Atomic Exploration on Tinian (WWII Atomic Bomb Pits!!!) | History Traveler Episode 243

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out. Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com. Thanks!!!

[@Cabreratonn]

You just gained a new sub 🤙🏽

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

@@Cabreratonn - I appreciate that!

[@Von7]

My father was on Tinian from mid 1944 to the end of the war. He said that the Enola Gay was sequestered at the far end and completely isolated from the rest of the aircraft. He said he knew something was up, but didn't know what. They weren't told anything until the Enola Gay was on its way back to Tinian after dropping the bomb. As you can guess, my father was on B-29's. During one of their missions, his best friend (Von Plevan) was killed by a Japanese Zero. No one else on the plane (Ole Bitchuary Bess) got a scratch. Because Von was my dad's best friend, dad took it upon himself to write Vons' parents and told them about the mission, how Von was killed and what a great friend he was. Because my dad did this, Vons' parents . They more or less adopted my dad as their own. They became Grandma and Grandpa to me . I was named after Von and honored to carry his name. Thank you so much for this video. Von Golden

[@barbaralarson1897]

My Dad was there as well;Pat Larson. don’t know the name of the plane he was assigned to. He was a gunner.

[@woodspirit98]

My dad was there also. He was attached to the 18th.his two main jobs were operating searchlights to bring our planes in at night and also look for enemy planes and manning the anti aircraft artillery to shoot down enemy aircraft. It took about eight men to shoot those weapons. They were big and dug into a pit about six feet deep. When I learned about those I was impressed. One person had to just do the calculations of speed of the aircraft, height and trajectory of gun. I've got all his photographs from Tinian and Saipan. All on disc now to preserve them. Each photo shows many of his friends as well as other Marines and their names on the back of the photos. I'm almost seventy now but I always hoped I could find some of those guys or their families so they could have pictures of their fathers or grandfather's from the war. I'll never ever give the to the USMC. Theyll just stuff them in boxes, put on a shelf somewhere and nobody will ever see them again. At the official USMC museum they are extremely woke now and only show pictures of women in the corps or minorities. They're trying to erase the real history of WWII and other wars to make the corps and public only see diversity equity crap. It's disgusting. I just hope all these pictures I have don't disappear after I'm gone. My dad's nickname was bulldog Davis and his arm patch was the 18th. When I was in the military in the seventies, I was in the 18th TRS and everyone called me mad dog Davis. I always wondered about the coincidence. I grew just down the road from the Kodak Hawkeye plant that processed the original zapruder film of JFK's assassination which doesn't exist anymore. It was picked up by two unknown men. I served in the unit that discovered the missiles on Cuba that almost caused a nuclear war involving Kennedy. Life is strange.

[@GlasgowCeltic88]

From the Atomic Heritage website: "On August 5, 1945, a B-29 was maneuvered over a bomb loading pit and then taxied to Runway Able at North Field. At 2:45am on August 6, the B-29 - piloted by Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets of the 509th Composite Group, who had named the plane after his mother, Enola Gay - took off." "On August 9, 1945, Bockscar was piloted by another crew, C-15, led by aircraft commander Charles W. Sweeney. Takeoff from Tinian's North Field Runway Able was at 3:45 a.m." Once again, Sir, you have produced a History Traveller episode of stunning quality and amazing detail. If ever you find yourself in England I'd be honoured to buy you a pint or 3.

[@danielhillier7417]

You the same Glasgow celtic from Westies channel

[@GlasgowCeltic88]

@@danielhillier7417 his Mod? I am indeed.

[@danielhillier7417]

@@GlasgowCeltic88 Assumed it was you. A History fan too. This Channel is great.

[@GlasgowCeltic88]

@@danielhillier7417 I'm a self-confessed history nerd... period. Mainly focusing on Irish political and ecological history. But also heavily a WWI/WWII History nerd too. Channels, like this, let me see a "real" view of battlegrounds I'd, probably, never get to. JR is a LEGEND!

[@danielhillier7417]

@@GlasgowCeltic88 I agree. I'll never see these places. JR does a great job at being both informative and entertaining.

[@thunderlipsbrother1411]

As a Chamorro myself, Thank you for adding in a bit of the indigenous history about the sacred 'House Of Taga' . GREAT VIDEO SIR..

