Here's why the pilot of Enola Gay had no regrets about dropping the first atom bomb

Task & Purpose ^ | Aug 6, 2022 | Tom Porter

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Early in the morning of August 6, 1945, a U.S. Air Force B29 bomber, the Enola Gay, took off from the its base in Tinian, near Guam, and headed for the city of Hiroshima in southern Japan.

It was carrying a 9,700 top-secret bomb named Little Boy. Its pilot was Col. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., who led a crew of 12 men on a mission that would change the history of the world.......

Pilot Tibbetts Jr and other crew members believed to the end of their lives that the bomb was necessary — and they say that it ultimately saved lives.

In a 2002 interview, Tibbetts told writer Studs Terkel: "I knew we did the right thing because when I knew we'd be doing that I thought, yes, we're going to kill a lot of people, but by God we're going to save a lot of lives. We won't have to invade [Japan]."......

He said: "You're gonna kill innocent people at the same time, but we've never fought a damn war anywhere in the world where they didn't kill innocent people.

"If the newspapers would just cut out the s--t: 'You've killed so many civilians.' That's their tough luck for being there," he said.

[dfwgator]

We also did more as a message to The Soviet Union.

[metmom]

Considering that it took two bombs to end the war, yes, it was necessary.

If the Japanese still wanted to fight after that level of destruction, nothing else would have stopped them except almost complete annhilation.

[Lazamataz]

I met Paul Tibbetts at his book signing at the WWII Museum’s opening of the Pacific Wing. I told him how my mother survived the Hiroshima bombing, moved to America and raised a family. We had come full circle, me telling him this as U.S. Navy chief. He was truly speechless. He signed a copy of his book to my mother. It was a very emotional moment.

See, THIS, THIS POST RIGHT HERE, *THIS* is why I treasure Free Republic.

I can read an amazing story like yours, right here, anytime.

[Dr. Franklin]

Date of first atomic fission bomb test - July 16, 1945.
Date of Germany surrender - May 8, 1945.
We didn’t drop the bomb on Germany because we didn’t have a time machine.
We also apparently have a whole lotta people with no clue what they’re talking about.

You ASS/U/ME that there was no desire to test the weapon on the battle field first. There are documents discussing what I posted...

[Monterrosa-24]

“I met Paul Tibbetts at his book signing at the WWII Museum’s opening of the Pacific Wing. I told him how my mother survived the Hiroshima bombing, moved to America and raised a family...”

Just wow!

[chaosagent]

My Dad was training in Hawaii for the invasion of Japan when the first bomb dropped. After Saipan and Iwo Jima, he thought atomic bombs were a really cool idea!

From My Blog Today: Today, August 6th, is a very important date in my life. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima 47 years ago today in 1945. As I’ve mentioned before, my mother was a Captain (later Major) in the Army Nurse Corp, and was Chief of Nursing at West Point. And she and her nurses were on a train bound for New Orleans to get on a troop ship to the Pacific to participate in the invasion of the Japanese homeland. And with Japan’s propensity for attacking hospital ships, there’s a very good chance she might not have made it home. After all, it was forecast that there would be over a million American casualties during a possible invasion.

[Romans Nine]

Wow. No way to fully understand the emotion in that meeting.

Thanks for sharing,

[trfree98]

I always wondered why the meme maker of this comparison couldn’t use an actual picture of the Detroit skyline from the 1940’s. The Detroit river has no such bend and the iron ore ships would rip all those bridges to pieces if they were on the Detroit river. Facts need not matter when you just want to make a point I guess... (see image of Detroit from Windsor circa 1941...)
https://olddetroit.tumblr.com/page/5

[dfwgator]

The pilot had no regrets because he was not a sissified, fem-boy.

Unlike the guys in OMD, who did that dreadful song.

[LJM]

True. The “Trinity” test didn’t take place until over 2 months after Germany had surrendered.

[Romans Nine]

Agreed.

FR is a treasure to me every day, even the days the trolls show up.

[fr_freak]

the firebombing we did on Germany was no picnic either.

[scottiemom]

"and they say that it ultimately saved lives.)"

Yes, it was worth it. My Daddy came home.

[Salvavida]

Yes, even the infants. Sin was imputed on man through Adam, the federal representative of mankind.

The consequences of national sin falls on everyone.

[joma89]

WWII was total war. Only complete capitarion was going to end it in both theaters.

[firebrand]

The Catholic bishop who had blessed the bombing later repented greatly, though. Nagasaki happened to be the most Catholic city in Japan.

And then of course there was Eatherly.

[GOPJ]

He had been notified that his services would be required again when the bomb dropped...

The Bomb was a blessing to people all over the world. And to Japan - it ending months and maybe years of fresh killings. By any chance are YOU here in this world because your Dad didn't go back to piloting the Hump in the China-Burma-India Campaign?

[Captain Walker]

The consequences of national sin falls on everyone.

Uh oh.

We're in a nation that allowed the legal murder of 65 million of its most vulnerable citizens.

(If you think Japanese children deserved to be incinerated for simply living in Japan during WWII, what horror could you possibly think we deserve?)

I'm not sure I like your theology...

[Captain Walker]

The Catholic bishop who had blessed the bombing later repented greatly, though.

What Catholic bishop ever "blessed" the bombing?

[freepertoo]

My mom is a native Detroit citizen. She is almost 101 years old. She tells me about the glory days of Detroit, the museums, theaters, Greek Town. From what I hear from her it was pretty terrific.