Paul Warfield Tibbets

Military
media-30954.jpeg UPL 30954 Front fuselage of the B17 41-24444, The Red Gremlin Red Gremlin Collection, George Huber

Personal collection of Bethany S. Huber, daughter of Herman S. Haag

Object Number - UPL 30954 - Front fuselage of the B17 41-24444, The Red Gremlin

Flew 1st bombing mission of WW II in B-17 'Butcher Shop' with his CO, Col. Armstrong. His regularly assigned plane was #41-24444 'The Red Gremlin'. Flew the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on 6 Aug 1945. He had his original Bombardier Ferebee and navigator Van Kirk on the atomic bomb drop.



Distinguished Service Cross, DFC, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Air Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Commendation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory M

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im

97th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Thomas Wilson Ferebee

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-443490
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Theodore J Van Kirk

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-659024
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

41-24444

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Red Gremlin, Superman
  • Unit: 340th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-2578) nicknamed "Butcher Shop" of the 92nd Bomb Group at Bovingdon. Written on slide casing: 'B-17 E 12578 Oldest fortress in 8AF Bovingdon, 1943.'

41-2578

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Butcher Shop/ Big Tin Bird
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 340th Bomb Squadron 77th Fighter Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Quincy, Illinois 23 February 1915

Died

Columbus, Ohio, USA 1 November 2007

Buried

Cremated, ashes scattered over English Channel

Other

1st 8th AF Bombing mission

Rouen, France 17 August 1942 Paul lead 1st 8th AF Bombing mission for B-17s to marshaling yards at Rouen, France.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a bold highlight to the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributordecwriter
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Paul Tibbets bio lists DFC with one oak leaf cluster and Air Medal with three oak clusters.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added connections to his Bombardier Ferebee and Navigator Van Kirk mentioned in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added event per info on Wikipedia.com.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Updated Died event per info on Wikipedia.com.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Added Middle Name per info on Wikipedia.com.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Tibbets

Date
Contributordecwriter
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NARA files verified awards and campaign medals.

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

NARA files verified officer number, DSC, PH and AM w/2 oak leaf clusters. No DFC file is readily available nor a LOM file for Tibbets.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to the first 8th AF mission.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

97th Bomb Group Association, Inc., Roster - June 1, 2000 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Paul Warfield Tibbets: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 30954 - Front fuselage of the B17 41-24444, The Red...