For all the studying and all the tests, they did not know for certain that they would survive the flight. It had never been done before. But the invasion of Japan was planned next and, for all the destruction this would wreak (and they did not yet know nor anticipate acute radiation syndrome), many more millions of people would surely die if the men in that plane did not take on this burden.
I mentioned once about my uncle’s role in WWII.
A fellow officer greeted my dad’s older brother in the mess hall that night with, “And what did you do today, soldier?”
“I think I just ended the war.”
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The anecdote first appeared in print in Time magazine, which ran a full page of Richard on the 60th anniversary of Hiroshima.
Richard’s closest Carson City friend was Jack Scott.Jack was in the Navy and piloted the big planes that patrolled for submarines. (After the war Jack was the first person to deliberately pilot an airplane into the heart (eye) of a hurricane.
Any way, evidently Jack was stationed on Tinian, and the presence of Richard (Morris in the history books) and the 509th on Tinian was a closely guarded secret–until the bomb run. How Jack found out, I don’t know. But according to Time Richard found Jack in Richard’s quarters. Jack invited Richard to eat at the Navy officers’ club. You can imagine the onupmanship between the services. One of the navy officers asked–and one can imagine with a certain sarcasm, “And what did you do today, lieutenant?” And the reply, “I think I just ended the war.”
If you go to my column “Moments in Art” in today’s nauvootimes.com you’ll find another anecdote about when your mother and I were invited to the official unveiling of the restored Enola Gay at the Air and Space annex near Dulles.
By the way, if you go to last week’s column you’ll find a reference to you and Mategot.
Also, today’s column is the 100th I’ve written, and unlike the previous 99, it’s not really about art but is about some important things I’ve witnessed.
Dad
… and we are free because of their bravery. Thank you for sharing his story.
Comment by Channon 05.26.14 @ 10:43 amYour Dad posted a great comment. So glad to read more about the history, even though I’m not in your family. It was a great Memorial Day post.
Comment by LynnM 05.26.14 @ 4:15 pmLeave a comment
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