He signed his book, My True Course, from 11 a.m. Van Kirk appeared at the Marietta Museum of History on August 11–12, 2012. Van Kirk appeared and signed books at the Vectren Dayton Air Show on July 8, 2012. On SeptemMajor Van Kirk, accompanied by his wife, appeared at the model air show "Warbirds Over Atlanta 2010" in Ball Ground, Georgia where he signed his books and photographs as a replica of the B-29 flew overhead. It was billed as "Lone Survivor of Enola Gay Visits UWG". On Friday, ApVan Kirk spoke at the University of West Georgia in the Biology Building Lecture Hall. On AugVan Kirk appeared at a gun and knife collector's show in Dallas, Texas where his autograph was obtained, dedicated "To Wikipedia". Van Kirk was present at the 2008 Thunder over Michigan Air Show. For the next 35 years, he held various technical and managerial positions in research and marketing with DuPont.ĭutch Van Kirk appeared April 9–10, 2005 at the MacDill Air Force Base Air Fest, Tampa, FL, filling in for scheduled Paul Tibbets, who was ailing. Van Kirk went on to receive his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering from Bucknell University in 19.
His decorations include the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and 15 Air Medals. In August 1946 Van Kirk completed his service in the Army Air Forces as a Major. The auction house did not reveal the name of the successful bidder, although it said it was a U.S. Van Kirk stated he decided to sell the log, because he wanted it to be kept at a museum. In October 2007, Van Kirk auctioned off the flight log he kept on board the Enola Gay during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima for US$358,500 in a public auction. Where was the morality in the bombing of Coventry, or the bombing of Dresden, or the Bataan Death March, or the Rape of Nanking, or the bombing of Pearl Harbor? I believe that when you're in a war, a nation must have the courage to do what it must to win the war with a minimum loss of lives. In a war, there are so many questionable things done.
It's really hard to talk about morality and war in the same sentence. We were fighting an enemy that had a reputation for never surrendering, never accepting defeat. Under the same circumstances – and the key words are "the same circumstances" yes, I would do it again. Van Kirk said he was often asked, "given a choice about his role in the Hiroshima bombing, would he do it again?": Van Kirk later participated in Operation Crossroads, the first Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests.Īccording to the 1995 New York Times interview by Gustav Niebuhr Mr. The bomb fell away from the aircraft at 09:15:17 Tinian time. As they approached the target Van Kirk worked closely with the bombardier, Tom Ferebee, to confirm the winds and aimpoint. By the time they rendezvoused with their accompanying B-29s at 0607 hrs over Iwo Jima, the group was three hours from the target area. The thirteen-hour mission to Hiroshima began at 02:45 hrs in the morning Tinian time. From November 1944 to June 1945 they trained continually for the first atomic bomb drop, which occurred 6 August 1945.
The group flew the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, with Tibbets as commander and Van Kirk as the group navigator. He served as an instructor navigator until reuniting with Tibbets and Ferebee in the 509th Composite Group at Wendover Field, Utah, in late 1944. in June 1943 after flying a total of 58 missions overseas.
Van Kirk (center) and the rest of the Enola Gay flight crew upon return from their mission over Hiroshima (6 August 1945) On 16 November 1942, the crew led their group in an attack that took the Germans by surprise at Sidi Ahmed Air Base at Bizerte. After German reinforcements began pouring into the port of Bizerte, Tunisia, posing a serious threat to Allied strategy, a new mission emerged. In November, they ferried General Eisenhower to Gibraltar to command the North African invasion forces. In October 1942, they flew General Mark Clark to Gibraltar for his secret North African rendezvous with the French prior to Operation Torch. They were the lead aircraft, responsible for group navigation and bombing. Van Kirk would later fly with these men on the Hiroshima mission.įrom August to October 1942, the crew flew 11 missions out of England. The crew of the "Red Gremlin" also included pilot Paul Tibbets and bombardier Tom Ferebee. On 1 April 1942, he received both his commission and navigator wings and transferred to the 97th Bomb Group, the first operational Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England. He joined the Army Air Force Aviation Cadet Program in October 1941. Van Kirk was born in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, to Frederick and Grace (Snyder) Van Kirk.