| NORTH FIELD (Continued) |
Like the old Air Ops building, the American
forces made good use of the Ushi Field Administration
building (above). Today shell holes are evident, along
with the ravages of 60 years' worth of neglect.
Left: The ground floor today.
Right: A 1930's-design Japanese restroom.
Below: Steve, as seen through a large hole in the
second floor.
March, 2006.
forces made good use of the Ushi Field Administration
building (above). Today shell holes are evident, along
with the ravages of 60 years' worth of neglect.
Left: The ground floor today.
Right: A 1930's-design Japanese restroom.
Below: Steve, as seen through a large hole in the
second floor.
March, 2006.
Today spiders make their home in the abandoned
building. At right, Steve photogrpahed me on the second
floor, looking over the remains of North Field. There are
numerous cisterns, building foundations, and undefined
rubble in the area.
Please note the "Danger, Do Not Enter" sign. Steve and
I approached and entered the building from the other side.
We spent nearly half an hour exploring the structure before
exiting this side of it... and seeing the warning sign! March
2006.
building. At right, Steve photogrpahed me on the second
floor, looking over the remains of North Field. There are
numerous cisterns, building foundations, and undefined
rubble in the area.
Please note the "Danger, Do Not Enter" sign. Steve and
I approached and entered the building from the other side.
We spent nearly half an hour exploring the structure before
exiting this side of it... and seeing the warning sign! March
2006.
In these August, 1945 U.S.
Government photos, the Enola
Gay (left), a B-29 of the
509th Composite Group,
being backed over the pit into
Government photos, the Enola
Gay (left), a B-29 of the
509th Composite Group,
being backed over the pit into
which "Little Boy" (above right), the first atomic bomb
used in combat, was awaiting loading into the air-
craft (above). U.S. Gov't photos. 1945.
used in combat, was awaiting loading into the air-
craft (above). U.S. Gov't photos. 1945.
Until the Battle of Tinian's 60th anniversary in 2004, the bomb pits were filled in (Left, NPS
photo). Today they are opened up and covered with glass roofs, so you can look down into
them just as the loading techs did in 1945. In the above photo, looking north, the pit on the
left is the site the Enola Gay was loaded for the first atomic mission, and the pit on the right
is the site of Bock's Car's loading for the second mission. The atomic weapons were too big
to be rolled under the planes (even places as big as a B-29). They were lowered, covered by
tarps, into these pits, and the aircraft backed over them, bomb bay doors open (as you saw
in the above 1945 photos). March 2006.
photo). Today they are opened up and covered with glass roofs, so you can look down into
them just as the loading techs did in 1945. In the above photo, looking north, the pit on the
left is the site the Enola Gay was loaded for the first atomic mission, and the pit on the right
is the site of Bock's Car's loading for the second mission. The atomic weapons were too big
to be rolled under the planes (even places as big as a B-29). They were lowered, covered by
tarps, into these pits, and the aircraft backed over them, bomb bay doors open (as you saw
in the above 1945 photos). March 2006.
The graphic at left
shows the layout of the
Atomic Bomb Loading
Pits. It is taken from an
official U.S. Navy photo,
seen below.
shows the layout of the
Atomic Bomb Loading
Pits. It is taken from an
official U.S. Navy photo,
seen below.
Above: An aircraft engine
lies in the middle of the
loading area. March '05.
lies in the middle of the
loading area. March '05.
An aerial look at the Atomic Bomb Loading Pits. This was taken by my friend and co-worker,
Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Christopher S. Borgren II, during an aerial photo mission to
some of the smaller northern islands. U.S. Navy photo, March 2005.
Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Christopher S. Borgren II, during an aerial photo mission to
some of the smaller northern islands. U.S. Navy photo, March 2005.
Left: Myself and Steve at Pit #1--the
Hiroshima Bomb loading pit (self portrait).
Above: Looking from Pit #2, where the
Nagasaki bomb was loaded, to Pit #1.
March 2006.
Hiroshima Bomb loading pit (self portrait).
Above: Looking from Pit #2, where the
Nagasaki bomb was loaded, to Pit #1.
March 2006.
Most everyone knows the Enola Gay, piloted by (then) Col. Paul Tibbets, carried the bomb dubbed "Little Boy" to its
primary target of Hiroshima in a flawless aerial operation.
Unlike the Enola Gay's mission, where everything went like clockwork, the Bock's Car's mission was fraught with
troubles from the off. Bock's Car, piloted by Major Charles Sweeney, took off on August 9, 1945, on the second atomic
mission. It was bound for...Kokura. Bock's Car and its two escorts missed each other at the rendezvous point over
Yakoshima. The mission bird finally met up with The Great Artiste, the instrument-carrying B-29 that would record the
blast. The two planes flew to Kokura, and found dense cloud cover. Three bomb runs and no break in the weather later,
Maj. Sweeney and the weaponeer made a decision in the face of dwindling fuel to switch to their alternate target. Thus,
Nagasaki became the second city on earth to be nuked.
primary target of Hiroshima in a flawless aerial operation.
Unlike the Enola Gay's mission, where everything went like clockwork, the Bock's Car's mission was fraught with
troubles from the off. Bock's Car, piloted by Major Charles Sweeney, took off on August 9, 1945, on the second atomic
mission. It was bound for...Kokura. Bock's Car and its two escorts missed each other at the rendezvous point over
Yakoshima. The mission bird finally met up with The Great Artiste, the instrument-carrying B-29 that would record the
blast. The two planes flew to Kokura, and found dense cloud cover. Three bomb runs and no break in the weather later,
Maj. Sweeney and the weaponeer made a decision in the face of dwindling fuel to switch to their alternate target. Thus,
Nagasaki became the second city on earth to be nuked.
Of course, the bombs had to be
assembled once the components were
on Tinian. There were two assembly
sheds, one is pictured above in this
1945 U.S. Gov't. photo. Today all that
remains are the concrete foundations,
marked by small signs. March 2006.
assembled once the components were
on Tinian. There were two assembly
sheds, one is pictured above in this
1945 U.S. Gov't. photo. Today all that
remains are the concrete foundations,
marked by small signs. March 2006.
Above left: Tinian in 1945, looking south over North Field.
Above: Looking from the southwest corner of North Field out over to
Saipan. In the photo are shown the Atom Bomb Loading Pits, the Main
Control Tower, the Old Japanese Admin. & Air Ops Buildings, and the
Japanese Air Raid Shelters (See graphic at left). U.S. Gov't. photos, 1945.
Above: Looking from the southwest corner of North Field out over to
Saipan. In the photo are shown the Atom Bomb Loading Pits, the Main
Control Tower, the Old Japanese Admin. & Air Ops Buildings, and the
Japanese Air Raid Shelters (See graphic at left). U.S. Gov't. photos, 1945.
