Pilot of plane that bombed Hiroshima dies

[mikeylikey]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21578185/

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Paul Tibbets, who piloted the B-29 bomber Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died Thursday. He was 92 and insisted almost to his dying day that he had no regrets about the mission and slept just fine at night.

Tibbets died at his Columbus home, said Gerry Newhouse, a longtime friend. He suffered from a variety of health problems and had been in decline for two months.

Tibbets had requested no funeral and no headstone, fearing it would provide his detractors with a place to protest, Newhouse said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21578185/

[Psicorp]

I had the honor of meeting him a few years ago at an air show here in MI.  Got an autographed copy of his book for my grandfather (who ground crewed B-29s during WWII). 

That last bit about his funeral is a travesty.

[SJFedor]

I saw him speak about 5-6 years ago when I was a cadet. He was a great man, and despite his old age, had a good sense of humor, and was very personable and charasmatic.

He should be buried in Arlington, no questions asked.



Godspeed.

[MIKE]

Wasn't his son or grandson also in the 509th as a B-2 pilot...  Think I saw a pic of the two sitting in a B-29 cockpit a while back.

[JohnKachenmeister]

His son was also and Air Force pilot, and was assigned to the same Bomb unit for a while.  The PA folks made a point of recognizing that "Pass the torch" moment.

My dad was a bombardier on B-29's out of Saipan, and was one of the crews that bombed Tokyo.  He also had no regrets about bombing the tar out of Japan.  He never missed a moment of sleep over it.  His only real regret was that his contribution to the war called for less personal sacrifice that that which was demanded from others.  He always expressed awe and admiration for the Marines who took Saipan so that he could fly from it.

When I think about how we tiptoe around the "Political Correctness" maypole, so as not to give offense to those who killed thousands of our countrymen, I think that the current generation is not deserving of the Nation and the freedoms that the World War II generation defended.

[star1151]

When I think about how we tiptoe around the "Political Correctness" maypole, so as not to give offense to those who killed thousands of our countrymen, I think that the current generation is not deserving of the Nation and the freedoms that the World War II generation defended.

And I think it's unfair for you to lump us all together.

[SJFedor]

Yeah, you can't lump us in with those martians. Our shenanigans are cheeky and fun. Theirs are cruel and tragic....which....doesn't really make them shenanigans really...wee little shenanigans....




....Needed to lighten the mood in here....

[JohnKachenmeister]

When I think about how we tiptoe around the "Political Correctness" maypole, so as not to give offense to those who killed thousands of our countrymen, I think that the current generation is not deserving of the Nation and the freedoms that the World War II generation defended.

And I think it's unfair for you to lump us all together.

It may be unfair.  Perhaps I am just responding to the most vocal and visible manifestations of cowardice and defeatism.  I have to remind myself that a few hundred thousand of the current generation are facing our enemies down in battle, and are having great success in doing so.

I am troubled, however, with the attitudes of so many young people who lack the courage to serve in battle, but consider complaining about the actions of those who do have such courage to be synonomous with "National Service."

[Hoser]

Col.Tibbets' grandson is a B-2 pilot at Whiteman AFB, MO. Which IS the 509th Bomb Wing, same as his granddaddy.

[star1151]

I am troubled, however, with the attitudes of so many young people who lack the courage to serve in battle, but consider complaining about the actions of those who do have such courage to be synonomous with "National Service."

At the risk of continuing to derail the thread...I suspect that attitude it not limited to young people.  My twenty-something brother quit a promising career for OCS and served in Iraq.  His strongest supporters come from our own generation.  People my parents age?  Not much but criticism.  I don't think age has much to do with who supports this country and its military and not.

[MajFitzpatrick]

No matter the age or the generation, there are always those who support, and those who talk down about the sacrafices made. I think now-a-days its just accepted to talk down about it, where as in generations (prior to the 60s) you would probably get hit in the face.

that's just my 2 cents.

There are a lot of us behind this country, Wait I will go to history class and pull this one out, since I was no wheres near alive to hear it..... "The Silent Majority" lol.

[dwb]

I am troubled, however, with the attitudes of so many young people who lack the courage to serve in battle, but consider complaining about the actions of those who do have such courage to be synonymous with "National Service."

I would separate the people who complain about the actions of individual soldiers versus people who are complaining about their government.

Open criticism of the government is one of the principles this country was founded on.  We should, we must, hold a critical eye to our elected officials.  To do otherwise would be to renege on our responsibility as citizens of a republic.

Most people I know that oppose our foreign policy oppose just that: our foreign policy, and the people who created it.  They commend the actions of the individuals in uniform for doing their duty to implement the policy.

This is in contrast to Vietnam, when American soldiers were spit on when they arrived home.

[Gunner C]

I am troubled, however, with the attitudes of so many young people who lack the courage to serve in battle, but consider complaining about the actions of those who do have such courage to be synonomous with "National Service."

At the risk of continuing to derail the thread...I suspect that attitude it not limited to young people.  My twenty-something brother quit a promising career for OCS and served in Iraq.  His strongest supporters come from our own generation.  People my parents age?  Not much but criticism.  I don't think age has much to do with who supports this country and its military and not.

I'm impressed and we're all in his debt and those like him [/drift]

Whenever I hear of a WW2 vet passing away, let alone those who were of note, I'm reminded of the sacrifice they made.  Many folks have thanked me for my service - made comment of my being a paratrooper, etc.  I tell them that the ones who went before me were the real veterans.  It was infinitely harder back in those days.  Gen Tibbits was one of those guys who served in obscurity when one mission put him into history.  We warriors of later generations have had it so much easier because of men like him.

GC

[bosshawk]

Does anyone know how Col Tibbetts came to name his B-29 the Enola Gay?

Interesting little tidbit.

[Gunner C]

Does anyone know how Col Tibbetts came to name his B-29 the Enola Gay?

Interesting little tidbit.

Wasn't that his mother's name?

[Psicorp]

Yes, named after his mother.

http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_tibbets.html

[bosshawk]

You guys got it partially correct.  His mothers name was Gay.  The Enola part came from the town in PA where he was raised: Enola, Pa.  Just up the river from Harrisburg.

Good try.

[mikeylikey]

His mothers name was Gay.

Goes to show you how much times have changed.  Anyone know anyone born after 1970 named GAY?  Thats what I thought.....

[SJFedor]

His mothers name was Gay.

Goes to show you how much times have changed.  Anyone know anyone born after 1970 named GAY?  Thats what I thought.....

Actually, I worked with a nurse in the ER, and that was her proper name. Think she was born in the mid-70's. She went by another name though.