Mark Clark on a secret mission to negotiate with the Free French in Algeria, and was also navigator aboard the aircraft that flew Gen. He flew on 58 combat missions with the 97th Bomb Group over occupied France and Germany.
"Dutch" Van Kirk was the navigator of the Enola Gay on the atomic bomb mission to Hiroshima. Japanese tea cup from Hiroshima that survived the atomic blast. Teletype of the first news flash of the atomic bomb. Beser has penciled “Hiroshima” in the lower right. This operations order was carried on the Enola Gay in the flight log of Jacob Beser, the radar and electronics specialist trained to intercept any Japanese radar impulses that could trigger the special radar-operated fusing switch built into the atomic bomb. The Enola Gay, #82, carried 400 less gallons of fuel due to the 9,000 pound weight of the atomic bomb. The fourth combat plane went ahead to Iwo Jima, in case of mechanical failure on the Enola Gay. Tibbetts commanded the Enola Gay carrying the first atomic bomb Sweeney, the instrument plane, and Marquardt, the photo plane.
The detailed order for the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima: “Bombs: Special”. THE OPERATIONS ORDER THAT LAUNCHED THE ATOMIC AGE: 6 August 1945. Reconnaissance photographs of Hiroshima: to the left is several days before the bombing to the right is immediately after the bombing. Truman's aerial leaflet reassuring the Japanese people that they will not be harmed if their country surrenders. One of the very few letters Harry Truman wrote explaining why he decided to drop the bomb is also displayed. Also, the sign welcoming the Enola Gay back to Tinian, made by the Seabees and signed by all of the crew. An eyewitness account by the tail gunner of the Enola Gay, Bob Caron, is exhibited. The exhibit includes Jacob Beser's Operations Orders for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki missions navigator "Dutch" van Kirk's navigation and personal artifacts from the Enola Gay mission reconnaissance photographs of Hiroshima taken several days before the atomic bomb was dropped a leaflet showing the Hiroshima blast that was dropped on the Japanese as a warning to surrender, and teletype news reports of the bomb. PLEASE NOTE: All firearms displayed at the Museum of World War II have been rendered inoperable. This section contains artifacts specifically about the Atomic Bomb. You may click on any image for a larger view. You can use this map to jump to any section of the Museum of World War 2 to view a selection of the artifacts displayed there. Each artifact has a small section of its story told here.
Every artifact in our collection has its own history, and ties to human lives. Please take the time to enjoy a small selection of the artifacts that we have on display at the Museum of World War II.