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There are two kinds of pilots: those who learn to fly by dint of hard work and determination and those few for whom the sky seems to be their natural element. It would prove to be a momentous decision. On the advice of his tactical officer, he chose observation. Unlike all the other men who had a choice of career paths, he did not opt for fighter training.
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With his mother’s blessing and his father’s condemnation, that is what Paul did. During the Depression era, there was only one avenue open for people of modest means to become pilots-enlist in the Aviation Cadet program.
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His father wanted him to become a doctor, but he wanted to fly. Certitude with attitude can be a bit much, and Paul Tibbets, by any measure, can be a bit much by half.įrom the day he graduated from Western Military Academy in North Alton, Illinois, to the present, there has never been an assignment at which he did not excel. He has never been able to abide adequacy, much less foolishness. From his earliest days he exuded a self-confidence that could be, and frequently was, insufferable. He is, and for all of his adult life has been, a most remarkable man. But it was the irascible and often abrasive General Tibbets who piloted the plane, and it is he who is credited with, or blamed for, history’s single most notable act of warfare. Within that hairsplitting context, the late Tom Ferebee actually dropped the weapon. Bomber pilots do not drop bombs, bombardiers do. He is the man who is credited with dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. is one of the most famous men of the 20th century. Perhaps even flirted with greatness.Īlthough not one American in 10,000 can place it, a good case can be made that, absent the name, Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr. He has the countenance and bearing of a man who has spent time on fields of high adventure and great achievement. Only his hearing betrays him: He is as close to stone deaf as one can get and still hear. His walk has slowed, but he remains erect and dignified. He does look like an old man, but not a 90-year-old man. His gaze, even with the heavied lids of age, is intense. We’re grateful that his strength of purpose saved the lives and freedoms of so many people.” The museum, on West Highway 76 in Branson, is easy to find as there is a full-sized World War II P-51 Mustang Fighter Plane located in the front of the building.Today, in his nineties, Paul Tibbets is still a handsome man. That mission took place on Augwhen the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, which set in motion the end of World War II with Japan.įred Hoppe, owner of the Veterans Memorial Museum, says, “The museum is a tribute to our veterans and their courage we invite our visitors stop in and honor a true American hero, Brigadier General Paul Tibbets. Tibbets flew the first atomic mission against enemy forces when he piloted the B-29 named after his mother, Enola Gay. In September of 1944, Tibbets was assigned the task of recruiting, organizing, and training the personnel to drop the atomic bomb. He led the first daylight bombing raid against the Nazis and the first 100 plane raids against Germany. Tibbets served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II. His visit to the Welk Resort and the Veterans Memorial Museum gives all of our visitors an opportunity to meet and talk with an important participant in American history.” David Bean of StoneBridge Village comments, “It’s a privilege to bring Brigadier General Paul Tibbets to Branson. StoneBridge Village, a gated resort community located just West of Branson, sponsors the visit by Brigadier General Paul Tibbets as part of their contribution to Branson’s appreciation for all veterans. Visitors wishing to view the Veterans Memorial Museum in addition to meeting the Brigadier General will receive a special $ 5.00 off regular adult admission.īrigadier General Tibbets will also be at the Welk Resort Center in the lobby of the Champagne Theater from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Friday, May 4, 2001. Visitors are welcome to bring their cameras along to have their pictures taken with Brigadier General Tibbets. Brigadier General Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the famed B-29 Enola Gay, will be available on Saturday, May 5, 2001, at the Veterans Memorial Museum to autograph photos and copies of the book, “Return of the Enola Gay”.