B-29 Secret Mission - Paul Tibbets Interview - Part 2
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- Опубликовано: 2 мар 2021
- This is history right here! Part 2 of an interview I did many years ago with Paul Tibbets, at my Weeks Air Museum in Miami, Florida. In Part 1, Paul talked about his famous plane, the Enola Gay B-29 Superfortress that he flew on its secret mission during World War II. In Part 2 here, Paul talks a bit more about that Secret Mission. Check out the interview!
Kermit Weeks
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RIP Col. Tibbets THANK YOU for your service
Indeed a Man from the Greatest Generation! The confidence, the grit, the toughness! A great Hero in every sense of the word! His mission saved thousands of American Soldiers lives! He served this Nation well! 🇺🇸👍
He also saved thousands of Japanese lives. If the U.S. had invaded I think more Japanese would have died. I guess we will never know for sure.
My dad was drafted into the Army on his 18th birthday. He did basic training at Fort Knox Kentucky, and had a two week furlough before shipping out to California for more training. While he was at home, Captain Tibbets dropped the bomb. My dad was going to be part of the mainland invasion force, and Paul Tibbets probably saved his life. My dad was part of the occupation force two years before coming home in 1947. Thank you Paul Tibbets, you were always my dad's hero, and mine too.
Thanks for sharing your story. It's noteworthy that the misfits have absolutely nothing of interest to offer.
Tibets and Crew and everyone involved, The Best Of The Best ! 👌
Incredible. An incredible man, an incredible interview. No better way to preserve history. Thank you Kermit! You're amazing.
I just noticed in the picture of B-17's in flight, one of them is named 'Kwiturbitchin'. You gotta love WW2 American aircrews-Tibbets being the tip of the iceberg in quality.
Another one of the greatest generation that has made my life a cakewalk here in the US. God bless Gen. Tibbets and those that served and continue to serve.
That era of men are nothing but spectacular! We are simple little boys compared to them. Thank you Mr. Tibbets!!!
had the honor to meet Paul at a confederate airshow in texas in the 1980s
Listening to him talk, you can understand what a demanding commander he must have been. Thank you, General!
He was the perfect leader. Can you imagine being given sole authority over 16 planes, handpicked off the production line, and handpicked crew, etc. Tibbets was 29 years old. Can you imagine?
May God bless Paul Tibbets and Richard Bong.
kermit thank you i never knew the whole siorey this 62 yr old is in awe of these men thank you god bless all of the men.
What an awesome thread, Not one negative comment just appreciation and respect for this man and his crew.
Thank you all so much for helping preserve our way of life . From Van. Canada......RIP Mr. Tibbets
That's the guy who saved my grandpa's life. Thank you General.
Outstanding! Any doubts about which was the greatest generation should be removed after watching this.
Agreed!
Having watched both of the videos I can only say thank you to Br. Gen. Paul Tibbets for being him and thank you to the Wizard Kermit for the chance to get an insight. Brilliant!
These days the word Hero is used to often. But, with this man, we truly have an American Hero.
Agreed. Donald J. Trump is probably the most recent American hero.
@Jay Sebring the Japanese would either fight to every last woman and child or commit suicide when enemy troops rolled in. the estimates show the bomb actually resulted in LESS Japanese civilian deaths than the other option which was a full scale invasion. it sucks. but war is hell and tough decisions need to be made.
Salute, to Paul Tibbits, his crew, and to all of the brave soldiers who fought for us and with us, to keep the world free! But our freedoms are being threatened as we speak before our very eyes!
How true
Freedom by murdering millions of civilians in Hiroshima. Pathetic.
Vote blue. It’s the best way we can secure our democracy from the hands of would-be tyrants.
Wow...wow....This was 21 years ago already?...Wow. Thank You Kermit..Moses
As an Australian, I have to say what an outstanding, humble man. As were all those who served and did their individual duty in those terrible times to enable us to live our lives in the way we have. Thankyou Kermit for bringing us this historical account. Thankyou to all those who served....
Honest and confident
How many babies innocent died in his bombings?
@@davidfaulds2960 Ask the Chinese how many of their infants got tossed into the air and skewered on Japanese bayonets.
@@tomservo5347 That does not make it right bud!
@@tomservo5347 I support China in World War 2, yet I hold a strong belief that this bomb NEVER should have been dropped. Yes, many Chinese infants were killed amidst the Sino-Pacific war, particularly during the Rape of Nanking, but it was the soldiers and the Japanese government whom were in charge of the operation. For that reason, it is wrong to wish death upon an individual for simply being born under a dictatorship. They did not deserve death.
