The Bomb Is Dropped on Hiroshima

On August 6, 1945, a B-29 called the Enola Gay dropped a 9,000 pound atomic bomb called Little Boy in the middle of Hiroshima. The explosion made a giant mushroom cloud 50,000 feet in the air. It is estimated that it killed 70,000 to 100,000 people.

At approximately 2:00 on the morning of August 6th, the Enola Gay, which was carrying an atomic bomb, started on the long fight from Tinian. Two observation planes carrying cameras and scientific instruments followed behind her.

After 6:00, the bomb was fully armed on board the Enola Gay. It was announced to the crew that the the plane was carrying the world's first atomic bomb.

The trip to Japan was smooth. At about 7:00 o'clock, the Japanese radar net detected aircraft heading toward Japan, and they broadcast the alert throughout the Hiroshima area. Soon afterward an American weather plane circled over the city, but there was no sign of bombers. The people began their daily work and thought that the danger had passed.

At 7:25, the Enola Gay, at 26,000 feet, was cruising over Hiroshima. At 8:00 the Japanese detected again two B-29's heading toward Hiroshima. The radio stations quickly broadcast a warning for the people to take shelter, but many did not follow the advice. They thought that it was the same as first time.

At 8:09, the crew of the Enola Gay could see the city appear below; it was time to drop the bomb. Just then, they received a message indicating that the weather was good over Hiroshima.

The bomb was released at 8:16 a.m.

A terrible, strong and unimaginable explosion occurred near the central section of the city.

The crew of the Enola Gay saw a column of smoke rising fast and intense fires springing up.

The Bomb Is Dropped on Nagasaki

When the Japanese still refused to surrender, the US decided to drop another atomic bomb. It was the B-29 Bock's Car, named after the plane's usual commander, that took the mission. For this mission, the pilot was Major Charles Sweeney. The original target was Kokura, but that city was spared because Sweeney had been ordered to attack a clear target and Kokura was obscured that day by haze. The target was now Nagasaki. On August 9,1945, Bock’s Car dropped a 10,000 pound bomb called Fat Man on the city. An additional 40,000 people died in Nagasaki.

Special thanks to the Enola Gay Perspectives site, Zach Burgman, and Mitchell G. Bard, Ph.D.

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