Paul Tibbets, Hiroshima, L2 History Perspectives
Perspective of Paul Tibbets (pilot of the plane which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima) - Immediately after the bombing on Hiroshima
August 6 1945
I have just returned from dropping an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. All that I can say is that it was a complete success. Today will go down in history. The last twenty-four hours have been exhilarating and adrenaline-filled. I’ve flown a lot of planes in my life so far but I have never done anything like this. The power of the Atomic bomb was unimaginable. Piloting the plane to drop the first every Atomic Bomb would have to honestly be the most terrifying thing that I have ever done.
Back at the start of September last year I was running a test on a B-29 and I was told to meet
General Uzal Ent to be given a new assignment. I didn’t think much of it at the time but then it was explained to me what I was doing and I was told about the Manhattan Project and learnt about Atomic Bombs. I was assigned to command the project at Wendover Army Air Field in
Utah. At the start I was unfamiliar with the concept of an Atomic Bomb and I honestly had no idea what it was capable of. I got annoyed with the fact that everything that we were doing was so top secret. I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone and this meant I had to keep on lying to my wife and there were a few times when it nearly fell through. I just continued to do as I was told and it all worked out in the end.
Even though I had dropped many bombs in the past I still had to go through extensive training before I would be ready to drop the Atomic Bomb. I had to know a lot of theory about piloting the plane before I was able to complete the mission. I learnt that unlike with other bombs I wouldn’t be able to continue flying straight after I dropped the Atomic Bomb as it would then mean that I would be flying right over the top of it. I was told to be ready for the shockwave and try and put as much distance as possible between the bomb and myself before it would
August 6 1945
I have just returned from dropping an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. All that I can say is that it was a complete success. Today will go down in history. The last twenty-four hours have been exhilarating and adrenaline-filled. I’ve flown a lot of planes in my life so far but I have never done anything like this. The power of the Atomic bomb was unimaginable. Piloting the plane to drop the first every Atomic Bomb would have to honestly be the most terrifying thing that I have ever done.
Back at the start of September last year I was running a test on a B-29 and I was told to meet
General Uzal Ent to be given a new assignment. I didn’t think much of it at the time but then it was explained to me what I was doing and I was told about the Manhattan Project and learnt about Atomic Bombs. I was assigned to command the project at Wendover Army Air Field in
Utah. At the start I was unfamiliar with the concept of an Atomic Bomb and I honestly had no idea what it was capable of. I got annoyed with the fact that everything that we were doing was so top secret. I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone and this meant I had to keep on lying to my wife and there were a few times when it nearly fell through. I just continued to do as I was told and it all worked out in the end.
Even though I had dropped many bombs in the past I still had to go through extensive training before I would be ready to drop the Atomic Bomb. I had to know a lot of theory about piloting the plane before I was able to complete the mission. I learnt that unlike with other bombs I wouldn’t be able to continue flying straight after I dropped the Atomic Bomb as it would then mean that I would be flying right over the top of it. I was told to be ready for the shockwave and try and put as much distance as possible between the bomb and myself before it would