Robert A. Lewis

Robert A. Lewis was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces who served as the co-pilot of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in World War II. His handwritten log and recorded reactions during the mission provide a significant firsthand account of the historic event. Following the war, he returned to civilian life, and his role remains a subject of historical study within the broader context of the Pacific War and the dawn of the nuclear age.

Early life and education

Robert A. Lewis was born in 1921 in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. He attended local schools before pursuing higher education, though specific details of his university studies are not widely documented in public records. Like many of his generation, his life was profoundly shaped by the outbreak of World War II, leading him to enlist in the United States Army Air Forces following the attack on Pearl Harbor. His training as a pilot and officer was conducted through the rigorous programs established by the Army Air Forces Training Command, preparing him for service in heavy bomber crews.

Military career

Lewis entered active service in 1942 and was trained to fly the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and later the advanced Boeing B-29 Superfortress. He was assigned to the elite 509th Composite Group, a special unit commanded by Colonel Paul Tibbets and based at North Field on Tinian in the Mariana Islands. The 509th Composite Group was specifically created to deliver atomic bombs, undergoing intensive and secret training missions. Lewis served as the assigned aircraft commander for the B-29 later named Enola Gay, though on the historic mission, Paul Tibbets took the role of pilot, with Lewis serving as co-pilot.

Role in the atomic bombings

On August 6, 1945, Lewis was the co-pilot aboard the Enola Gay for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. During the flight from Tinian to Japan, he maintained a handwritten log, which captured his immediate thoughts and observations. His famous entry, "My God, what have we done?" written after witnessing the mushroom cloud, has become an iconic reflection on the mission's devastating power. The aircraft, alongside the observation planes The Great Artiste and Necessary Evil, completed its mission, dropping the Little Boy bomb on the city of Hiroshima. Lewis provided a vocal account on a wire recorder during the return flight, describing the massive explosion and towering cloud, which was later used in newsreels and historical documentaries.

Later life and legacy

After the war, Lewis was discharged with the rank of Major and returned to civilian life. He worked in various business ventures, including a position with the Lindy's restaurant chain, and largely avoided the public spotlight regarding his wartime role. He participated in occasional reunions of the 509th Composite Group and gave limited interviews. Robert A. Lewis died in 1983. His legacy is intrinsically tied to the Enola Gay and the debates surrounding the use of atomic weapons. His mission log, housed at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, serves as a powerful primary source for historians studying the end of World War II and the moral complexities of the Manhattan Project. Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:United States Army Air Forces officers Category:1921 births Category:1983 deaths