS Gordian & Epimachus, martyrs
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Antoninus, bishop of Florence, confessor

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Religious History
1812 Birth of Frances Elizabeth Cox, English translator. She made 56 contributions to the 1841 publication, "Sacred Hymns from the German," including "Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above."
1828 English church leader John Henry Newman wrote in a letter: 'I wish it were possible for words to put down those indefinite, vague and withal subtle feelings which quite pierce the soul and make it sick. What a veil and curtain this world of sense is. Beautiful, but still a veil.'
1859 Birth of Wilhelm Wrede, a German Bible scholar who contended that the gospels reflected the theology of the primitive Church rather than the true history of Jesus. Wrede thus contributed his name to the title of Albert Schweitzer's 1906 theological classic: "The Quest of the Historical Jesus: From Reimarus to Wrede."
1912 The first Southern Sociological Congress closed, in Nashville. The four-day convocation met to address "social, civic and economic problems" of sixteen Southern states, and was an example of government, social agencies and the Church working together for social betterment.
1939 The Declaration of Union reunited the Methodist Episcopal Church in the U.S. after 109 years of division. (The Methodist Protestant Church had separated from the parent denomination in 1830, as had the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, later, in 1844.)

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest."

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Actual Newspaper Headlines...
Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim

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Why did the Chicken cross the Road...
James Carville: Because the mean-spirited Republican majority in congress was going to cook the chicken and leave only the sun-bleached bones picked bare for the American people that they'd throw out in the street!

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Guide to REAL driving...
It is traditional to honk your horn at cars that don't move the instant the light changes.

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What The Company Really Means...
"COMPETITIVE SALARY:" We remain competitive by paying less than our competitors.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[SAMWolf]

The leaflets were dropped after the Hiroshima bomb.

The program of psychological warfare included the dropping of thousands of leaflets on Japanese cities after the bombing of Hiroshima. Leaders of the American government hoped the Japanese people would evacuate their cities, which not only would save many lives but also disrupt war production - factories were concentrated in cities. They hoped that popular revulsion against continuing the war would prompt Tokyo officials including the emperor to sue for peace according to requirements of the Rotsdam Declaration.

Unfortunately this effort at psychological warfare failed. Time was too short for it to succeed. Moreover, Japanese military authorities controlled the government, and only another nuclear bombing, that of Nagasaki, enabled the emperor to prevail against them.

Robert H. Ferrell

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aeronaut.

I sure hope he didn't drop his load shortly after the picture was taken. ;-)

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C. Once again, thanks for the heads up.