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@perryj8850]

As a military aviation junkie, I found this just phenomenal. Thanks for taking us along!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@littlebitseaton2925]

JR you have done a superb job here as usual. I only hope younger people appreciate the significance of our history

[@nicklrrueckert]

im 23 and watch every morning he uploads, it is greatly appreciated.

[@andreguillette6293]

Our youth are not being taught like they should in the subject of history even more so in American History , as much as JD does here and as much i wish his videos were being shown in schools, It is up to us... the Parents, Grandparents, the Elderly and the neighbors to take some time out of our busy lives and pass the knowledge ( like JD's Videos ) and story's of our past Victories and failures , past lessons taught and learned. How we became the greatest country in the world in every way. Without us passing this info along to our youth it will fade away into the past to be forever forgotten. We can stop that from happening but it will take all of us to do it. Let's save the FUTURE by teaching in the PRESENT so we don't repeat the PAST.

[@DJ-on3gc]

27 here and haven’t missed a video

[@soldiers4life012]

I’m 26 with a 7 month baby and I love watching the videos that he uploads ❤

[@JoseyWales156]

Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to visit a place that my Grandfather with the 2nd Marine Dibision (D/2/18) liberated and that he may have had a hand in building (the airfield).

[@TheRagratus]

I had a Geometry teacher in HS that was a WWII vet. He used to use the old WWII phonetic pronunciations during classes. A-Able, B-Baker, C-Charlie, D-Dog, NOT Delta. Delta was adopted in 1947 and in what is called the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Alphabet, Able was also changed to Alfa (not Alpha as it is International and some languages would stumble over the "ph"). Baker got changed to Bravo. Others were changed too, G- George was changed to Golf, K was King now known as Kilo. N- Nan to November. P- Peter to Papa, S- Sugar to Sierra, T-Tare to Tango, U- Uncle to Uniform, W-William to Whisky, Y-Yoke to Yankee, and finally Z- Zebra to Zulu.

[@michaeldouglas1243]

I'm 46 and juat retired from 20 years state service in Maryland division of corrections and when I was a rookie officer all the old heads were ex military and did the same thing and to this day I still do it. Something that just stuck.

[@michaeldouglas1243]

And your right. It is dog not delta

[@bradchrisope399]

Lllp)

[@comm2531]

Preaching to the choir. I was a radio operator in the service.

[@greendragon4058]

When I was in school and Camp Lejeune we had a gunny that used the same phonetic alphabet and for some reason I still use that I don't know why

[@markarren7480]

During this whole Pacific series I keep being more and more amazed whenever you mention the indigenous peoples of these islands. It is mind boggling to me when I look at a world map and see the vast oceans around these tiny specks of land and think about how these peoples got to these places... Just, how?? I have so much respect for their ancestors for making the trip hundreds of years ago with what is by our standards "primitive" equipment. Even the Vikings rarely left the coastlines on their explorations and these peoples just went across the oceans in their boats. Simply amazing.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

When you start diving into the history of the Polynesian people, it really is amazing to see what they accomplished. They were doing more with less before the Europeans even dipped their toes in the water.

[@98gsoup]

Learned more of what dad went through from you than from him. RIP dad. My hero.

[@jimwiskus8862]

My grandfather worked at the Martin Bomber Plant in Omaha. He was a foreman where the Enola Gay was built. Such a small world at times.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@timothyogden9761]

I have seen much of the footage leading up to takeoff of Enole Gay and Boxcar. But, JD, your video hammered home the significants of this place powerfully. Thank you for being on the ground and walking us through. Also, I believe it's the first time I've seen the bomb pits after they were preserved. Way Cool!

[@deanpetersen3901]

I like the way you flew your drown down the runway, then gained altitude to give a real sense of a pilot's view. Well done.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@markallan1382]

Thank you for sharing this episode! My uncle was a B29 mechanic at Tinian. To see places he worked was awesome!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@terryadams1951]

JD, you absolutely put us right there with you. I could feel the incredible tension in the air as those men were handling those bombs. I wonder if anyone, including the pilots, were told what to expect after the explosions!

[@PowerfulTruth]

Back in 2018 I was able to visit Tinian and these sites with the Pacific Battlefields Tour from Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours. It was a phenomenal experience to walk these historic sites. JR has captured the experience perfectly. He does such a great job of taking us to all of these sites, and backfilling the history with great stories, video and music. I am going back to Tinian, Saipan, Guam and Iwo Jima again next year with the Ambrose Tours. It is the experience of a lifetime to visit these hallowed sites of WWII History with Battlefield Historians and fellow History Buffs. Nothing like it.

[@woodrowpreacely7521]

Yeah swear to God I got to go on one of those European and Pacific tours b4 WWIII kills us all! But know Pacific tour got to be so much more expensive than in Europe. And with Europe can see WWI places too!?

[@paulstan9828]

What an amazing opportunity you have to visit all these pacific historic places. I’m jealous.

[@waynefallin5966]

Thank you for this series on the often overlooked battle for The Marianas. One of the first books I read about WWII was To The Marianas by Edwin P. Hoyt. It has been in my library now for 42 years.

[@cyndiebill6631]

I loved the the island history before it was invaded. The Island native culture is so important. Glad you showed it. These people need to have their story told just as much as the soldiers who fought to help them persevere it. Great video and thank for sharing it. 👍🙂

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Agreed. Thanks!

[@thunderlipsbrother1411]

As a Chamorro myself, I respect you for saying that❤

[@tedpilchak7096]

This is as close as I am going to get to going there, thank you on behalf of all of us!!!

[@phyllishershkowitz3806]

JD once again you have brought history to life. This part of WW2 and the use of the BOMB has so affected our lives, even today. Your video editing is impressive, love the changes from now to then images, and the drone shots are spot on! Thank you.

[@thebattlefieldhistorian8990]

Excellent video, as always. I visited Tinian with my family in 2010 and, like you, was shocked at how desolate the northern airfield was. I wish I could have spent a couple of days touring the island, but my kids were toddlers at the time and that somewhat limited my exploring options. But I will never forget the glass enclosure over the bomb pits. Such a monumental historic site, yet so remote.

[@frankboyd7993]

Such a shame some knucklehead smashed holes in the protective glass

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yeah, I could have done 2 full days there.

[@davidwillis4839]

Your coverage continues to remind me of the amazing accomplishments of our forefathers.

[@warbirdwf]

I only hope a surviving service member that was there back in 1945 has watched this video. Clearly the veteran would be 95 plus years young. How nostalgic for them to see what this island looks like almost 80 years later. Thanks for this excellent video.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

That would be something else.

[@davidsawmandave8731]

The last enola gay member died on 2014

[@noel-ann]

I watched your entire playlist and I absolutely appreciate the time, energy and knowledge you shared on here. The way you pieced your videos together, the way you tell the stories and ventured into the jungles, had me going through all types of emotions. I felt the adventure, the anticipation to learn more from what you've learned and I've also laughed at your likeable humor. Thank you thank you thank you! I am from the island of Saipan. My great grandparents originated from the island of Guam. My great grandfather and his son died during the war on Saipan. Si Yu'us Ma'ase for capturing our history and making it accessible for the rest of the world to remember and to learn about. I wish you had visited the island of Rota and the Northern Islands, I know Rota has a lot of Japanese caves and other WW II Relics to look at. lol Perhaps on your next visit. PS. I am definitely subscribing to learn more of our history with you. see you on your other videos. :D

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks! I really appreciate that. Looking forward to getting back to the Pacific at some point.

[@TI4438]

Great video as usual. It amazes me that somebody took the time and effort to get to such a remote location only to vandalize a part of it!

[@cdd4248]

I was sick seeing that - I guess it is true, never underestimate 'stupid & mean'.

[@dave3156]

What a superb series you put together with the visit to the Pacific battlefields. Excellent work JD. Thanks for taking us along!!

[@psychmike1717]

Another great record JD. I'll never get to make that fascinating journey, so thanks for showing us. Happy travels.

[@billyjoe6933]

So glad I got to see these historical places thank you.

[@heyvideog]

This one deserves more than just a thumbs up.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@Shawnroberts1980]

This was the one I was waiting to see when I knew you were on Tinian. "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds" R. Oppenheimer, 1945. Very humbling. Glad you made it off the island safe JD. Keep up the great work!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@stevencox9452]

Don't fail to look at the airfield where Tibbits and his crews trained for this historic flight. Please look into the Windover Airfield in Nevada. See the bomb pit they trained on, the hangers they stored the planes in, and even the space that Tibbets had his office in. There is still a lot of the old infrastructure there and some of the original runways still support commercial flights. The hangers are being restored. Thanks for all your work on such a great series, much enjoyed!

