Charles Sweeney

Charles Sweeney. A career officer in the United States Army Air Forces and later the United States Air Force, he is best known as the pilot who commanded the aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki during World War II. His military service spanned over three decades, during which he became a vocal advocate for the necessity of the bombings. Sweeney's role in the final stages of the Pacific War cemented his place in 20th-century military history.

Early life and education

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, he was the son of a local dentist. He attended public schools in North Quincy before enrolling at Boston University to study accounting. His education was interrupted when he left university to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps in 1941, following the Attack on Pearl Harbor. He received his primary flight training at various bases, including Randolph Field in Texas, earning his pilot's wings and a commission as a Second Lieutenant.

Military career

After completing flight training, he was assigned to the 393rd Bombardment Squadron, part of the 509th Composite Group, a highly secretive unit formed specifically to deliver atomic weapons. The group trained extensively at Wendover Air Force Base in Utah and later deployed to North Field on Tinian in the Mariana Islands. Under the command of Colonel Paul Tibbets, the 509th Composite Group operated modified B-29 Superfortress aircraft. Prior to the atomic missions, he flew several practice and reconnaissance sorties over Japan, including the Pumpkin bomb raids which tested bombing procedures with conventional high-explosive weapons.

Role in the atomic bombings

He piloted the instrument plane, *The Great Artiste*, during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, which was led by Tibbets aboard the Enola Gay. Three days later, on August 9, he was assigned as aircraft commander for the primary mission to bomb the primary target of Kokura. Flying the B-29 *Bockscar*, the mission was plagued by poor weather and strict orders for visual bombing. After three unsuccessful passes over Kokura, the plane diverted to the secondary target, the city of Nagasaki. Through a break in the clouds, the bombardier, Captain Kermit Beahan, released the Fat Man plutonium bomb, which detonated over the Urakami Valley. The mission faced severe fuel shortages on the return flight, forcing an emergency landing at Okinawa before returning to Tinian.

Later life and legacy

After the war, he remained in the military, which was reorganized as the United States Air Force in 1947. He held various command and staff positions, including roles in the Strategic Air Command and as commander of the 102nd Tactical Fighter Wing based at Otis Air National Guard Base. He retired in 1976 with the rank of major general. In his later years, he was a prominent public figure, authoring the book *War's End* and frequently lecturing and debating on the atomic bombings, defending the decision as having saved lives by ending the war swiftly. He received several honors, including the Silver Star for his role in the Nagasaki mission.

Personal life

He married twice, first to Jean "Jerry" M. Sweeney and later, after her death, to Joan "Ginger" Sweeney. He had nine children. An avid golfer, he was a longtime member of the Hyannisport Club on Cape Cod. In his retirement, he lived in Milton, Massachusetts, and remained active in veterans' affairs and historical discussions until his death from a stroke at a hospital in Boston. He was buried with full military honors at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts.

Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:United States Air Force generals Category:Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki