Dutchy 0 Posted August 5, 2004 On August 6 is it 59 years ago that the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb. It was the first step for a quick ending of the WW2 in the pacific. Are there still crewmembers in live? I know it about the pilot Paul W. Tibbets. And does it rememberd also in the USA this history fact? Salute Dutchy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firehawkordy 34 Posted August 5, 2004 Dutchy, I belive that one of the Aircrew just passed away recently, sorry I dont know what plane or who. What seemed like a good idea at the time had profound consequences for the future. My daughters asked me one day what a fallout shelter was one day. One of the had seen an old sign downtown, and looked at me in disbelief when I told her it's purpose. I truely hope that those will be the only NucWeps that get used. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scout_51 0 Posted August 5, 2004 Dutchy, I belive that one of the Aircrew just passed away recently, sorry I dont know what plane or who. What seemed like a good idea at the time had profound consequences for the future. My daughters asked me one day what a fallout shelter was one day. One of the had seen an old sign downtown, and looked at me in disbelief when I told her it's purpose. I truely hope that those will be the only NucWeps that get used. {Charles W. Sweeney, a retired Air Force general who piloted the plane that dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki in the final days of World War II, has died at 84}..dropping that nuke was a good idea,we knew the japanese would not willingly surrender,we expected over 1/4 million casualties taking the beaches,we also wanted to tell the russians to stand down,if you recall they declared war on japan when they knew where our next beach heads in ww2 were going to be..fallout shelters,yeah remember them,did you tell her bout tuck and roll under the desk?.I pray thgat GOD heard you on nuke weps,that those two would be the only ones,the sad part tho is that sooner or latter we will have a nuke popped in one of our cities by someone chanting 'allah akbar'(unless we do REAL good,we have be good 100%,all those folks have do is get it right ONCE)... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firehawkordy 34 Posted August 5, 2004 I don't doubt the wisdom of Truman giving the go ahead to drop the bombs, everyone except the Japanese knows they started the war. I had an uncle in a POW camp, so by dropping the things he was able to come home alive. Scout I hope that we can catch these IslamaFacists, I hate to think what would happen if they do get it right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scout_51 0 Posted August 5, 2004 I hate to think what would happen if they do get it right. Would make the wtc and pentagon incidents look like pranks...........those WERE previews of comming 'attractions' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutchy 0 Posted August 5, 2004 Mine opinion and meaning is that the bomb (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) cost lives, but the big D-Day was planned for Japan in 1946 (March or May). When that was happend when Japan didn't surrender, more prisoners in camps as Birma railroad and Unit 731 are killed. And what think about the soldiers that had to live on the islands in the pacific? It was also a hell for them to fight there. Salute Dutchy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firehawkordy 34 Posted August 7, 2004 Dutchy, as I've said in the past my uncle was a POW in Japan. He didn't speak much of what he endured but to give you an idea of how scarred he was I will tell you a few things. when I was about 6 or 7 I had to stay with him and my aunt. Durring one dinner I didnt like something and refused to eat it, Art suddenly was angry about my wasting food. It wasn't till much later that I understood. Another thing, and this was continued by the whole family, at my uncles house every space that could hold food did. It was this way in every house in the family, that way Uncle Art was assuered that if he was hungry, he could eat. Although my uncle has been gone almost twenty years, we still load the houses up with food. Art was also generous with his food and that was also passed on, if you are hungry at my house you are welcome to what ever I have. My uncle was also a forgiving man. While my aunt and cousin to this day are warry of the Japanese, he was willing to forge freindships with them. Granted this was after a long healing process, but he didn't have the time to waste hating. That was also passed to us. When you say that life was hell for those in the camps and those fighting on the islands you aren't far from wrong. I met more than one former POW and WW II vet from that theatre that would agree with you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scout_51 0 Posted August 7, 2004 I met more than one former POW and WW II vet from that theatre that would agree with you. There IS a reason they are called the greatest generation,they went thru the deppresion,the pains of that,then as young kids they went off to ww2,they liberated walking skeletons from camps in europe,they took one damm island after another up the chain in the pacific,suffered diseases,depravations,they died by the thousand for less than a mile at a time...yeah when I see one of those 'old' folks I try be Extra nice,say hi,try help in any way I can..they going fast tho,way too fast..but now its their time to go to their rewards(no not virgins,tho I bet quite a few will make it to fiddlers green)..next time you behind a couple of them in the grocery store,that old man using the walker to shuffle along might have flown missions over saipan,guadalcanal or berling..he might have liberated the pow camps in the phillipines or might have been the first US soldier see the ovens..this got bit winded but wanted in a round bout way to say Chief your Uncle did it right... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites