An Eyewitness Account of America's Last Atomic Mission

On August 9, 1945, at 11:02 a.m., the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. The bomb, nicknamed "Fat Man," was the second and last atomic bomb to be used in warfare. It exploded with the force of 21,000 tons of TNT, killing an estimated 70,000 people and injuring tens of thousands more.

One of the crew members on the plane that dropped the bomb was Sergeant George R. Caron. Caron was a photographer and was tasked with documenting the mission. In his book, "The Last Atomic Mission," Caron provides a vivid and unforgettable eyewitness account of the day's events.

War's End: An Eyewitness Account of America's Last Atomic Mission

by Charles W. Sweeney

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8456 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	236 pages

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The Mission

Caron and the rest of the crew boarded the B-29 Superfortress, nicknamed "Bockscar," at 3:45 a.m. on August 9. The plane took off from Tinian Island in the Pacific Ocean and headed for Japan. The crew was flying a modified version of the B-29 that had been specially designed to carry the atomic bomb.

The flight to Japan was long and uneventful. Caron passed the time by reading and taking pictures of the crew. As they approached Japan, the crew put on their flight suits and oxygen masks. They also loaded the atomic bomb into the bomb bay.

The Bombing

Bockscar reached Nagasaki at 10:58 a.m. The city was clear of clouds, and the crew could see the target area below them. The pilot, Major Charles Sweeney, lined up the plane and released the bomb. The bomb fell for 43 seconds before exploding over the city.

Caron describes the explosion as "a blinding flash of light." He saw a huge fireball rise into the sky, and then a mushroom cloud formed. The plane was rocked by the explosion, and Caron was momentarily knocked unconscious.

The Aftermath

When Caron regained consciousness, he looked out the window and saw the devastation below. The city was in ruins, and fires were burning everywhere. Caron could see people running and screaming in the streets.

Bockscar turned and headed back to Tinian Island. The crew was silent as they flew over the destruction they had caused. Caron later wrote, "I had never seen anything so terrible in my life."

The Legacy

The atomic bombing of Nagasaki was a turning point in World War II. It led to the surrender of Japan and the end of the war. However, the bombing also raised serious questions about the morality of using nuclear weapons.

Caron's eyewitness account of the bombing is a powerful reminder of the horrors of war. It is a story that should never be forgotten.

Images

Further Reading

• Sergeant George Caron's eyewitness account of the Nagasaki bombing
• The atomic bomb and World War II
• The last atomic mission

War's End: An Eyewitness Account of America's Last Atomic Mission

by Charles W. Sweeney

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8456 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	236 pages

FREE