Enola Gay's mission to Hiroshima was successfully completed as planned, and the plane safely returned to Tinian, but Bockscar had little fuel left after its mission to Nagasaki on landing at Okinawa because of tactical mistakes. This included the Enola Gay and Bockscar.

He was awarded a Bronze Star for that service because ALL of the B-29s that pounded Japan during the final months of the war were able to go and return safely to Tinian and Saipan as a result of the repair work done in that Shop. During the last year of the war, my dad was stationed on Tinian and in charge of the Propeller Shop. They were all so young to be having such big responsibilities of ending a World War on their shoulders. They were all so youn My dad is in the khaki shirt on the back row, 2nd from the left. My dad is in the khaki shirt on the back row, 2nd from the left. All are humbled by the dedication and comittment of our WW II veterans. One of my sons served in Afghanistan and his daughter spent 10 months in Iraq. Our family members have always been in awe of my father's service, and as a result, my 2 brothers, 3 of their children, 2 of my children, and 1 of my grandchildren have served in the Navy and/or Army. The next evening, he passed away peacefully in his sleep. He recounted a story I had never heard about his experience, and the gathering around his bed listened with respect. At the end of the ceremony, they gave him an opportunity to speak. The day before he died in Tidewell Hospice House, Palmetto, FL, the Veteran's Group from Hospice House honored him with a ceremony. Ellis Reece Bethany, who served in WW II, ending his wartime experience on Tinian Island in charge of the Propeller Shop.

I am the daughter of deceased Army Air Corps Tech Sgt.

Call of war 1942 tank destroyer