![enola gay crew reaction enola gay crew reaction](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/F7N81W/the-nose-of-the-enola-gay-the-b29-superfortress-used-to-drop-the-first-F7N81W.jpg)
May they, as well as we, know Thy strength and power, and armed with Thy might may they bring this war to a rapid end. we pray Thee to be with those who brave the heights of Thy heaven and who carry the battle to our enemies. He read the prayer he had composed for this moment: "Almighty Father. Tibbets beckoned to Chaplain Downey, who invited the gathering to bow their heads. Then the communications officer read out the frequencies to be used on various stages of the mission and gave the positions of rescue ships and planes.Īt 12: 15 a.m. The weather officer stepped forward and gave the forecast: the route to Japan would be almost cloud free, with only moderate winds clouds over the target cities were likely to clear at dawn. Then, in a few crisp sentences, he spelled out the rules for the mission. He reminded the crews to wear their goggles at the time of the explosion. Twelve, including himself and the two scientists, Parsons and Jeppson, would be on the Enola Gay. The numbers were written on rice paper, explained Doll, so that Beser could swallow the message if he were in danger of being captured.Īt midnight Paul Tibbets walked to one end of the lounge and addressed the twenty-six airmen who would be flying with him to Japan. Outside the lounge, scientist Ed Doll handed Beser a piece of paper with numbers on it specifying the frequency the bomb's radar was to use.
![enola gay crew reaction enola gay crew reaction](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/09/06/multimedia/06ww2-bombing-eatherly-03/merlin_175232193_3cc56730-d248-462e-98c4-d0741ea57484-articleLarge.jpg)
Beser was still talking when, shortly before midnight, he was called away to the briefing. Beser's vivid descriptions helped Laurence later to collect a Pulitzer Prize for his work. Tibbets had assigned Jake Beser to brief William Laurence, The New York Times reporter attached to the Manhattan Project. Van Kirk occupied his time making sure all his navigational instruments were in his flight bag Caron sat and thought of his wife Nelson read the latest copy of The Reader's Digest Shumard tried to sleep Stiborik went to church Parsons and Jeppson went over a checklist of what they would do once they were airborne Lewis prowled around outside the combat crew's lounge, where the final briefing would be held at midnight. Tibbets, Ferebee, and Van Kirk ate several plates of pineapple fritters.Īfter eating, Ferebee got heavily involved in a poker game. LATE on the night of August 5, some of the crewmen on Tinian went to the mess hall to sample the dishes Perry's cooks had prepared. August 6, 1945)įrom 'Ruin From The Air' by Gordon Thomas & Max Morgan Witts Fission, chap 2 'Ruin From The Air': - 8:16 a.m.