August 6th, 1945,

[Matt Gunsch]

The Enola Gay flew into history 64 years ago on this day,

[John Dupre]

Thank you Paul Tibbets and thank you Harry S Truman. You saved my father's life.

[Owen Miller]

....and likley mine as well!!!!

[bluehawk15]

If the plane named after his MOTHER hadn't "GIVEN BIRTH" out of it's belly to that "LITTLE BOY", I can't help but wonder how many of our mothers wouldn't have given birth to a lot of us little boys (and girls)! My father and his tank were steaming toward the southern tip of Japan on this day in 1945 when the bomb was dropped. Not long afterward the ship was turned toward the Phillipines where they ran a PW camp.

Sure am glad I asked about his time in the Army, and he was willing to talk about it. Just wish I had gotten it on tape!

[skydaddy61]

Dad was a radar tech for F6F-N's and F7F-Ns. Had we invaded, he'd've very likely been assigned to a night fighter wing on a carrier (aka kamikaze bait).

War is hell, but sometimes it beats the alternative.

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

My grandfather had been working on the B-29 factory in experimental electrical. He left his job and graduated Basic Training in the Army Infantry in July 1945.

Without the B-29, sound decision making by our leadership, the Indianapolis, two brave crews, and the Manhatten project, I would not be here.

[Django]

Without the B-29, sound decision making by our leadership, the Indianapolis, two brave crews, and the Manhatten project, I would not be here.

There was alot more than just 2 crews to the 509th, all equally important to the mission. Not to mention the other 4 crews that flew the missions too. Just sayin...

Heroes, all of them, and they sure didn't deserve the crap they got for being a part of the mission, later in life.

[the330thbg]

Hats off boys!

64 years later!


Hats off!

[tex-fan]

my dad was on a destroyer headed for japan the day they dropped the bomb. he's 82 years old now and still comes to work [almost] every day.

[Lynn Allen]

Sadly there is very little said on TV and in the papers....

Lynn

[Craig59]

Wow! Glad to know I'm in good company. My Dad's squadron (VMB-433) was equipped with rocket racks under the wings of their PBJ's and they were training to provide close air support for the invasion of mainland Japan when Tibbets and his men flew their mission. One of the highlights of my life was getting to meet General Tibbets and thank him for my fathers' - and thus my - life.

[Owen Miller]

Today I wore my T-shirt that shows the mushroom cloud and reads,

"MADE IN AMERICA by stupid, lazy Americans"

Thank you Paul Tibbets, the men of the 509th, and the men of the Manhatten Project!!

I don't think I'd be here today without you!! Thank you for life!!

Always grateful,
J. Owen Miller

Last edited by Owen Miller on Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

[ktst97]

Dutch Van Kirk has been at the '08 and '09 Thunder Over Michigan shows, located in the YAM tent. Both times I've seen him, I thanked him for his service, including the Enola Gay flight and all of the B-17 missions he flew as navigator. As I told him, I'm sure that we are able to attend air shows like TOM today thanks to the amazing efforts of thousands like him. He responded like so many of the WWII vets I've thanked, with a modest "just doing my job" comment. Gotta love that Greatest Generation!

[PbyCat-Guy]

Sadly there is very little said on TV and in the papers....

Lynn

Because they have sympathy towards the Japanes of that generation and consider it outright "mass murder." Wonder what they would say after they became aware of the "Rape of Nanking" prior 7 Dec.
I too had meet Van Kirk and Tibbets a few years back. It was an honor. I was telling Van Kirk that my uncle was also a B-29 navigator and my grandfather probably would've been killed if he wasn't doing his job.