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Enola Gay: Dutch Van Kirk

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:500.00 - 700.00 USD
Enola Gay: Dutch Van Kirk

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Auction Date:2018 Mar 07 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
ALS, signed "Theodore J. Van Kirk, Navigator—Enola Gay, 6 Aug 1945," two notebook pages, 8 x 10.5, no date. Letter written in a question-and-answer format, in part: "Q Was it easy navigating the Enola Gay to Hiroshima? / If you were a reasonably good navigator it was relatively easy. It was over open water so you needed to stay on the job…Q What happened after the blast? / It took 43 seconds from the time the bomb left the plane until it exploded at about 1800 feet. When it exploded we saw a bright flash in the airplane even though we were wearing goggles. Shortly though the plane jumped and sounded like a piece of sheet metal snapping…the tail gunner then said it was a shock wave that was visible and here comes another one—it was of less force than the first…Around the city of Hiroshima we could see small fires but most of the city was covered by black smoke and dust. Q There have been reports of disappointment in our group and the Manhattan Project that the Japanese did not surrender after the first bomb? / A little but nothing major. Remember that Japan was a defeated nation long before we dropped the bomb, but refused to surrender looking for a final battle and better terms." In fine condition.