Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr.

 

Birth date

 February 23, 1915

 

 

 

Age they entered the service

 22

 

 

 

Hometown

 Quincy, Illinois

 

 

 

Branch of the service

 United States Air Force

 

 

 

Rank

Brigadier General

 

 

 

Name of their unit

 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group

 

 

 

When they served

 February 1937 to August 1966

 

 

 

Where did you serve?

 England, Algeria, Tinian

 

 

Did you enlist or were you drafted?

 Enlisted (enlisted as a flying cadet at first in the Army Air Corps at Fort Thomas, Kentucky)

 

 

How did you feel about going to war?

 I did not like it, but I was ready to do my duty.

 

 

 

 

Did you have any family members that went to war? If so, did they survive?

 No

 

 

Were you ever wounded? How and where?

Yes, on my right side. A 20-millimeter cannon shell ripped through the window of my plane and several metal fragments hit me.

 

 

 

 

Did you receive any medals? Which ones?

Purple Heart

Distinguished Service Cross

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal

American Defense Service Medal

Legion of Merit

European Campaign Medal

Joint Staff Commendation Medal

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

W.W.II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

 

 

Do you have a war story you would like to tell?

 My crew and I flew the Enola Gay and dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.  We felt the great shockwave of the bomb. However, the only person who saw the explosion was George Caron, the tail gunner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your reaction when you found out the war was over?

I couldn’t believe it took that to end the war.

 

 

 

 

 

What was the most frightening event of the war for you?

 It would probably be the time when my plane got shot. I had to land the plane wounded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was the most cherished memory of the war for you?

 When we landed our plane back at Tinian. We were greeted and received the Distinguished Service Cross. We knew that we had done our part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have regrets about your service in World War II?

 No.

 

 

 

 

 

How do you feel about America today?

 I think it is better, but we all need to wake up.

 

 

 

 

 

How do you feel about the war with Iraq?

 Saddam Hussein needed to go.

 

 

 

 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

 No.