Underrated post.

History lives on!

Thanks for posting. I read the link and was somewhat surprised that the article failed to mention another interesting link to Gen Tibbets grandfather. Gen Tibbets commands the 509th Bomb Wing - a direct descendant of the 509th Composite Group that his grandfather commanded in WWII - and the Group that dropped the atomic bombs on Japan.

Shortly after the war the 509th was transferred to Roswell AFB, NM, which was later renamed Walker AFB. (My dad was stationed at Walker 61-63 and my first two years of High School were at Roswell High.)

The 509th flew B-29s after the war until 1950, when they got B-50s (basically an upgraded B-29). In 1955 they transitioned to B-47s. In 1958 the unit moved to Pease AFB, NH and continued to fly B-47s until 1965, when the B-47s went to the boneyard.

At that point, the 509th was scheduled to be deactivated, but (very wisely) the AF changed their mind and kept the historical wing, flying B-52s until 1969, when they converted to FB-111s (I knew several FB-111 pilots assigned to the 509th).

In the late 80s the FB-111s were transferred to the 27th TFW at Cannon AFB, NM and converted to tactical bombers. Shortly afterward Pease was closed - but once again, the AF realized the historical significance of the 509th and transferred the Wing to Whiteman AFB, MO to become the first (and only) B-2 Wing.

As I recall, the AF initially planned to acquire a great many more B-2s, but the end of the cold war and the very high cost of the planes (and very high maintenance costs as well) put and end to that plan.

I think it is significant Gen Tibbets commands the same unit as his grandfather and also that the AF had the foresight to keep the history steeped 509th as an active (and IMO premier) unit flying our most important bomber.

Don't have time to Google right now, but I think that General Pattons son or grandson commanded the same armored division as his ancestor (a few years ago)

Cool stuff

Daughter's flight training squadron (41st) traces its heritage to the 41st fighter squadron, uses pretty much the same patch

Yes, it was his son, George Patton IV. He made it to three star and was at Ft Hood when I was at A&M in the mid-70s. He would be invited to our football game a couple of times each season and "review" the Corps march-in. And of course the band ALWAYS played the "Patton March" when George IV was at the game. (They probably played at all of our games, but for sure when George IV was there.)

On another note, I retired in 1991 and the drawdown of our military from Europe after the Berlin wall fell was already underway. Gen McPeak became CSAF on Oct 1 1991 and despite being a complete and total ahole, he did have a great appreciation for military history.

At McPeak's direction, many of the long time AF units in Europe didn't go away - they moved to TAC bases in the US and replaced less famous and "younger" units - and those were the units that were deactivated. I remember it was quite a topic at the time I retired because it was an expensive proposition to make those changes.

I am most familiar with the 20th TFW based at RAF Wethersfield because my dad was assigned to that wing - which flew F-100s. I'm pretty sure that Capt McPeak had also been assigned to the 20th TFW as an F-100 pilot in the late 50's. The 20th was one of the units that closed up shop in the UK in the early 90's or so. ( By then they were based at RAF Upper Heyford.)



I can't remember which units went where in the US and which units they replaced, but I do know the 20th TFW has been ensconced at Shaw AFB, SC since 1993 and replaced the 363rd Fighter Wing.

How is your daughter's recovery progressing?

OldArmy71 said:

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How is your daughter's recovery progressing?

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Pretty good, thanks. It's been 13 months since the accident, she's ready to go, it's getting the flight doc to agree that's been the drag. As things often go, it was one of her superiors who is getting the flight doc to get his crap together. The colonel hadn't seen her in while, saw her at the squadron bar, turns out he's buddies with the doc....

At least she finally got the doc to give her standards, as in "prove you can egress safely, etc, etc, and we'll clear you". A path forward, finally.

We see a lot of improvement, even in the last 3-4 months, though she may never be 100%.....thanks drunk driver.

Thanks for asking.

Glad to hear that!

Very glad to hear that. Such a trial for her and for your family.

Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess

Thanks. She's a Captain in the Air Force. May 13, 2016 was the last day of her tour as a FAIP. On the next Monday she was headed to IFF, then to F-16 B School after that. A drunk/drugged driver crossed the centerline on an Alabama highway and hit her nearly head on. Compound fracture both bones in her lower right leg. Thank God and the 3/4 ton pickup she was driving, no internal, spine, or head injuries.

She's made a great recovery, but there has been a lot of pain and long recovery. Her USAF colleagues and commanders have been great. She's ready to get back to her job, the aforementioned flight doc has been the latest hold up. It appears that may be clearing.

We actually have her and her (USAF civil engineer) hubby here this holiday, it's been great.

Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess

"The Fleet at Flood Tide" by James D. Hornfischer follows Tibbets from when he was based out of North Africa (and refused to fly a low level bombing mission at 8,000 feet in the face of German 88mm AA guns, only to be threatened with a court martial) through his Enola Gay to Hiroshima mission. The book also follows Admiral Raymond Spruance as a naval commander in the last year of the war in the western Pacific.

There is much detail about the invasion of Saipan, where the U.S. noted the "Saipan ratio" of one American casualty for every seven defenders of the island, only to see the ratio rise to 1:2 at Iwo Jima, a fact which assured the use of the atomic bombs instead of a conventional invasion of Japan.