Summary
- The Enola Gay, known for dropping the first atomic bomb, was involved in nuclear weapons tests before being preserved for historical purposes.
- Lack of hangar space and exposure to the elements damaged the aircraft, prompting its dismantling and restoration in the 1980s.
- Controversy surrounding the exhibit focused on the balance between Japanese casualties and the bomb's role in ending the war, sparking ongoing discussions about how to appropriately display and remember the Enola Gay.
The Enola Gay, a B-29 Superfortress bomber, is famed for dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in August 1945. After its mission, it was involved in nuclear weapons tests before being preserved for historical purposes.
Later operations
After completing its August 1945 mission, the Enola Gay returned to the United States and arrived at Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico, in November 1945. In April 1946, it participated in the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific. Although it was not chosen to drop a test bomb, it was ultimately preserved for historical purposes.
In July 1946, the aircraft was flown to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, for storage. The title was transferred from the military to the Smithsonian Institution in August 1946, and the Enola Gay was removed from the USAAF inventory. From 1946 to 1961, the aircraft underwent temporary storage at various locations.
Preservation and restoration
The Enola Gay's preservation faced challenges due to a lack of hangar space. It was left outdoors on a remote part of Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, exposed to the elements where souvenir hunters damaged the aircraft, and nature took its toll. Concerned about its condition, Paul E. Garber of the Smithsonian began dismantling it in August 1960, and its components were transported to a storage facility at Suitland, Maryland, in July 1961.
In the early 1980s, veterans of the 509th, Don Rehl, and Frank B. Stewart, lobbied for the Enola Gay’s historical restoration and display. They enlisted Paul Tibbets, the mission’s pilot, and Senator Barry Goldwater in their campaign. In 1983, Walter J. Boyne, a former B-52 pilot, became director of the National Air and Space Museum and prioritized the restoration of the Enola Gay.
The bomber’s full restoration began in 1984 at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland. Propellors used on the bombing mission were later sent to Texas A&M University for restoration and refitting. Some parts and instruments were missing, so a number of replacements were found or fabricated.
Display and controversy
The Enola Gay became the center of controversy when the Smithsonian planned to exhibit its fuselage in 1995, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. Critics, including the American Legion and the Air Force Association, claimed the exhibit focused too much on Japanese casualties rather than the motives behind the bombing or the bomb's role in ending the war, while other critics said it did not focus enough on casualties and represented a callous attitude towards the bomb’s victims.
After attempts to revise the exhibit, it was canceled in January 1995, although the forward fuselage was displayed again later that year until 1998. Restoration work continued, and in 2003, the aircraft was reassembled at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.
The display of the Enola Gay again sparked further controversy, with some arguing for a more nuanced presentation of its history. Nevertheless, the aircraft remains an important artifact representing World War II and the development of nuclear weapons. Efforts to balance its historical significance and address moral questions surrounding its role will undoubtedly continue to be a subject of interest and discussion for years to come.
How do you think the Enola Gay should most appropriately be displayed and remembered? Let us know in the comments below.
July 23, 2023
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