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America recently lost an authentic hero: Brigadier-General Paul W. Tibbets (USAF Retired), pilot of the "Enola Gay," the B-29 that dropped the atom bomb on Hiroshima, thus bringing World War II to an abrupt end. My long friendship with Gen. Tibbets led me to submit a personal tribute to him in The Times Examiner.
Though the mission of the "Enola Gay" dramatically ended the war, it is only one of many compelling stories that took place during that era. Young men left hearth and home to turn back the forces of tyranny. Had they failed, our lives would be far different from the ones we know today.
During the 50th anniversary of World War II, it was my high honor to chair a national citizens group headquartered in Indianapolis that promoted appropriate observances. Our larger goal, however, was to directly confront reckless revisionists who attempted to alter, if not rewrite, the true story of the war. One fight in which we were actively involved concerned the Smithsonian Institution’s effort to display a partially restored "Enola Gay" in an unfavorable light. Through the dedicated efforts of many groups, the great plane was completely restored and is today displayed proudly for the public to see at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Museum of Aviation outside Washington, D.C.
In cooperation with Publisher Bob Dill, I have selected some of World War II’s greatest stories. They begin in this issue and continue up to the anniversaries of D-Day and the Battle of Midway next June. Some stories will touch your heartstrings, while others will perhaps bring a smile or a chuckle. Each story, I assure you, will highlight heroic young Americans carrying out their difficult---and often fatal---missions.
Here’s a sample: the Killer
Flight that intercepted Admiral Yamamoto, the mastermind behind Pearl Harbor; Alex Varicu, who downed six Japanese planes in nine minutes; Adrian Marks, the P-BY pilot who rescued 56 survivors of the ill-fated USS INDIANAPOLIS; George Gay, the only survivor of Torpedo Squadron 8 at Midway; Four Chaplains, who gave their own lives to save others; the legendary "Pappy" Boyington of Flying Tiger fame, and much more.
So, hold onto your hats, fasten your seat belts, and get ready for some of the greatest stories to come out of World War II’s storied past.
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