[@jeffe9842]

JD, I had chills several times throughout this video seeing the island and bomb pits from which the atomic bombs were loaded and launched. As usual, an excellent video.

[@furmanmackey5479]

One of my High School AFJROTC instructors was scheduled to fly, as the navigator, on the third and fifth atomic bomb flights had they been required/ordered. Your video dove tailed perfectly into things he told us about his time with the squadron and his time on the island right down to the locations and design of facilities built for the storage and loading of the two A-bombs that were dropped along with what would have been follow up devices that were shipped back to the U.S. after the end of WWII.

[@montecar87]

1976 our platoon was sent to Tinian to look for WW2 explosives etc. We stayed at a partially destroyed Japanese bunker. You could stand in the hole where the building was hit, extend your arms out and not touch the sides, reach up and not touch the top of the hole... it was a big hole. The runways were still intact, we actually would drive the runways at night, and they would be covered by huge frogs. The bomb pits weren't covered at this time. From the north end of the island, you could see Saipan. We were there during Typhoon Pamela and the villagers that stayed behind stayed with us. We flew by CH53 to Guam, 122 miles over ocean. The typhoon leveled Guam.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@jchoward6451]

And I arrived on Guam in July of 1976, reporting to the Naval Communications Area Master Station. That was just a couple months (or so) after Pamela did her worst to the island. Damage was still in evidence everywhere. Guess I should have taken a trip over to Tinian while I was there, at least I'd have that connection.

[@BarryL2697]

Surveyed Unai Chulu (White Beach II) 10Nov1971 with then U.S. Marine Col. Vicente T. "Ben" BLAZ while we were TAD from 3rd MAR Div. Okinawa via U.S. Navy LST 1185, USS Schenectady. Celebrated the Corps' 196th Birthday at Fleming Restaurant.

[@Sshooter444]

If you are ever in Wendover, NV off I-80, they have a nice museum and you can see where they trained for the atomic bomb missions.

[@timf2279]

You are correct. I have been there as well. Great place on the way to SLC.

[@kennaannek]

Ok but that drone shot taking off from the runway like a plan, soooo good!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@Wreckdiver59]

Awesome wrap up JD 👍 My father-in-law was on leave after returning from the ETO when the Japanese surrendered. He was scheduled to report to Camp Cooke, California for amphibious training before heading to the PTO as part of Operation Coronet which itself was a part of Operation Downfall, the invasion of the Japanese home islands. The loss of American life was estimated to be around one million. Those bombs saved a lot of individual lives, on both sides.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Insane to think about what that would have looked like.

[@cdd4248]

Excellent Point.

[@Chiller01]

Ok the drone going down the runway was very effective. Nice episode.

[@tdhawk7284]

Thank you. I’ll obviously never get to Tinian, so your vid allows me to be a history traveler from my couch.

[@Patriot-American]

I'm glad you got your wish and made it to this location and thanks for taking us along with you. So much history in the past videos you have been putting out. You can't witness this footage and not get chills as the significance really hits home when you see the footage of the detonation. My Uncle flew over Hiroshima right after the Japanese surrender. I've got an old black and white photo he took of Hiroshima when flying over. Really sobering to look at it. Really do appreciate this YT Channel ...

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@robertmoore2049]

Thank you JD. Thank you for telling us about the House of Taga on your way to the airfields. If only that island can talk what tales it would tell! So much history. Those who went in those canoes sound like Navy SEAL material to me! You can be where many can only read in books. Thank you for making history come alive in your videos, JD. To be here and other world changing events in world history occurred, is such a privilege and I am sure with no doubt has had made a tremendous and significant forever impact on your life. Learning about history from your channel sure has made an tremendous impact on mine and many others as well…

[@richardkaiser3756]

JR, amazing footage! Great job! When I was there in Aug of 85 there were no coverings over the pits and you could climb down in them.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@brentdoolin4791]

When I was there in 1983 there was a message written on the pavement at the Atom Bomb Pits welcoming Pope John Paul II to the island. From what I am told the US Armed Forces still use the airfields for training. We built a rifle range and grenade ranges there.

[@Mitch-uu4fk]

Yep it’s still used for training my unit went there for joint training back in 2020 for an exercise with Australian and Japanese forces. It was surreal to be there.

