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Japan accepted the terms of unconditional surrender as defined in the now famous Potsdam Ultimatum.” Several days thereafter, terming it ‘national suicide’ to continue the struggle. “Japan knew now that the atomic bomb apparently was available for continued use against her. “But the important damage went deeper than that,” according to the History of the 509th Composite Group. The Mitsubishi-Murakami Ordnance plant was destroyed along with 18 of the 21 smaller industries known to be in the area at the time. The bomb hit approximately 500 feet south of the Mitsubishi plant in the target area. He then diverted to the secondary target, Nagasaki. By the time Maj. Charles Sweeney, aircraft commander of the Bockscar flew overhead, however, the cloud coverage was too heavy to allow for the requirement of visual bombing. The mission targeting Nagasaki was originally intended to target Kokura after reports of clear weather from the weather reconnaissance crew. The bombing destroyed large portions of Hiroshima, including a number of strategic targets such as the Army Division Headquarters and the Teikoku Textile Mill. “This column was a thick white smoke, darker at the base, and interspersed with deep red.” “The stem of the mushroom-like column of smoke, looking now like a giant grave marker, stood one minute after the explosion upon the whole area of the city, excepting the southern dock area,” according to the History of the 509th Composite Group. The document continued their account of the explosion.
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“They reported the flash after the explosion was deep purple, then reddish and reached almost 8,000 feet the cloud, shaped like a mushroom, was up to 20,000 feet in one minute, at which time the top part broke from the ‘stem’, and eventually reached 30,000.” “The two escort planes, commanded by Major Sweeney and Captain Marquardt, observed the explosion through protective goggles,” the document reads. The document provided a detailed account of the bombing of Hiroshima. On August 9, 1945, members of the 509th CG flew Bockscar over Nagasaki, Japan, and dropped the atomic bomb codenamed “Fatman”.Īccording to the History of the 509th CG, the primary target of Atomic Bombing Mission Number 1, was Hiroshima with Nagasaki as an alternate. Paul Tibbets Jr., the 509th CG commander, flew the Enola Gay and dropped the atomic bomb codenamed “Little Boy” on Augon Hiroshima, Japan. Army Air Force established and activated the other units that fell under the 509th CG for the express purpose of the Silverplate missions.Ĭol. The 393rd Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) was the only tactical unit in existence before the 509th CG was activated. The 509th Composite Group, activated on December 17, 1944, specifically for these missions, flew Silverplate B-29 Superfortresses, which were specially designed with less armor and defensive armaments so they could carry the weight of the bombs. Truman authorized the drop of two atomic bombs, effectively ending World War II in the Pacific theater.
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Seventy four years ago, President Harry S.