I met General Tibbets at a gun show in Crown Point, Indiana. I don't remember the year, but I am very glad that I got to speak to him and shake his hand. As far as "celebrities" are concerned, General Tibbets and others like him are worthy of the fame and acclaim. True heroes, playing their part in bringing about monumental events in human history.
3:14 mark: USS Indianapolis, a cruiser, was under strict radio silence delivering the bomb and returning to port. Sunk by 2 torpedoes from the Japanese sub I-95, 900 sailors out of a crew of over 1200 survived the attack. 4 days in the ocean took its toll as mistakes were made by folks who should've known better re reporting the ship being overdue to return to port at Leyte. 4 days after sinking, passing Navy aircraft discovered by accident the survivors. 316 out of 900 survived shark attacks, dehydration, and salt poisoning. That in and of itself is just one of many stories regarding the A-bomb project and the mistakes and successes that occurred.
Mr. Weeks you've no idea the real contribution to true American history you make with your museum, your team and the work you do. GEN Tibbets is one of the world's greatest aviators and your interview showed the professionalism, patriotism, mental and moral toughness that saved the world. Wouls that America valued such today. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I saw Tinian on my way home from a business trip to Guam, out of San Francisco via Tokyo and back.
That was in '92, and I thought of Paul's mission, and the Island looked so small, so amazing it could house B29's for such flights.
I did not learn how to fly myself until '06, and that was in small civilian aircraft only, but I thought often about those who made these WWII aircraft, that inspired the rapid growth in general aviation flight after the war, enabling non-combat pilots to learn to fly small aircraft for personal recreation (in my case) or business.
I had a career as a tourism systems teacher which got me more than 500,000 air miles, mostly on Boeing aircraft, thinking of how Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers grew from the war into creating our civilian aviation industry of today. My first trip to Europe when I was just about to turn 16 in '77 came at almost the 50th anniversary of Lindburgh's flight to Paris--my birthday is on the same day in May he landed in Paris so many years b4 I was born.
My last trip to Europe was in '17--90 years after Lindburgh's flight and I think of how small our world became, especially during my life, which began only 16 years after my Dad entered Japan in WWII--at its end, in what was a surrender that saved so many lives, in part because of what Paul Tibbets had to do--it was a decision he did not have to make--peace with Japan, now our friend, made it for him.
What an interesting story. If only all posts could be so purposeful.
Thank you.
A great man who shared my birthday of 23rd February... I once heard Paul say that he never lost a moments sleep after this
mission, and given the same set of circumstances, he would have done it again.
PURE AMERICAN HERO ! PAUL TIBBETS. THANKS KERMIT
I love hearing Paul talk cause he sound so genuine! Great interview and a great pilot
Thank you kermit :D
What an honour it is to be able to share the likes of this mans history first hand . The likes of these types of men are almost extinct in the modern world, No BS Straight shooting mens men ..With a " Get it done " attitude .. Salute sir . Thumbs up from Australia .
Thanks....Let Americas heart stay cold and dangerous to our enemies.....An now l am in my 80's....Thanks Kermit
"AMAZING" PART 2 Actually brought tear to my eyes, My uncle was captured in the Philippine Islands, made the Bataan Death March at 18 years old. And I and my family believe General Paul Tibbets saved his life and many more! Thank you so much Mr. Kermit
Any one who has been to the Philippines would know how much that march took out of the troops
My father was in the U.S. Army during the war, he was in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands. He mentioned the next stop was Japan but then the bomb dropped and it was over.
Wish I could have met him. How fortunate we are to see this. Thanks Kermit!
I got to meet his navigator, Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk and get an autographed copy of his book. And yes, I got my picture made with him under the guise of taking one with my 10 year old son!
Wish I could have met him too. I found out after he passed away he was living in Columbus Ohio. I live in Dayton Ohio so I might have had a chance to meet him. I would have been so honored to shake his hand and talked to him. Our hero’s are leaving us to quickly now.
I did in 2006 at the Tulsa Arms Show. It was such a treat because my grandma and grandpa got to meet him.
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You're lucky you didn't meet him. He probably would have brutally murdered you, like he had previously done with over two hundred thousand people.
Semper fi Mr. Tibbets and thanks for your service !
Treasured Interview!
I have listened to many interviews with Paul Tibits but this is by far the best. You realize what a hero Paul is. Great questions asked. Great job Kermit!!!!
What kind of a hero is he? Killing 80k people?!