[@1psychofan]

I have seen the Enola Gay, but never stood where you did! Wow! Solemn to think of it

[@danielsibley6322]

I know you hear this all the time, and I don't know how your able to go to all these places but I am sure glad you do but man! You really give people an incredible feel for the details and how these battles were fought. I hope you are able to do this for a long time to come. It's just insane what we get to see through your work and love of history. Also, never stop being a kid...even that gave us great perspective. I can even see a History channel possibility in your future.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you. That means a lot. There was a production company that was producing hey series for history channel that reached out to me about possibly hosting a show. In the end, I didn’t have quite what they were looking for. Which is fine. I like what I’m doing.

[@danielsibley6322]

It does not surprise me that they contacted you at all. If it did not work out this time, it will..as long as it's what you want. If so, don't let them change your style because it's what works and why they contacted you to begin with.

[@Jim-op3kg]

Wow! To see the bomb pits. The runway. And the old video of it all is just amazing! JD you just link that all up in one video that is amazing it makes it so real for me! Never, never ,never have I ever seen and told about this runway and bomb pits and where the bomb was assembled. I knew it had to be but never saw it. This is in the top 5 best video you ever put out!

[@kiwifruit27]

Exceptional series, a fitting tribute to those who served. Thanks

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@dawndickson2156]

Chilling. Excellent presentation young man. Thank you.

[@TheRagratus]

Here is an interesting Tibbets tidbit (yswidt? lol) Tibbets grandson flew B-2s in the Air Force, he later became Commander of the 393rd Bomb Squadron, his grandfather’s former unit. And In 2014, he became Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Strategic bombing is a family business evidently.

[@mark-ib7sz]

Just excellent !!! Thank you so much for your Pacific series.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

It’s been fun. Hope that people have got something from it.

[@jeffreyhoopes1312]

JD, You do wonderful stuff and I for one, really appreciate your work. Eric's work too for that matter. The minute I see a new post from you, I jump right at it! I'm a Pennsylvania boy by birth,and grew up in all the revolutionary War history surrounding our small town. I visited Gettysburg as a young teenager in the 1960s just literally stunned me. I remember thinking that there was a raging war going on there, just short of a hundred years prior. It was in summer and I even remembered the sweet smells of grasses,trees, creosote from the logs. It was magical and eerie all at once. I thought if but about 98 yrs, I could have been a Yankee soldier at that age. The whole Gettysburg experience that day, has stayed with me my entire life right up to today. I just turned 73 yrs old a few weeks ago. Couple yrs later, I joined the Marines in 1968 and entered service in downtown Philadelphia just like legions of Pennsylvanians did so many yrs before me for all of our wars in history. I will always have a warm spot in my heart for Pennsylvania. Keep up your great work for us all. Jeff

[@71jolanc]

Never knew all of these landmarks existed. Thanks much!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@pamelasimmers4957]

I would first like to thank you for this series in the Pacific. It doesn't always get the attention the European theater does. Also, thank you for showing the airfields. My Great Uncle was a flight engineer on a B-29 during the war. Second, I was privileged to meet Col Tibbets at an air show on 7/4/04 in Muskegon MI. There was also one of the very rare B-29s still flying. Seeing and hearing one pass over was definitely a thrill. I thought you may appreciate reading something from Return Of The Enola Gay written by Col. Tibbets as you stood on runway Able. From page 216 an exchange between him and the tower.... "Dimples Eight Two to North Tinian Tower. Ready for takeoff on runway Able." Reply from tower "Dimples Eight Two. Dimes Eight Two. Cleared for takeoff."

[@AcidRetroArtiboe]

I visited Tinian in 1999. At the time the Pits were open and only had simple signs in English and Japanese to identify them. I guessed enough Japanese tourists visited to need a Japanese language sign. It’s at the end of the earth(Hawaii to Guam to Saipan to Tinian), but a memorable visit for the reasons you have stated.

[@bradjtrains]

I was waiting for you to use your drone on the runways. Its awesome you bring it on your travels and you get some great shots!

[@skimmer8774]

I can just imagine those airfields full of P 51 P 38 and B 29. And lucky lucky you got to be there. Wow.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Pretty cool experience.

[@MrHiadus]

I was there in 2015 and its a surreal experience and seeing those glass displays really brought it home

[@keithspooner23]

Thanks for this documentary. My dad was in the 67th Sea Bees. He was a CM1 and also on mortar crew. He was a surveyor for the airfields and base.

