The Enola Gay’s crew that carried out the mission of dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, on August 6, 1945, consisted of 12 men, six of which were regular crew men. The other half were carefully picked out for that particular task. For example, the regular pilot of the Enola Gay was Captain Robert A Lewis, but for the atomic bomb mission Paul Tibbets was selected as pilot and commander of the B29 Enola Gay crew on August 6, 1945.
Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr. – Pilot and Aircraft commander
Captain Robert A. Lewis – Co-pilot; Enola Gay’s assigned aircraft commander*
Major Thomas Ferebee – Bombardier ; replaced regular crewman Donald Orrphin.
Captain Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk – Navigator
U.S. Navy Captain William S. "Deak" Parsons – Weaponeer and bomb commander ;replaced regular crewman William "Bill" Arre, due to his advanced knowledge of atomic weaponry.
Lieutenant Jacob Beser – Radar countermeasures (also the only man to fly on both of the nuclear bombing aircraft)
Second Lieutenant Morris R. Jeppson – Assistant weaponeer
Technical Sergeant George R. "Bob" Caron – Tail gunner
Technical Sergeant Wyatt E. Duzenberry – Flight engineer
Sergeant Joe S. Stiborik – Radar operator
Sergeant Robert H. Shumard – Assistant flight engineer*
Private First Class Richard H. Nelson – VHF radio operator
Captain Robert A Lewis, Sergeant George R Caron, Sergeant Wyatt E Duzenberry, Sergeant Joe S Stilborik, Sergeant Robert H Shumard, and Private First Class Richard H Nelson were the Enola Gay’s regular crew members.