He is rotting in hell. Tibbets is not a hero.
@@odanobunagafan4964who are you to judge this man? God will be the judge and I don't think Paul has anything to worry about.
I love how Paul says "lookit". We used to say that in high school back in the 90's. Wonder if people still say it?
I had the great pleasure to know one of the crew members on the second mission. He flew on one of the camera / data collection planes. Of course he knew Tibbits.. and once in a while would talk about the mission. He was quite rightly proud that they helped to FINALLY end the war, eliminating the need to invade. We lost Don a few years ago, but he held on well into his 90s. We miss his presence among us. Salute to all these men that made the 2 deliveries that ended the war.
Yeah, might want to look into that "need to invade" theory. While the dropping of the bomb sped things up certainly, Japan was beat and they knew it, so the necessity of the bomb??? Sorry to break it to you but it was also about showing the world who the new boss was. Japan was going to surrender soon anyway. An entire country cannot suicide after all. Your view is what we are taught. I came to learn there is a lot more to the story. I don't want to debate it, I'm inviting you to look into it more.
@@edwardschmitt5710 I have... Its true that Japan was in a weakened state, but my view comes from knowing many people that fought in the Pacific theater, from grunts on the beach, men on ships, and Don, in the air. It is really easy too look back at history from 3/4 of a century later and come to conclusions biased by both contemporary philosophy and the knowledge of the past events. I was born shortly after the war and was surrounded by people that fought in it, or worked in the war effort. The Japanese were not giving up. They continued to fight ferociously even in face of failure and low resources. I still believe we needed something to shock them into their senses. Even after 2 A-bombs, there was a strong segment of the military that still wanted to keep on fighting, and tried to block the Emperor from surrendering. Fortunately they were over-ruled and the war ended shortly after the bomb events. I strongly believe that if we did not have the atomic devices, only conventional systems, the war would have continued for a much longer time, and ended up in fighting invasion, rather than a walk-in occupation as was done. The nuclear proliferation that followed in the coming 4 decades is quite another subject, and lead to several close calls that if triggered may have created the feared Mutually Assured Destruction in a mass scale that is beyond comprehension.
@@jenniferwhitewolf3784 Thank you! General Tibbets was my Fathers cousin and I share his last name. I grew up during Vietnam Nam when America was very anti military. I've had to listen to proponents of revisionist history tell me that my family member was a mass murderer, that it was an act of cowardice etc.etc.etc. I very much appreciate your clear explanation or what really happened.
@@edwardschmitt5710 Nah shows your naivity and ignorance of the situation. Japan was still able to resist an invasion and no one wanted a war that dragged on forever. Plus the bombing they were already doing was killing plenty anyway. So continued conventional bombing would have killed just as many in a short time.
@@myroselle6987 Nah I'm not an American but they did what was needed and were good Men.
Men of Gen. Tibbets character are infrequent in today's world. God Bless him!!
I heard Mr Tibet’s say once that he never regretted dropping the bomb on Japan. He also went on to say that he would do it all over again. In his words he new that if the allies had to invade it would have cost more lives for the allies.
That's what a lot of people forget nowadays, at the time estimates were as high as two million casualties if the allies were forced into an invasion of the Japanese Islands. The world was weary after six long years of war so the use of this bomb has to take into account how the world was then, not now looking back with rose-tinted glasses and the benefit of hindsight.
@@frogstamper Grandpa said how terrifying it was during the Battle of the Bulge. He told me about a lot of scary things he did, but what he feared most is he would be transferred to the Pacific afterward to invade the home islands. Casualty estimates for invading the home islands were already known by the soldiers fighting in Europe. I have his uniform, and it has 2 bronze stars. He had a lot to tell. He is very grateful for the bombs, and I and a lot of others probably wouldn't be here to write this if he hadn't dropped that bomb.
He's right, Japan was in a state of desperate aggressive madness & mindlessness, so this had to be done, & it stopped it.
My aunt said that at the time people were saying -
the only thing wrong with the A bombs
dropped on Japan is that they weren't big enough.
My son came over to tell me how horrible the United States was for dropping the bombs. College was teaching him this. I stopped it very easily by asking him if he regrets being born. Since my Father would have been sent to the Pacific after his time in Germany, and Japan wouldn't surrender, then I might not have been born, which of course he would not have been born. Take that back to his college professor. That ended that.
World history right there, thankyou for the interviews.
I tell you You Tube, Kermit, and certainly Paul Tibbets. Preserved forever. You Tube is a modern library.
Thank you for posting these historic conversations. These great men were true heros. It is such a shame our nation’s leaders have turned away from our freedoms and have betrayed our country and betrayed these great people who helped ensure our freedoms that may now be gone. Thank you for preserving some of that heritage.
How have they turned away from our freedoms? Ah, you must mean the voter suppression legislation passed by Georgia republicans. I know what you mean.
I watch a lot of your videos and this series was by far the best.
God Bless Paul Tibbets, A True American Hero and Patriot.
Murica right there killing innocent civilians and then saying oh we are better than them etc etc
Oh and tibbets was a psychopath
So was the rest of his crew.
He is a TRUE HERO and let not politics pay into the true word of freedom We can thank him for the life we enjoy. Thank you Thank You I can't say it enough.
I know everything is complicated, etc. But no, you can't call a hero a man who killed 100 000 civilian in one blow. And you can turn it in all the way you want, their death was not mandatory to end the war. This is not "political". You know what's political? Choosing to call or not to call a hero a man based on what he has done for his country, even if it's a war crime.
Thank you thank you THANK YOU SO MUCH for the interview!
You rock man!
Back when men were men. *_Respect to Paul TIbbets!_* (you too Kermit!)
Thank you, Mr. Weeks, for this fine interview, and for your great contributions to aviation history. I have visited Fantasy of Flight several times and it is indeed a wonderful experience. I hope I might be fortunate enough to meet you one day. I salute General Tibbets and all the great warriors who have sacrificed and preserved our nation and our freedom.
This interview is incredible. What a treasure to have this recording and hear the story from Paul Tibbets himself. God bless him.
His Confidence still radiats in this interview 60 years later. His self assurance and sheer dedication is hard to find today... (today's men)
Incredible first hand experience and interview. Thank you Kermit Weeks.
Thank You, Kermit, for preserving the History of important events in Aviation. This was an outstanding and moving interview. For the first time I learned that the Little Boy Bomb was dropped on August 7th, Japan time. I'd never heard that before. What an inspiring person General Paul Tibbets was. Thank You again, Kermit.
That was an unfortunate mix up between the date of the bombing and the date when American news media were informed about it. The bomb was dropped on the 6th of August 08:15 SJT (Standard Japan Time). At that time it was still the evening of August 5th on the US east coast. My guess is that he meant it was already the 7th in Japan when American media got the information about the bombing.
Awesome Kermit! Thank you for this TREASURE!
This is absolutely priceless. It's good to see Tibbetts again although he's restraining his regular flavor Hahaha man could cuss better than any sailor I ever knew. But only when telling these stories cause as he once said to me "Cause it's so dam serious ya see" haha. Was an honor to have met Paul many times and most of his crew at some point. Edit here Paul hits it at the very end. Man I miss Mr Tibbetts.
Why do you miss him? He was a psychotic murderer who wrongfully put hundreds of thousands of women and children in danger. From my perspective, it is an eye for an eye. He deserved it and shall never be forgiven.
Japan sowed the wind, Paul Tibbets unleashed the whirlwind.
His crew did too!
IT actually saved millions of 🇺🇸 & Japanese. LIVES -- helped end worlds worse conflict-- invasion would have BEEN SHOOTING YOUNG GIRLS WITH SPEARS!!!!
Colonel Tibbets has an amazing recall ability. His dates and names are spot on.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THIS,
Thank You for this!
What a wonderful interview! Thanks for showing this. I'm defiantly saving this to my favorite play list.
We are so lucky to have first hand stories told in a situation where his excitement shows he was reliving it. I pray the world will never do this again.
Man, that was moving.. Thank you Kermit
Kermit, I met Col Tibbets in Montgomery Alabama (1950ish) when he attended the Air University at Maxwell Field. He was friends with a neighbor who worked at Maxwell. All of the kids in the neighborhood lined up outside of the neighbor's house and they let us come in and meet Col Tibbets and he shook our hand. We were thrilled to meet him. Later in September his son was in my 8th grade class at Catholic High. Also a charismatic nice young man. Think he was Paul Tibbets the third. He was new kid and was elected our class president. I was born in 1940 and grew up with proper respect and admiration for these heros. My Dad was an infantry machine gunner in WWII and he had no doubt Col Tibbets saved his life. I attended my Dad's baby brother's Iwo Jima reunion a few years ago and one of my favorite Marines told us there was a hero he wanted to meet and shake his hand. It was Col Tibbets. All the Army and Marines shared same view of this great man. Wonderful interview.
Excellent interview .. we were lucky to such people as Tibetts
Excellent. Thanks!
Thanks for another great video Kermit!
What an amazing man!
Thank you Mr. Weeks!
Wow! Thanks 🙏 Kermit
Thanks for sharing!
THANK YOU to all those HEROES!!!
Fan-FREAKIN-tastic interview - thank you so much!
Another great video!
Thanks for the information!
Agree with Hastelloy x Thanks for sharing Mr. Weeks Yf.....
What a great video, thanks for men like Paul Tibbets, so glad we have his recorded testimony of how the events went down.
Thank you for sharing this interview
I was fortunate enough to attend a talk given by Colonel Tibbets a few years back at the then SAC air Museum near Omaha. It was like listening to your grandfather tell stories. It was a historic moment, and I knew it. I bought his book and he signed it. Pretty cool!
Very cool, Mr. Weeks. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing such un valuable interviews.
May they all rest in peace. Hopefully, God willing, their deeds will not be lost, but preserved indefinitely for posterity. .
U think dropping an ATOMIC bomb is DEED?
@@theconkerlord5548 Lookup what the Japanese did to the Chinese citizens in unit 731 in Manchuria China. In fact, you can learn what the Japanese were doing in Korea prior to WW2. Korea was not even listed as it's own country then; it was referred to as "The Chosen." . . . But I'm sure that you learned all about that in school. . .
@@SeanHollingsworth I know but the normal civilians didn’t deserve to have to pay for what the army did
@@theconkerlord5548 The entirety of the Japanese civilian population was conscripted into the Japanese military as the USA started to encroach into the main Japanese islands. Okinawa was just the tip of the iceberg. Their adherence to the will of their emperor was absolutely unwaivering; hence why General Douglas MacArthur kept Hirohito in power after the official Japanese surrender.
Just so you know, we killed more people firebombing Tokyo than died in the atomic attacks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.
@@SeanHollingsworth I’m British
Paul flew out of Marion in our glider club. Really nice guy to be around.
Thank you!
"The Greatest Generation"........simply amazing ..........America at it's best!!
He was a psychopath plain and simple
Yea okay.........learn your history....plain and simple
Wow...what an amazing plane...story and man!
"You know the difference between a fairy tale and a war story?" A great day for some, a sad day for the world.
My uncle was in the Seabees and was stationed on Tinian Island when the bombs were dropped.
I'm here to honor Mr Paul Tibbets. Rest in Peace.
Gave All Of Us American's Life In Peace & Freedom.
Kermit, most everyone watching your videos knows that Paul Tibbets was the pilot of B29 that dropped the first big one. I really wanted to know more about his early war stories. His memory was excellent for his age. Thanks for sharing.
I am humbled by interviews of men such as Paul Tibbetts.. I've known many veterans from that conflict and have the upmost respect for them. Let's not shrink from our duty to protect and defend the freedom they so gallantly fought to persevere. Bless them all.
Read "Masters of the Air: History of the 8th Army Air Force and the Air War Over the Skys of Europe" Major Paul Tibbits few the first mission in a B - 17 over France (the U Boot Pens) in March of 1942, under Curtis LaMay...
Amazing...just amazing
Really Great slice of history reporting. Thanks!!!
A true American Hero, not the bs we have now. RIP Col Tibbets.
No Bidemn's """WOKE""" millitary in those days....
He is not a hero. Tibbets wrongfully murdered upwards of two hundred thousand people.
I'm reading The Mighty 8th right now and at the beginning it mentions that Paul Tibbets is who flew one of the very first B17 missions from England.
What a gift to hear Col Tibbets explain the lead up and execution of a mission that would change this world for ever. And it wasn't "Once upon a time" as he quipped.
Great history, Kermit! Thank you for making it possible. Love to meet you someday.
Thankyou for your service sir! My dad was at Operation Sandstone Joint Task Force 7. 3 atomic tests. Enewolk Atoll.
Great interview, thanks for sharing Kermit👍👍
Sharp as a tack. The best of the best. Real Heroes all of these guys. Parents... teach your kids about these guys. They are what heroes are. Not some guy bouncing a rubber ball
Well spoken friend
If I have kids, I will teach them to despise this lunatic as I do. He wrongfully murdered upwards of two hundred thousand people, why should we see him as a hero?
Simply fantastic
Fascinating!
Enjoyed thoroughly!
Absolutely outstanding interview. Great man. Interviewer should listen more.
Of all the interviews I've seen on Discovery or other shows, this is absolutely the best. Well done Kermit!