Return Of The Enola Gay [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Paul W. Tibbets (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0970366604 | ISBN-13: 978-0970366603 | Publication Date: August 31, 1998 | Edition: 1st

Col. Tibbets story of his flight of the Enola Gay.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 339 pages
• Publisher: Mid Coast; 1st edition (August 31, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970366604
• ISBN-13: 978-0970366603
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #512,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Hero, April 18, 2004

By 

Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Return Of The Enola Gay (Hardcover)

I am proud to say that I come from the town of Quincy, Illinois. Probably one of the most important people ever to come from Quincy is Paul W. Tibbets, though it's very likely that even most Quincians wouldn't know his name. In fact, Col. Tibbets is the man who trained the crews and commanded the mission that dropped the atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Return of the Enola Gay is Col. Tibbets' story, told in his own words.

To be honest, though I very much wanted to like this book, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Col. Tibbets prose is somewhat unpolished but his folksy, colloquial style is in the classic storytelling tradition and it is very readable. Reading this book, I often felt like I was sitting at my grandfather's feet, listening to stories of the war. He may come across as a little arrogant at times (like most of the great soldiers) but Tibbets' stories are always worth hearing.

And stories are something that Col. Tibbets has in great supply. The heart of the story is the organization and training of the squads that will ultimately compose the strike forces dropping "fat man" and "little boy" and, certainly, hearing Col. Tibbets describe his experiences on August 6, 1945, is gripping. However, Col. Tibbets was involved with many other important figures and events of World War II of which I was not even remotely aware. He trained (and shot skeet) with George Patton before the war. He piloted the first daylight bombing raids over Nazi occupied Europe. He flew Eisenhower and other important soldiers crucial to the Allied invasion of North Africa and flew a number of raids there.

And even though the stories of war might be enough to make a good book, Col. Tibbets does much more. He tells us the story of his life--the moving around, military school, leaving medical school to become a pilot, his years after the war and his ultimate retirement from the air force. He gives us insight into many of the famous and important people he met, like Patton and Doolittle. He describes how the Nagasaki bombing and the first nuclear test at Bikini atoll were near disasters. In particular, I was fascinated by his insights into the politics of the military, how certain people earn promotions and assignments. All in all, it is an absorbing account of an important period of American history told by a man who lived it.

A warning: an anti-war reader looking for an apology for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will have to look elsewhere. Col. Tibbets is proud of his role in what he often points out are the attacks that ended World War II, likely saving the lives of millions of Allied and Japanese soldier despite what revisionist "historians" would like to say. And, though I am leery of American tendencies to jump into war, I also think that Monday-morning quarterbacking 60 years later is an easy way to get up on a soapbox for people who didn't have to make the hard choices. I am proud to have Col. Tibbets as a sterling representative of my hometown and its values, well-reflected in this book.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The life and times of a true American hero, September 28, 2005

By 

Marvin D. Pipher (Houston, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Return Of The Enola Gay (Hardcover)

Just about all anyone knows about Paul Tibbets is that he was the pilot of the B-29 from which the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, ultimately leading to the quick and decisive end of World War II. But besides this action, which saved hundreds of thousands of Japanese and American lives, Tibbets also had a wide and varied career both in and out of the military. This book tells the story of his life and of his aviation career.

For Tibbets, it all began in 1927 when, as a 12 year old boy, he tossed parachute-rigged Baby Ruth candy bars from an open cockpit plane flying over Florida's Hialeah race track as an advertising gimmick. It then ran a full gamut of adventures until 1986 when, at 71 years of age, Tibbets finally decided that it was time to give up flying. During the intervening years, Paul Tibbets entered the flying service; became friends with and part-time pilot for then Lt. Col. George S. Patton; led the first U.S. bombing mission over Europe; was selected to fly General Dwight D. Eisenhower to Gibraltar at the start of the invasion of North Africa; led bombing missions over Bizerte; was assigned to the staff of a pompous Colonel named Norstad and almost court-martialed (Tibbets confronted the desk-bound colonel in an operations meeting and, in discussing an ill-planned bombing raid, announced that he would fly the mission if the Colonel would be his co-pilot.); was saved from a possible court-martial by General Jimmy Doolittle who transferred him back the States; helped develop the B-29 into a safe aircraft; taught two women to fly the B-29 so as to allay the fears of his male pilots; was put in command of the 509th Composite Group which he pulled together and trained while the atom bomb was under development; and finally flew the Enola Gay, which he named for his mother, on the fateful bombing raid to Hiroshima.

These and many other adventures are the subjects of this outstanding autobiography. It is fun, interesting, and easy reading. Go for it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great read!, October 1, 2010

By 

Toe Tag (Florida) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Return Of The Enola Gay (Hardcover)

This book is a fascinating history of one man whose place in history will never be forgotten. He was the man who dropped the bomb on Japan. This is the story of his life, time in service and what he did latter in life and it makes for a fascinating first person account of the first time atomic weapons were used in combat.

I found it interesting that Tibbets spent quite a bit of time writing about the political forces within organizations that drive men crazy. I saw this first hand. My father did too. These "clicks" and self promoting officers created a living hell for him. He could be right about one topic and regardless the negativity and jealously of others became counterproductive and have lasting affects.

One of the things I liked most about this book is the fact that Tibbets sets the record straight on his crew. None of them held remorse or had physiological issues after the war regarding the bombing of Hiroshima. They understood this was an act of war...and one that could save many lives...regardless of what a destructive and devastating blow it was to the military and civilian population of the city.

It's interesting to note that his grandson spent time in the air force flying B2 bombers designed to deliver modern versions of his grandfather's atomic bomb. As Tibbets said, he is grateful his grandson never had to perform such a mission, but it is good to know that someone stands ready to defend or nation.

If you enjoyed this book and are interested in more history of the atomic bomb program I would suggest reading Richard Rhoads, The Making of the Atomic Bomb. I would also recommend the masterpiece, American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. In addition I would suggest, Now it Can be told, by General Leslie Groves, the man in charge of the project to build the bomb.