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Captain Lewis flew as copilot on that mission. In the raid on Hiroshima, the Enola Gay was flown by Colonel Paul Tibbets Commanding Officer of the group. In 1945, Robert Lewis was a Captain in the 509 th Composite Bomb Group. Today, I am talking with men who were aboard the Enola Gay and the Great Artiste on those missions. Three days later on August ninth, the B-29 Great Artiste dropped the plutonium atomic bomb, called the Fat Man, on Nagasaki. Puny by today’s one hundred megaton standards, but powerful enough to kill seventy-eight thousand one hundred and fifty people. The Gimmick, also known as Little Boy, was a uranium atomic bomb with the explosive power of twenty thousand tons of TNT. The time was fifteen minutes and seventeen seconds past 8:00 AM, just seventeen seconds behind schedule. Aboard the plane were thirteen men a thing called “the Gimmick.” Some fourteen hundred miles and six hours later, the Enola Gay reached her appointment with history.
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The 60th commemoration will feature the arrival of many veterans, their families and friends, historians, and others who will return to honor the men and women who served during the battles.Interviewer: At two forty-five in the morning of August 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay took off from North field on Tinian. 2, 1945, bringing an end to World War II. The result of the atomic bomb explosion and a similar bombing of Nagasaki three days later, convinced the Japanese to surrender. On August 6, 1945, Tibbets and his crew began their voyage to Hiroshima with an atomic bomb on board.
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The Northfield Air Field on Tinian was at one point the busiest airport in the world, with planes taking off every 45 seconds. Soon after the islands were secured and runways were constructed, the Americans launched B-29 Bomber attacks against mainland Japan. Tinian was secured on August 1, 1944, but not after 389 U.S. Further, over 900 of the local population lost their lives. The island was finally declared secure on July 9, however, at a cost of more than 3,000 Americans and 30,000 Japanese. This year, the day will be commemorated with a formal parade and ceremony in honor of the veterans. The land battle on Saipan began on June 15, 1944. Facey, however, said Gabaldon’s wife would be on island for the event.īoth Saipan and Tinian were locations of vital World War II battles in the Pacific region. He was originally scheduled to speak at several seminars on his Saipan battle experience. Babauta and other dignitaries in a reception at the Saipan Museum.įacey also disclosed that Guy Gabaldon, a veteran marine who captured over 800 prisoners on Saipan, will not be able to be part of the commemoration after suffering a minor stroke not too long ago. He is also expected to have a brief discussion with Northern Marianas College students on that day. Tibbets stay will be highlighted by his keynote address at the 60th anniversary’s formal commemoration ceremony on June 15. “He is such a magnetic figure, but there are requirements for rest schedule, and we’re going to make sure it’s being followed.”įacey said the committee is committed to abiding to his rest schedule to “make sure his health is intact.” “It’s quite a task for him to come because of his age,” said Facey.