General Paul Tibbets was just 30 years old in 1945 old when he piloted the Enola Gay B-29 bomber on its mission to drop the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. As an Air Force Public Affairs Specialist, in 1999 I was fortunate to hear the then 84-year-old Tibbets speak and also shake his hand at a reunion of the 509th Composite Group at Andrews Air Force Base.
Crews of Enola Gay and Other B-29 Bombers Trained for Historic Mission
Tibbets commanded the 509th in 1945 when he and his 12-man crew took off in the Enola Gay from Ushi Point Airfield on Tinian Island in the Pacific Ocean. During the reunion, the Air Force presented the Group with the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with valor). The Air Force Association hosted the reunion.
Close to 100 veterans from the 509th, all at least 75 years old, were at the reunion. The group had never received medals or other official recognition in all the years since 1945. This was due to security concerns, and some clearances finally lifting. The veterans listened intently as Tibbets stepped up to the podium and began to speak.
Gen. Paul Tibbets Addressed Group 54 Years After Enola Gay Mission
I admit I wondered about what Tibbets might say about the Hiroshima mission and the Enola Gay. I was curious about what he might feel, 54 years later, about dropping the first atomic bomb used in war.
With pride and firmness evident in his voice, Tibbets began by praising his men for the way they performed their duties in 1945. He said they were professional and focused during the months of training in Utah and on Tinian Island before the mission.
He continued, adding that the 509th did what it had to do and ended the war, and that no one should criticize them, despite some negative comments over the years about the destructive force of the atomic bomb. When Tibbets finished speaking, his men, some using canes and walkers, and others in wheelchairs, stood and cheered their commander.
Other Members of 509th Composite Group Expressed Pride in Mission of B-29 Enola Gay
Other members of the Enola Gay crew have expressed similar feelings. Second Lt. Russell Gackenbach served as navigator on “Necessary Evil,” one of the two B-29s that flew as observation planes on the mission. During a 2017 interview with NPR, Gackenbach said, “After 73 years, I do not regret what we did that day. All war’s hell. The Japanese started the war. It was our turn to finish it.”
Another airman on the mission was Sgt. Melvin H. Bierman. He served as tail gunner on the “Necessary Evil,” and had a clear view of the mushroom cloud. According to his son, Mitchell Bierman, his father didn’t say much about the war but was proud of his service. He was convinced they had saved more lives by forcing Japan to surrender, but did regret the loss of life.”
Mitchell Bierman also said that his father, “felt that in that time, and in that place, it was the right thing to do.”
Some Regret Combined with a Sense of Duty
One crew member on the mission, Capt. Robert A. Lewis, did express some remorse about the destruction from the bomb that struck Hiroshima. Lewis, who was co-pilot on the Enola Gay, wrote, “My God, what have we done?” in his journal as the aircraft flew away from the city.
Still, Lewis acknowledged the seriousness and even the necessity of the mission, later stating, “Today I’m pleased the bomb hasn’t been used again. I hope it has become a deterrent force, and maybe we won’t have so many wars.”
For me, the opportunity to meet General Tibbets and listen as he addressed his men was a true privilege and a highlight of my career in the Air Force.
