Hiroshima! Nagasaki! The mere mention of these horror locations makes me shudder as we think of the future for us and the world.

The specter of atomic bombs is everywhere in the speeches of our allies as well as our enemies.

I am a 93-year-old veteran of World War II and have my own memories of the events of that period. I served as a radio operator – a member of the 490th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force.

Upon completion of my 25 combat missions, I was assigned to HQ-8th AF as a radio operator on Gen. Jimmy Doolittle’s personal B-17. First, we flew in the B-17, then the crew got checked out in a B-29, and we flew the general’s B-29 until the war ended for us. We flew him around the world, ending up back in Okinawa before the end of the war with Japan.

Right after the bombs were dropped in Japan and the war ended, Gen. Doolittle organized an inspection flight and (now in the B-29) we flew from Okinawa to inspect the results in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Our plane was jammed with the top brass in the area. Some of these generals had not seen each other for some time. There was a lot of kidding as they renewed old acquaintances.

As we approached Hiroshima, it was as if a blanket of silence had been dropped outside our plane. There was a cumulative gasp and sharp intake of breath as we passed over the devastation that had once been a thriving city.

Yes, we have been through a lot. But we are going to go through a lot more unless we find ways to slow down our rush to oblivion.

Al Burk

Winslow

Copy the Story Link