Col. Paul W. Tibbits, Enola Gay Hiroshima pilot - personalized autograph card.
This small card was autographed and dedicated to Bruce David Weiss by Colonel Paul W. Tibbits. He was the pilot of the B-29 Enola Gay which, on the 6 August 1945, completed its mission to drop the first atomic bomb on Japan and hasten the end of WWII. This mission made Tibbits an instant celebrity and his image and autograph became quite popular.

This popularity commenced immediately on 6 August 1945, when the Enola Gay touched down on the runway at Tinian Island, in the Marianas Islands. Tibbits and his crew were greeted by a debriefing ceremony wherein Col. Tibbits received the Distinguished Service Cross - the nation's second highest award for valor - while each crewman involved in the Hiroshima Mission was awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third highest award for valor. All were then feted by the top brass on Tinian.

Colonel Tibbits' autograph was in great demand for the rest of his life. In order to facilitate the numerous requests, and sometime shortly after the ceremonies on Tinian, a rubber stamp was created that read: "Pilot of the ENOLA GAY - Hiroshima, Japan 6 Aug. 1945." This was then used to imprint photographs and cards which Colonel Tibbits subsequently autographed.

Provenance:
• Col. Paul W. Tibbits to Mr. Bruce David Weiss.
• Mr. Bruce David Weiss.
• Rear Admiral William D. Parsons.
• Retained by Admiral Parsons until passing 1953.
• Log from Parsons' estate conveyed to USN Procurement officer, until 1991.
• Sold via Frank Cea's Barnstormer Auction, Roosevelt Airfield, Long Island, New York, to The War Museum of New York City, 1991.
• The War Museum of New York city, until 2013.
• Sold via Bonham's of New York City, NY to Zaricor Flag Collection, 2013.

Sources:


Paul Tibbits,

Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., Wikipedia, 9 April 2013, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Tibbets

Enola Gay, Wikipedia, 9 April 2013, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enola_Gay

Bonhams, Bonhams, World War II: The Pacific Theater, Auction 21082, Lot 177, 9 April 2013, from: http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21082/lot/177/

PAUL TIBBETS: Pilot For Atomic Bomb Flight: Autograph, eBay, 9 April 2013, from:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAUL-TIBBETS-Pilot-Atomic-Bomb-Flight-Autograph-/140890013946?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cdb300fa

… 'ENOLA GAY' CREW MEMBERS AUTOGRAPHS , Regency Superion Auctions, 9 April 2013, from: http://prestige.delcampe.net/page/main/action,catalog,catalog,1748,Regency-Superior-Auctions,Auction-93-Stamps-Collectibles-Public,category,226024,var,Militaria,language,E.html

Enola Gay Pilot Paul Tibbets (d.07) Auto Signed 3x5 Index Card C, Sports Memorabilia, 9 April 2013, from: http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/sports-products/enola-gay-pilot-paul-tibbets-d07-auto-signed-3x5-indexcardc.html?CAWELAID=1030615466&utm_source=RKG&ct=t(PPC)&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CNeqjLGZ-LYCFQYw4AodzSkA8Q

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
Bonhams


AWSP