ENOLA GAY PILOT A REAL WWII HERO
On August 9th in 1945, a specially outfitted B-29 named "Enola Gay," flown by Colonel Paul Tibbetts, released a bomb, code named "Little Boy." This historic event that fateful day over Hiroshima, spawned the Atomic Age and brought America its long awaited victory.
On Monday, August 9th, 2004 General Paul Tibbetts spoke to our group of veterans at the Upper Arlington Senior Center in Columbus Ohio. He is slight in build but big in his desire to serve his country. To be in the company of this great hero was something I find hard to describe, but an honor none the less. General Tibbetts does not make a lot of personal appearances but this one was really appreciated.
LTC Milton J. Long
Aug 13th, 1940
It was on August 13, 1940 that Germany began to bomb England during World War II, beginning the Battle of Britain. France had just been conquered, and Germany's plan was to destroy Great Britain's Royal Air Force before it began a land invasion of the country.
The British had the most advanced radar systems in the world, which helped them shoot down many of the German bombers, but by the middle of August they had lost a quarter of their planes. The British pilots were flying so many missions a day that as soon as they landed they fell asleep in their cockpits. Churchill said, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Everything changed on August 24th, when a German bomber accidentally bombed London. Britain responded by bombing Berlin. Hitler was so angry that he ordered his air force to bomb London exclusively, turning his attention away from the Royal Air Force. Historians say that if Hitler had focused on destroying the Royal Air Force, he probably would have won the battle.
Instead, the British weathered the bombing raids until the United States could join the war, and the Germans were eventually defeated.
U. S. Legacies 2005
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