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He is best known as the pilot who flew the B-29 Superfortress known as the Enola Gay (named after his mother) when it dropped Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.. I told him I was interested in serving, and he told me to look into something like the ROTC or service academies. Of course, Paul was the pilot of the Enola Gay B-29 Superfortress on it's secret mission during. The attack marked Little Boy as the first nuclear weapon used in warfare and the bomber as the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb. After leaving the Air Force in 1966, he worked for Executive Jet Aviation, serving on the founding board and as its president from 1976 until his retirement in 1987. The atomic bomb Little Boy was dropped over the city of Hiroshima, resulting in an almost complete destruction of the city. As the University of Florida had no medical school at that time, Tibbets completed his second year from the university and then took a transfer to the University of Cincinnati to finish his pre-med studies. He flew the lead plane in the first American daylight heavy bomber mission against Occupied Europe on 17 August 1942, and the first American raid of more than 100 bombers in Europe on 9 October 1942. Flying the 1,500 miles of open water to the coast of Japan, he guided his plane over the island of Shikoku and the Inland Sea, threatened with the constant danger of anti-aircraft. Paul Tibbets, who piloted the B-29 bomber Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died Thursday. Tibbets retired from the United States Air Force in 1966. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Tibbets reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. The film Above and Beyond (1952) depicted the World War II events involving Paul Tibbets, with Robert Taylor starring as Tibbets and Eleanor Parker as his first wife, Lucy. He and Merle Haggard are 6th cousins, 1x removed. When Tibbets was eight years old, his family moved once again, to Miami, Florida. [6] The younger son, Gene Wingate Tibbets, was born in 1944, and was at the time of his death in 2012 residing in Georgiana in Butler County in southern Alabama. He said that he saw the real effects of bombing civilians and the trauma of losing his brothers in arms. At age 5, he relocated with his family to Iowa, where his father worked as a confections wholesaler. Delegated as a second lieutenant, Tibbets earned his pilot rating at Kelly Field in San Antonio in 1938. [3] In 1999, he flew combat missions over Yugoslavia. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/paul-tibbets-9377.php. He was a writer for many of the show's earliest and most influential episodes, including " Chocolate with Nuts ," " Frankendoodle ," " Idiot Box ," " Krab Borg ," and " Rock Bottom ." He also played other roles on the show, such as composing the song "Electric Zoo" and . He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and received his pilot rating in 1938 at Kelly Field in San Antonio. Scroll Down and find everything about him. They were to conduct the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_W._Tibbets.JPG, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_Tibbets_2003.jpg. [10] While there he was promoted to captain. To watch his first-person account of the Hiroshima mission, click here. By extraordinary flying skill, gallant leadership, and successful performance of the flight despite considerable danger, Colonel Tibbets thereby rendered outstanding, distinguished and valorous service to our Nation. [46] An advance party of the air echelon flew by C-54 to North Field, Tinian, between 15 and 22 May,[47] where it was joined by the ground echelon on 29 May 1945. Early life [ edit] [43], With the addition of the 1st Ordnance Squadron to its roster in March 1945, the 509th Composite Group had an authorized strength of 225 officers and 1,542 enlisted men, almost all of whom deployed to Tinian, an island in the northern Marianas within striking distance of Japan, in May and June 1945. When he was five years old the family moved to Davenport, Iowa, and then to Iowa's capital, Des Moines, where he was raised, and where his father became a confections wholesaler. He was previously married to Andrea P. Quattrehomme and Lucy Frances Wingate. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV, will not receive his second star and will begin terminal leave next month after the investigation determined he made inappropriate comments to fellow airmen, and. On hand for this. [34], On 1 September 1944, Tibbets reported to Colorado Springs Army Airfield, the headquarters of the Second Air Force, where he met with its commander, Major General Uzal Ent, and three representatives of the Manhattan Project, Lieutenant Colonel John Lansdale Jr., Captain William S. Parsons, and Norman F. Ramsey Jr., who briefed him on the project. Tibbets passed away on November 1, 2007. [3] During that time, Tibbets took private flying lessons at Miami's Opa-locka Airport with Rusty Heard, who later became a captain at Eastern Airlines. On this date Colonel Tibbets flew a B-29 type aircraft in a daring daylight strike against the city of Hiroshima on the main island of Honshu, Japan, from a base in the Marianas Islands carrying for the first time a type of bomb totally new to modern warfare. However, he attended for only a year and a half as he changed his mind about wanting to become a doctor. Why did Lucy and desi get divorced? Nov. 1, 2007, 8:12 AM PDT / Source: The Associated Press. C. E. Centerworked for theUnion Carbide & Carbon Corporation. Following his cremation, his ashes were scattered over the English Channel. As such, he was responsible for America's strategic nuclear forces. The Life Summary of Paul. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV will retire on Dec. 1, after not being allowed to pin on his second star and receiving a letter of admonishment, an Air Force spokeswoman said in response to a. [5] In February 2014, he became Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations at the United States Strategic Command, at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, where he was responsible for the nuclear mission of the nation's ballistic missile submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers. When he was five years old, his family moved to Davenport, Iowa and later to Des Moines. Sundlun lured Tibbets back to EJA that year. On August 31, 1966, he retired from the USAF. He then worked for the air taxi company Executive Jet Aviation. He served as a founding board member of the company and remained its president from April 21, 1976, till 1986. He retired from the U.S. Air Force on August 31, 1966. . Again, on October 9 that year, he led the first American raid in Europe, which had over 100 bombers. Lewis would fly the mission as Tibbets's co-pilot. [64], Tibbets then attended the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. His citation read: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Paul W. Tibbets IV, United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a B-2 Mission Commander, at or near Yugoslavia, on 8 April 1999. In February 1942, he became the commanding officer of the 340th Bombardment Squadron of the 97th Bombardment Group, which was equipped with the Boeing B-17. Bonsai worked at the 100-F Area at Hanford during the Manhattan Project. But then he thought back to a lesson he had learned during his time at medical school from his roommate who was a doctor. Gene Tibbets, son of Brig. Paul Tibbets wiki ionformation include family relationships: spouse or partner (wife or husband); siblings; childen/kids; parents life. He was also interviewed in the 1970s for the British documentary series The World at War. Meanwhile, he took training in private flying at the Opa-locka Airport in Miami. Hiroshima bomber pilot Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr remained unrepentant till his dying day 1 November 2007. Explore historical records and family tree profiles about Lucy Tibbets on MyHeritage, the world's family history network. Tibbets commenced terminal leave on 19 October 2018,[7][8][9] and he retired on 1 December 2018.[3]. He did not once apologise for the horrendous act of bombing the Japanese city of Hiroshima that shocked the world on 6 August 1945. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 92 years old group. He is best known as the pilot who flew the B-29 Superfortress known as the Enola Gay (named after his mother) when it dropped Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. L'histoire du colonel Paul Tibbets, le pilote qui a largu la bombe atomique sur Hiroshima. On September 1, 1944, Tibbets met with Lt. Col. John Lansdale, Captain William S. Parsons, and Norman F. Ramsey, who briefed him about the Manhattan Project. [14], In July 1942 the 97th became the first heavy bombardment group of the Eighth Air Force to be deployed to England, where it was based at RAF Polebrook. He was assigned to the 16th Observation Squadron following his graduation. Col. Paul W. Tibbets IV, the Air Force Inspection Agency commander, is the grandson of retired Brig. To supporters, Tibbets became known as a national hero who ended the war with Japan; to his detractors, he was a war criminal responsible for the deaths of many thousands of Japanese civilians. After Tibbets flew 43 combat missions, in January 1943, he was made the bomber operations assistant of Colonel Lauris Norstad and the assistant chief-of-staff of operations (A-3) of the Twelfth Air Force., In February 1943, he returned to the U.S. after his name was recommended following a request made by the chief of the United States Army Air Forces, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, to provide an experienced bombardment pilot who could help in developing the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber. Paul Tibbets's Timeline 1915 Feb 23rd Born in Quincy, Illinois. Children James Tibbets, Gene Tibbets, Paul III Tibbets Spouse Andrea Quattrehomme (m. 1956-2007), Lucy Wingate (m. 1938-1955) Books Return of the Enola Gay, The Tibbets story, Tibbets Story Mission Hiroshim Brig. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [8][76] He was survived by his French-born wife, Andrea,[77] and two sons from his first marriage, Paul III and Gene as well as his son, James, from his second marriage. Paul Tibbets with other members of the 509th. His primary and basic flight training was undertaken at Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas. See full bio Born: February 23, 1915 in Quincy, Illinois, USA Tibbets, who had accumulated more flying time on the B-29 than any other pilot in the Air Force, was selected to lead the 509th Composite Group, a fully self-contained organization of about 1,800 men that would be responsible for dropping the first atomic bomb on Japan. The atomic bomb, code-named "Little Boy", was dropped over Hiroshima at 08:15 local time. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 23 February. [5] They had two sons. There is no question Paul Tibbets was the most famous & most loved celebrity of all the time. Tibbets recalled that the city was covered with a tall mushroom cloud after the bomb was dropped. Furthermore, two representatives from Washington, D.C. were present on the island:[44] the deputy director of the Manhattan Project, Brigadier General Thomas Farrell, and Rear Admiral William R. Purnell of the Military Policy Committee. He then attended the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia in 2009, and the NATO Defense College in Rome in 2010. For his service in Operation Allied Force, Tibbets was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Lucy F Wingate 1907 Georgia Lucy F Wingate in 1910 United States Federal Census. He grew up in Montgomery, Alabama,[1] and was inspired to join the United States Air Force (USAF) not by his famous grandfather but by his father, Paul W. Tibbets III, a pharmacist and hospital administrator who served in the United States Army Reserve, retiring as a colonel. When the operation was still in its development stages, Armstrong and Colonel Roscoe C. Wilson were the leading candidates to command the group who was designated to drop the atomic bomb. You can scroll down for information about his Social media profiles. Updated January 04, 2023 10:44:57. He successfully dropped his bomb upon reaching the Target city, this single attack being the culmination of many months of tireless effort, training and organization unique in the Army Air Forces history, during which he constantly coped with new problems in precision bombing and engineering. Tibbets returned to Maxwell Air Force Base, where he attended the Air War College. He found that without defensive armament and armor plating, the aircraft was 7,000 pounds (3,200kg) lighter, and its performance was much improved. Just after 8.15am Japanese time, on August 6 1945, six miles above Hiroshima, a Boeing B29 bomber, the Enola Gay, commanded by Colonel Paul Tibbets, who has died aged 92, carried out the. Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the B-29 bomber Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died Thursday at his home in Columbus, Ohio after suffering a number of health problems. Paul Tibbets was the pilot of B-29 bomber "Enola Gay" which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. [30], Working with the Boeing plant in Wichita, Kansas, Tibbets test-flew the B-29 and soon accumulated more flight time in it than any other pilot. Courtesy of the Joseph Papalia Collection. Norstad backed down, and the mission was successfully flown at 20,000 feet (6,100m). Jones Construction Company. Paul Tibbets was born on February 23, 1915 in Quincy, Illinois, USA as Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. [51][54], At 02:45 the next dayin accordance with the terms of Operations Order No. Lucy Frances Wingate . [2], From October 2007 to August 2009, Tibbets was stationed at NATO headquarters in Brussels. I don't care whether you are dropping atom bombs, or 100-pound bombs, or shooting a rifle. Blake Stilwell. At 08:15 local time, they dropped the atomic bomb, code-named Little Boy, over Hiroshima. Brigadier General Paul Tibbets IV in 2017, United States College of Naval Command and Staff, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon, "Face of Defense: Grandson Carries on Grandfather's Service", "Col. Paul Tibbets IV qualifies on B-52, continuing family's Air Force legacy", "Grandson of Enola Gay Pilot Takes Command of B-2 Bomb Wing", "Air Force general to retire after probe finds misconduct", "One-star general and Enola Gay pilot's grandson forced to retire after misconduct claims", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_W._Tibbets_IV&oldid=1135442470, College of Naval Command and Staff alumni, Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal, Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Military personnel from Montgomery, Alabama, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 18:16. 1943 Flew Major General Mark W. Clark from Polebook to Gibraltar. [12], In February 1942, Tibbets reported for duty with the 29th Bombardment Group as its engineering officer. [3], Tibbets was denied promotion to major general, following an investigation into allegations of his misconduct during his command of the 509th Bomb Wing that included making inappropriate comments regarding women, failure to report suicide attempts under his watch, and inappropriate use of a military vehicle. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Tibbets protested that flak would be most effective at that altitude. . He, however, dropped out from the university after 1.5 years, to become a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps. He then got enlisted in the United States Army.. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. (23 February 1915 1 November 2007) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. In 1927, when he was 12 years old, he flew in a plane piloted by barnstormer Doug Davis, dropping candy bars with tiny parachutes to the crowd of people attending the races at the Hialeah Park Race Track. Tibbets enlisted in the United States Army in 1937 and qualified as a pilot in 1938. President Harry S. Truman invited him to visit the White House. Later, in 1999, the 509th Composite Group received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award., Following the war, Tibbets served as a technical advisor in the 1946 Operation Crossroads nuclear weapon tests held at Bikini Atoll. with Robert Taylor starring as Tibbets and Eleanor Parker as his first wife, Lucy. [65] He subsequently served as B-47 project officer at Boeing in Wichita from July 1950 until February 1952. After flying 43 combat missions, he became the assistant for bomber operations on the staff of the Twelfth Air Force. , money, salary, income, and assets. Ent gave Tibbets a choice of three possible bases: Great Bend Army Airfield, Kansas; Mountain Home Army Airfield, Idaho; or Wendover Army Air Field, Utah. