Dutch Van Kirk: Enola Gay Navigator Discusses Atomic Bomb Drop on Hiroshima [14:36]

YouTube ^ | August 6, 2025 | Witness to War

[SunkenCiv]

Having been chosen as a navigator to deliver the atomic bomb, Dutch Van Kirk recalls the precautions that were taken to ensure his aircraft would not be harmed by the blast. Comparing the differences between the B-17 aircraft he flew in over Europe and the B-29 he flew in delivering the first atomic bomb to Hiroshima, Dutch gives a detailed account of his mission on August 6, 1945. 

Dutch Van Kirk: Enola Gay Navigator 
Discusses Atomic Bomb Drop on Hiroshima | 14:36 
Witness to War | 526,511 views | August 6, 2025

 

• Last Surviving Crew Member Has 'No Regrets' About Bombing Hiroshima [08/14/2018]

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: dutchvankirk; enolagay; godsgravesglyphs; hiroshima

[caddie]

The nuclear bombs on Japan saved millions of Japanese lives. AND millions of American lives.

And the MAD philosophy that followed, permeated the whole world, and has since saved hundreds and thousands of millions of lives since then.

And it still does.

[ckilmer]

this generation that builds to the stars and solves everything is going to be at least as impressive.

I tell fellow boomers around here that we have come to 1969 again. In that year there were two prophetic events. One was the moon landing and the other was woodstock. they prophecied two different futures.

Boomers lived the woodstock futures but the 18-25 year old set today will live the moon landing future. All the science fiction we read when we were young will become science fact in fairly short order. Or about in the time frame we thought as kids that science fiction future of the Jetsons would happen.

[Sequoyah101]

They would not capitulate. Sort of like Iran? Just like Iran.

[libertylover]

No Regrets. Japan was fighting and waging Total War. And it took the Total effect of A-Bombs to get Japan to stop and admit defeat and surrender, unconditional.

Exactly, except the "unconditional" part. We did agree to not put the emperor on trial for war crimes.

[ridesthemiles]

THE WOULD HAVE MISSED THE CALL FOR “BOMBS AWAY” BECAUSE THEY WERE PLAYING CANDY CRUSH ON THEIR CELL PHONES.....

[Rappini]

I met Genl Tibbets and Dutch Van Kirk in 2000 at Romulus airport in Detroit. They were doing a book signing of the Enola Gay, while there I had them both sign a picture of their plane that my Uncle took when he was Tinian as a Marine Raider during the War.