Posted on 02/26/2024 3:55:49 AM PST by where's_the_Outrage?
Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets, better known as the man who piloted the Enola Gay during the bombing of Hiroshima, became a well-known figure in the United States at the end of the Second World War. Despite his fame, Tibbets asked that upon his death he receive no funeral or gravestone.
Paul Tibbets started his career as an abdominal surgeon before enlisting in the US Army Air Corps. He initially served for three years, qualifying as a pilot in 1938, and opted to stay on active duty when the US entered the Second World War. While he is best known for his service in the Pacific Theater, Tibbets first served on bombing missions in North Africa and France. He was also the personal pilot for Gen. George Patton from 1940-41.
By the fall of 1943, Tibbets was recalled to serve as a test pilot during the development of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, during which he found that the bomber was 7,000 pounds lighter - and its performance improved - if its armor plating and armaments were removed. After a year, he was tasked with retraining other pilots in the 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy).
In May 1945, Paul Tibbets and his men were transferred to Tinian, where they ran traditional bombing raids against Japanese-controlled islands while training with atomic bomb prototypes. When the 509th were given the go ahead to bomb Japan, Tibbets took over as pilot of the bomber that would drop Little Boy, the name given to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. He named the aircraft Enola Gay, after his mother.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Poor headline “Was Given No Funeral or Gravestone”. It implies he was denied an honor. The story pointed out the truth. He did not want a funeral or gravestone. He asked to be cremated and his ashes scattered over the English Channel. His family respected his wishes.
He was probably right.
Tibbets was more a hero to the Japanese than anyone else. Operation Starvation was was in full force at the time. Had not the U.S. fed the Japanese beginning in August of ‘45, it’s estimated that 8 million Japanese would have starved in 1945 alone. Those civilians would have died even if no actual invasion had occurred.
Probability of desecration by leftist lunatics is indistinguishable from 100%. Even if he had been buried in Arlington, right next to the guard shack.
👍👍👍👍👍
Just watched Oppenheimer but don't recall much publicity given to the pilots. Three hour movie - may have missed it!
As much care, and more, ought to be observed for the burial of Hanoi Jane. 😉
Exactly. The first paragraph refutes the headline
Yes. Extremely misleading.
Why give the Millennial and Zero G azhos in the America Hating, Homosexual Cancel Culture Club something else for their retarded asses to destroy?
You’re right - deceptive anti-American headline. Effing leftists never get tired of lying.
Paul Tibbets
bttt
Above and Beyond. 1952 movie with Robert Taylor as Tibbets.
My father was on Mindanao in the Philippines when the war ended. In addition to bottling up the remnants of the Japanese forces on the island, his 31st Infantry Division (”Dixie”) was gearing up as part of the planned invasion of the Japanese homeland. Estimates of U.S. losses alone were 1-2 million. He was not counting on coming home. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed that, and I’m here today because of that decision.
God bless the memory of Brigadier General Paul Tibbets.
“Poor headline”
You are correct. That is a reminder of the poor education and lack of thinking skills today.
My father also had trained for the invasion of Japan. He told me the bomb probably save his life.
...but don’t recall much publicity given to the pilots...”
And I’m willing to bet the pilots didn’t want any mention. There, in the past, has been too much talk of competition among the services and I believe that should never be part of the military equation. Everyone in the “game” is a team mate. The troops that prepared the aircraft by refitting the bomb with reinforcements, navigated it there, loaded up the weapons, and were instrumental in getting the aircraft launched from Tinian, one of the Mariana Islands, were all part of the mission. So is it important that one person on the team get notority for doing his job? Only for someone’s sensationalism. And God be with him, not him.
wy69
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