Warbird Information Exchange

Found it here: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/18580/page1

Lot 30023

ATOMIC BOMB ALBURY LOT BOCKSCAR B-29 CREW C15
Interesting historic grouping of Captain Charles Donald Albury signatures, co-pilot. Crew C-15, the crew who flew the B-29 bomber that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki on 9 August 1945. Many of these items are signed, (with photographic evidence) and include; Bockscar photo (signed), B&W photo (signed). A leather helmet, throat mic and oxygen mask, (Its original box is signed and include accessories). Aircrew sunglasses, (Case signed). A garrison cap with Captain rank. Squadron patch. Pilots badge. A signed business card. A G1 leather jacket with painted Squadron motif to the front and rear, signed twice.

Estimate $750 - $1,500
Starting Bid $400

Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support (Retired)
"Your Life Is Our Business"

Except that he was not the Co-pilot on the Nagasaki mission, The Co-pilot was Fred Olivi.

Olivi's book show Chares Sweeney as Aircraft Commander, Charles Albury as Pilot, Olivi as Co-pilot

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
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Don't know how accurate this information is....but this is what I found, there is so much information out there that some sites facts conflict with others.

Crew C-15 of the Bockscar
Major Charles Sweeney, Commander
Captain Charles Donald Albury, Co-Pilot
2nd Lieutenant Fred Olivi, Third Pilot
Captain James Van Pelt, Jr., Navigator
Captain Raymond “Kermit” Beahan, Bombardier
Master Sergeant John Kuharek, Flight Engineer
Sergeant Raymond Gallagher, Assistant Flight Engineer
Staff Sergeant Ed Buckley, Radar Operator
Sergeant Abe Spitzer, Radio Operator
Staff Sergeant Albert Dehart, Tail Gunner
Additional Mission Crew on board August 9, 1945

Cmdr. Frederick L. Ashworth (USN), Weaponeer
Lt. Philip Barnes (USN), Assistant Weaponeer
2nd Lt. Jacob Beser, Radar Countermeasures

Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support (Retired)
"Your Life Is Our Business"

I had a chance to visit with Fred Olivi at some length on two occasions when he was part of an AAHM seminar series at CAF HQ. Basically, Sweeney bumped Albury from the left seat to the right seat, leaving Olivi as a third pilot with little to do. Olivi wrote a book about the mission called Decision at Nagasaki: The Mission That Almost Failed.

For the second seminar, Olivi was joined by Dick Ashworth, the weaponeer on the mission. Now that was a very interesting talk as Ashworth had never spoken publicly about his role in the mission, which was a lot more than most, including his old friend Olivi, knew until that program.

Randy

It's a shame these items aren't going to the NMUSAF...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

I don't get the impression that these items are historical artifacts, but just things that have signatures and the like on them.

Yes, you would think his family would want to keep these things though...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Or that they are not here in Wendover Alas. . . . . But Randy could be right on - period items but not the actual equipment used on the mission.

Oh Well. . . .

Tom P.
Historic Wendover Airfield Museum

I think you guys are right.
You know it sounds like they might never even have been owned by Albury.
Just somebody getting items signed and selling as a lot. Are there any photos of him wearing a "NAVY" G-1 jacket with those patches on it?
I know the AVG wore a lot of G-1's but it wasn't as prevalent in the regular AF. Obviously it happened , but I question if Albury ever owned any of these specific items in the auction.
Jerry

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