[@katiemyers4174]

You may not know but seeing the car on the runway showed just how BIG this place is! Thanks for bringing us here!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yeah, pretty wild.

[@hdjoe88]

Had the privilege to meet both Paul Tibbets and Dutch Van Kirk separately when they gave talks at NAS Wildwood Museum (a great museum by the way). Neither one regretted what they did to end the war.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@ericnixon3616]

My hat is of to the SeaBee battalions that made this possible. Their feats of construction on Tinian were no less extraordinary.

[@knappingtankertanker969]

I had a shop teacher when I was in Jr high who told us he was one of the guards for those pits before the bombs were loaded onto the planes. He said they had no idea what they were guarding.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@lordstimpleton8896]

I recently had the pleasure of flying in a B-29 named "FIFI" ran by the CAF. It's no jet liner, but the takeoff is just as majestic as you think it is. It's an experience I will never forget. I can't even imagine what it was like to fly in that in a combat zone. To those who did, their souls are brave

[@KevinFryAdventures]

I rode on FIFI last week in the bombadiers seat. I took some pretty good video! What an experience.

[@joevignolor4u949]

@@KevinFryAdventures How much did they charge you for the ride?

[@MrTambopaxi]

I had the opportunity to work on Tinian in the summer of 1975, carrying out audits of the Bar K Ranch, a large cattle ranch (dairy and beef) then extant on the island. I visited both bomb pits and in those days, there were no glass covers; the small concrete pillars with the copper plaques were actually located down in the bomb pits themselves without any other indications as to their significance. In 1975, Quonset huts and other detritus of the American presence still abounded (B29 wheels, carts, etc). The Bar K Ranch was a client, and as part of the annual audits,we had to carry out round-ups of the beef cattle which were allowed to roam Tinian throughout the year, since the entire island comprised the ranch, with exception of the small village of San Jose at the north end of the island. Rounding up the cattle for dipping, tagging, and inventory was an adventure in itself (I loved it) since what we would consider to be normally docile cows turn into mean, aggressive animals when left to fend for themselves. Rounding these guys up was particularly problematic because a lot of them tended to hang out in the Quonset huts (essentially medium-sized caves) to stay out of the heat. Rousting the cattle out of the huts was dangerous because you had to dismount from your horse and go in after the cows which they definitely did not like; they’d charge In an instant and run your ass over, if they could. Fun times, for a city boy, like me…

[@joeritchie4554]

I love that drive down the runway. If I were there, I would have done the same thing. Great video!

[@anthonycalbillo9376]

So unique for you to have driven down the old runway.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

That was a wild experience.

[@rickyhenry4958]

As always, love the video, JD.

[@micoma49]

Trivia: 50 years ago those pits were not covered and had only the stone marker. Also visited Tinian the same way, a private plane from Guam, when off duty.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow!

[@micoma49]

@@TheHistoryUnderground Your tour of the islands, 50 years after I had been stationed on Guam with the U.S. Navy had a lot memories flowing again. I really should get my photo slides digitized. Great set of presentations.

[@BarryL2697]

52 yrs ago, (10Nov1971) Atomic Bomb Loading Pits #1 & #2 WERE filled in; I have the photo of me kneeling in front of the bronze plaque mounted on concrete block marker.

[@StringShredder05]

One of your best videos, it was outstanding.

[@janeadams9392]

AWESOME VIDEO. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE BOMB PITS BEFORE. HOPE TO SEE MORE.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@gregsayre4700]

I imagine you got goosebumps just being there

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

It was something else.

[@Jerry-fn5nx]

The bomb pits are way cool. Very eerie tho seeing the abandoned runways where those great planes took off

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

I know. Very odd.

[@frankmilavec3063]

An amazing video! My father was stationed there during the Korean war and flew B-29s. I just wish whoever is responsible for the runways and loading pits would take better care of them. Thank you for all the great videos!

[@JW-sy2yt]

Great video. Sad the displays have been vandalized but I guess that's the time we live in. I think the Enola Gay was part of a group of 7 B-29s that took off that early morning.Some carried monitoring instruments and others provided weather and radar information in case the main target had to be aborted or enemy planes were picked up.

[@XxBloggs]

Great video, beautifully artful and moving.