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. (23 February 1915 1 November 2007) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He was transferred to the 3rd Bombardment Groups 9th Bombardment Squadron at Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia, in June 1941. During that time, Tibbets took private flying lessons at Miamis Opa-locka Airport with Rusty Heard, who later became a captain at Eastern Airlines. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He spent 22 months there on this posting, which ended in June 1966. The story of Colonel Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay, the bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. In the 1950s, he was involved in the development of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet and also held the command of the 308th Bombardment Wing and the 6th Air Division. He served as a military attach in India for a couple of years. Paul Tibbets was born on February 23, 1915 in Quincy, Illinois, USA. When Paul Tibbets died in January 2007, he had been retired from the Air Force since 1966. [73] On 5 June 2015, he assumed command of the 509th Bomb Wing. With his large number of social media fans, he often posts many personal photos and videos to interact with his huge fan base on social media platforms. He died on November 1, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio, USA. [56] He became a celebrity, with pictures and interviews of his wife and children in the major American newspapers. When challenged by Norstad, Tibbets said he would lead the mission himself at 6,000 feet if Norstad would fly as his co-pilot. He is remembered for flying the first aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb, the 'B-29 Superfortress' known as "Enola Gay." [24] "By reputation", historian Stephen Ambrose wrote, Tibbets was "the best flier in the Army Air Force. But instead of being interred at home or at Arlington National . When Major General Carl Spaatz, the commander of the Eighth Air Force, was directed to choose two of his best pilots for a covert mission, he selected Tibbets and Major Wayne Connors. I sleep clearly every night. The couple divorced in 1955. [81], Barry Nelson played Tibbets in the film The Beginning or the End (1947). The two married on May 4, 1956, and had a son named James. [1], After graduation, Tibbets was assigned to the 16th Observation Squadron, which was based at Lawson Field, Georgia, with a flight supporting the Infantry School at nearby Fort Benning. Tibbets died in his Columbus, Ohio, home on November 1, 2007, at the age of 92. You have got to leave the moral issue out of it. Wikipedia: Paul Tibbets; Find A Grave: Memorial . The following year, he was formally inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.. Also find out how he got rich at the age of 92. During 19401941, he worked as the personal pilot of Brigadier General George S. Patton, Jr. We will update Paul Tibbets's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. In 1927, when he was 12 years old, he flew in a plane piloted by barnstormer Doug Davis, dropping candy bars with tiny parachutes to the crowd of people attending the races at the Hialeah Park Race Track. But my one driving interest was to do the best job I could so that we could end the killing as quickly as possible. Tibbets returned to the United States in February 1943 to help with the development of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. has a net worth of $5.00 million (Estimated) which he earned from his occupation as United States Air Force pilot. In July 1942, the 97th became the first heavy bombardment group to be deployed as part of the Eighth Air Force, and Tibbets became deputy group commander. It was piloted by Doug Davis and dropped candy bars to the crowd that attended the Hialeah Park Race Track races. [49][50], On 5 August 1945, Tibbets formally named his B-29 Enola Gay after his mother. In June 1955, he graduated from the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, and then served at the Allied Air Forces in the Central Europe Headquarters at Fontainebleau, France, as the director of war plans. His family returned to Alton, Illinois, in the late 1920s. [13] When the head of the directorate, Brigadier General Thomas S. Power, was posted to London as air attach, he was replaced by Brigadier General Carl Brandt. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., the pilot in command of the "Enola Gay" when it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, Aug. 6, 1945. [15] It had been hastily assembled to meet demands for an early deployment, and arrived without any training in the basics of high altitude daylight bombing. He had named the aircraft after his mother. Paul Tibbets: Hey, you've got to correct that. [45], The ground support echelon of the 509th Composite Group received movement orders and moved by rail on 26 April 1945, to its port of embarkation at Seattle, Washington. Employing the new Joint Direct Attack Munition, Captain Tibbets successfully targeted 16 separate impact points and destroyed critical military production facilities including the Smederevo Petroleum Product Storage near Belgrade, a radio relay facility, and an arms production plant in Kragujevac. Famously known by the Family name Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr., was a great United States Air Force pilot. January 1968 (78) Orlando, Orange County, Florida, United States. Spouse and Children. His gaze, even with the heavied lids of age, is intense. [13] and was promoted to brigadier general in 1959. Skip to comments. I was told that it wasn't because of who I was, but because it was the best fit."