"Pilot Who Dropped A-Bomb on Nagasaki Dies"

[GreenPartyVoter]

MILTON, Mass. (AP) - Charles W. Sweeney, a retired Air Force general who piloted the plane that dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki in the final days of World War II, has died at age 84.

Sweeney died Thursday at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, hospital spokeswoman Christine Johanson said. She did not disclose the cause of death. The Associated Press left messages Saturday at phone numbers listed to the Sweeney family in the Boston suburb of Milton.

Sweeney was 25 when he piloted the B-29 bomber that attacked Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, three days after the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and six days before Japan surrendered.

About 70,000 people were killed in the explosion of the bomb, dubbed "Fat Man." It was the first bomb Sweeney ever dropped on an enemy target.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040718/D83T4V5O0.html

[gristy]

1. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=692860

[onehandle]

2. He didn't drop it. The Bombardier did.

Unless they ran a dropline to the cockpit for some reason.

[onehandle]

3. As was pointed out in the dupe thread. Never mind. nt

[gristy]

4. Thanks for the links in your sig line

Finally I have ordered bumper stickers (20) and buttons (10). Shall give them out to friends and co-workers who promise to display them. If/when I run out I'll order more!