Embedded Files
08/06/2025 - In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the CNMI Archives at Northern Marianas College is announcing the availability of a rare, firsthand interview transcript with key members of the Enola Gay crew — Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets (USAF Retired), Navigator Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk, and Weapons Officer Morris Jeppson.
The interview, conducted on June 15, 2004, by former CNMI Historian and NMC Instructor Samuel F. McPhetres and Military Historical Cartographer William H. Stewart was recorded at the Northern Marianas College’s former radio station. The interview offers a powerful and unfiltered perspective on one of the most consequential events in modern history — the deployment of the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima.
The transcript, now permanently archived and available for public access at the CNMI Archives at NMC, captures the reflections of the men who flew the Enola Gay, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, from Tinian Island on the morning of August 6, 1945. Their mission would ultimately result in the deaths of an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 people in Hiroshima and play a pivotal role in the conclusion of World War II.
During the interview, McPhetres prompted Tibbets to reflect on the public perception of the bombing. Tibbets responded:
“The subject of the bomb has been of some major controversy over the years – largely because the people that criticize the dropping of the bomb don’t know what they are talking about… Many, many thousands of people were saved because of the dropping of the bomb — mostly Japanese lives.”
Tibbets also recounted personal moments with historical figures, including a meeting with Mitsuo Fuchida, the Japanese pilot who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, and with President Harry S. Truman, who authorized the mission. According to Tibbets, Truman told him, “The next one who bothers you, refer them to me — I sent you.”
The interview also sheds light on Tibbets’ experiences on Tinian, his time in the White House, and the broader implications of the mission — particularly the strategic importance of the CNMI as a launch point in the Pacific and its ongoing relevance today.
The transcript serves as a valuable educational and historical resource for scholars, students, and community members interested in World War II history, Pacific theater operations, and the legacy of U.S. military strategy in the region.
For more information or to access the transcript, contact CNMI Archivist Raymond M. Muna at raymond.muna@marianas.edu. (PRESS RELEASE)
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