[2]. They were the parents of at least 6 . You can find out how much net worth Paul has this year and how he spent his expenses. Colonel (later General) Paul Tibbets was the pilot of the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. You said 89. The Army Air Forces received the B-29-45-MO with the serial number 44-86292 on May 18 and the 509th assigned it to crew B-9 commanded by Capt. In order to disguise all the civilian engineers on base who were working on the Manhattan Project, Tibbets was forced to lie to his wife; he told her that the engineers were "sanitary workers". [59][77] In 1989, he published his memoir Flight of the Enola Gay which chronicles his life to that date. Later, he commanded the Proof Test Division at the Eglin Air Force Base in Valparaiso, Florida. After the war, he participated in the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapon tests at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946, and was involved in the development of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet in the early 1950s. Brig. Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr. (February 23, 1915 - November 1, 2007) was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force, best known for being the pilot of the Enola Gay, the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in the history of warfare. Lucy F Wingate was born circa 1907, at birth place, . 1942 Aug 17th Flew the lead bomber for the first American daylight heavy bomber mission over occupied France. "Hiroshima; Enola Gay's Crew Recalls The Flight Into a New Era", Paul Tibbets interviewed in 1982 by Ann Blythe, Paul Tibbet interviewed by Kermit Weeks at Weeks Air Museum, Florida, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Tibbets&oldid=1136780636, People associated with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, United States Army Air Forces bomber pilots of World War II, Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States), Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 February 2023, at 02:47. [4], Tibbets received a Master of Science degree in Human Factors Engineering from the University of Idaho in 2000, and was a non-resident student at the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in 2001. The two quietly married in a Roman Catholic seminary in Holy Trinity, Alabama, on 19 June 1938 even though Tibbets was a Protestant. 35, Tibbets, with Robert A. Lewis as his co-pilot, flew the bomber from the North Field and reached Hiroshima after 6 hours. [71], After his retirement from the Air Force, Tibbets worked for Executive Jet Aviation (EJA), an air taxi company based in Columbus, Ohio, and now called NetJets. Gene Tibbets, son of Brigadier General Paul Tibbets, in an exclusive interview with WSFA 12 News. The 509th was the home of the Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He felt that allowing married men in the group to bring their families would improve morale, although it put a strain on his own marriage. He was the Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations in the Global Operations Directorate of the United States Strategic Command, where he was responsible for the nuclear mission of the nation's ballistic missile submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers. An interview I did many years ago with Paul Tibbets, at my Weeks Air Museum in Miami, Florida. Some accounts say he attended Central Elementary School, others Silver Bluff. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. Net Worth & Basic source of earning was being a successful American United States Air Force pilot. Tibbets developed an interest in flying in his childhood. During his career he participated in Operation Allied Force in the Balkans and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and is one of the few pilots qualified to fly all three of the USAF's strategic bombers: the Rockwell B-1 Lancer, Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit and the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. [82] Above and Beyond (1952) depicted the World War II events that involved Tibbets; Robert Taylor starred as Tibbets and Eleanor Parker played the role of his first wife Lucy. He is from USA. [19] On 9 October 1942, Tibbets led the first American raid of more than 100 bombers in Europe, attacking industrial targets in the French city of Lille. Tibbets married his wife, Andrea, in about 1953 or 1954. Paul Warfield Tibbets III was born November 19, 1940 in Columbus, Georgia and he passed away peacefully at the Stoneybrook Memory Care Home in West Monroe, Louisiana, on October 20, 2016 following a courageous battle with Alzheimer's. Wilson was the Army Air Force project officer who provided liaison support to the Manhattan Project. Paul Warfield Tibbets IV is the grandson of Paul W. Tibbets Jr., the pilot of the aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945.