First edition of Return of the Enola Gay, signed by Paul W. Tibbets, Tom Ferebee, Theodore Van Kirk and Richard Nelson. 339pp. Black cloth, title in silver on spine. Publishers dust jacket, metallic gray, fine.

On August 6, 1945, as the Enola Gay approached the Japanese city of Hiroshima, I fervently hoped for success in the first use of a nuclear type weapon. To me it meant putting an end to the fighting and the consequent loss of lives. In fact, I viewed my mission as one to save lives rather than take them. The intervening years has brought me many letters and personal contacts with individuals who maintain that they would not be alive if it had not been for what I did. Likewise, I have been asked in letters and to my face if I was not conscious stricken for the loss of life I caused by dropping the first atomic bomb. To those who ask, I quickly reply, "Not in the least.”

The autobiography of Paul Tibbets. The pilot of the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb in Japan.

Prior to this assignment that took him into the atomic aerial efforts he flew some of the first B17s into England. And later flew the lead plane in daylight bombing runs in Europe proving to the English and the Germans daylight bombing raids were effective and worthwhile. His recollections of this time were fascinating as he discusses the difficulties both physical and mental of their missions. Interesting to note one disappointing thing for him of flying so high they had to use oxygen masks was his inability to smoke his pipe on long missions.

Prior to operation Torch he flew General Eisenhower to Gibraltar in a B-17. The plane lacked proper extra seating for passengers so they rigged up a 2 by 4 board for Gen Eisenhower to sit on and watch the flight out the front window. They had a nice chat on the flight.

A personality conflict that came to the fore during a briefing on a planned bombing attack in Africa with a proud higher ranked officer resulted in this officer taking an intense dislike to Tibbets. As a result to protect him he was transferred back to the States and eventually ended up being assigned to command the atomic mission.

As commander he had to figure out a way to drop the bomb that was accurate and allowed the crew to get out of the eight mile blast radius within the 43 seconds it would take for the bomb to explode after release.

Tibbets defends the use of the bomb and explains why with the strategic situation he believes using it was the right thing to do. He believes its use saved many lives. However, he also notes that President Truman stated to him that he should never let anyone blame him for his part in delivering the bomb as the decision to send the bomb was a presidential decision.

Not onely does Tibbets relate his war experience he also details his life in the Air Force after WWII and talks about why he believes he was not promoted beyond one star (Air Force politics and rivalries including the fact he did not attend West Point as many of the higher ranking people had).

Overall an interesting read that follows how the 97th Bomber Wing went to war in WWII and their exploits during Tibbets' time, how the atomic bomb came to be dropped, why it was the right choice, and a brief amount towards the end about the controversy over the Smithsonian institute trying to place the Enola Gay on display with with historically revisionist info that was favorable towards Japan and negative about America. ( )