[@JackFlemingFan1]

Thanks for posting yet one more excellent video on Tinian and for keeping WW2 history alive for all generations to see and learn.

[@EgoFiveFiveSix]

History must never be forgotten.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

100%

[@RonWilson-c1n]

Thanks for the video. My uncle Clayton Pat Patisaul few off this island. He was there when the 2 atomic bombs left for Japan. His earlier plane was damaged over Japan, on a mine-dropping operation, and his crew bailed out over Iwo Jima.

[@TacticalQuack]

I love what your doing. You're bringing history to life. I love history.

[@ronmelbourne2017]

My Grandpa served here. Navy Sea Bees 110th battalion. Worked on building the runways also on Enewetok.

[@cbow8926]

Man, your vids are so freakishly good it isn't even funny. You tap into my absolute love of history every single time. Beaumont Hamel when you get back to Europe. It is a riveting story, yet tragic story out of WW1. Keep up the excellent work!

[@Senor0Droolcup]

This video is awesome thank you.

[@haroldwright4100]

@ History Underground JD, actually Boxscar was suppose to drop Fatman on their primary target (Kokura, Japan) but was socked in by weather which forced them to drop on their secondary target of Nagasaki!

[@jimmorrison-ye2yj]

I've liked all of your episodes, but I really appreciated this one!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@mdemartile]

My grandfather was an Army machinist/mechanic and was stationed on Tinian in 1944. He once mentioned that the enlisted men made their own wind powered washing machines.

[@lightingbolt8148]

Wow that is something else, but it’s kind of hard to imagine or picture such history took place, when it’s such a deserted area.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Pretty wild.

[@selinagibson7821]

This is my favorite channel! Your content is the best! Thank you!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow, thanks!

[@davidwarrick272]

One often overlooked fact about the August 9th mission is that Nagasaki was not the primary target. The primary was Kokura. I think it was weather, but possibly smoke that obscured Kokura and caused the shift to Nagasaki. Bocks Car also ran low on fuel and had a generally tougher time than Enola Gay did on its mission.

[@diannebass2744]

Excellent video of the significant historical events of this Airfield. I personally know the son of Earl Henry, the dentist, aboard the USS Indianapolis. He never knew his dad. This ship was in radio silence as it delivered uranium and other parts of Big Boy to the island. After the mission was completed, the USS Indianapolis was sunk by 2 Japanese torpedoes. The ship sunk within 12 minutes and most of the men went down with the ship. There were only 316 survived the shark infested sea. The USS Indianapolis was recently found.

[@SIGP229TPOC]

Nice touch with the drone take off.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@たろうやふおく]

I didn't know this detail of B-29 and atomic bomb till today and it's shocking to me. My gramma's family was (my grandparents didn't tell anything about her family) killed by atomic bomb and today I learned that it came from this exact place. My gramma married my grandad prior to that day and moved Gifu so she was ok (probably only her survived). She told this story to me only once in her life, I feel her pain now. Thank you JD for filming unknown story.

[@mikebohrer3881]

Incredible footage, another excellent video JD. Please keep them coming.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab]

Great video Sir. 10/10 Just one thing bothered me: It seemed someone had deliberately smashed the glass panes cover on bombpit no2? Do we know why?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you. I don't know of anything behind the vandalism other than that I found it equally distasteful.

[@M4M1S]

In 2018 we were hit by a category 5 Super Typhoon - Super Typhoon Yutu - and the island was completely destroyed from sustained winds of 180mph and gusts up to 230mph. I’m guessing the debris from all the trees was what shattered holes into pit #2

[@philipcollins5440]

Thanks 4 the history... Fantastic, fascinating.

[@garymckee448]

Thanks 👍 amazing how the runways are still recognizable after all of these years.

[@johnmilos5474]

excellent video as always a lot of people dont know the reason for those bomb pits was because the bombs were too big to load in the usual way they had to position the plane over the pit and hoist it into the plaane with a hydraulic lift similar to a car hoist at a garage.

[@marktryer315]

Nagasaki was the secondary because the primary city which I don't remember was clouded over and couldn't be viewed after the explosion went off to determine damage so they went to Nagasaki.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Kokura, which was also the back up for the Enola Gay.

[@JennaCee]

Not too many have traveled that path of history. Very nice!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks! Glad that I could share it.

[@1psychofan]

Wow! I am speechless