Amazing Enola Gay memorabilia

[mmerc20]

This is more of a find since it is not mine. I am slowly inventorying and selling a militaria collection currently owned by the widow of an amazing collector who acquired his items over 40 years. I had to share this with everyone because my mouth literally dropped and it is truely breathtaking. Anyone with any interest in military history whatsoever should find this impressive as well.

 

This case includes Enola Gay memorabilia. Yes, there are some nice autographed photos of crewmembers, but two things stood out among everything else.

 

Here is the case (it was moved around a bit and things got shuffled)

[mmerc20]

Then there was this. 2 star rank owned by Admiral Ashworth with a letter from him.

 

For those not up on their history:

 

Vice Admiral Frederick L. "Dick" Ashworth (January 24, 1912—December 3, 2005) was a United States Navy officer who served as the weaponeer on the B-29 Bockscar that dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.

 

A native of Beverly, Massachusetts, Ashworth graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1933. Holding the rank of commander, he became Director of Operations for Project Alberta, the portion of the Manhattan Project tasked with dropping of the weapons on Japan, and selected Tinian as the location of its operating airbase. The director of Project Alberta, Captain William Parsons, had been weaponeer during the first mission August 6, when Hiroshima had been bombed.

 

Prior to his being named to Project Alberta, Ashworth had been commander of Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11), a Grumman TBF Avenger unit based on Guadalcanal and the USS Hornet. He stayed in the Navy after the war, serving in various roles. He was promoted to Vice Admiral and served as commander of the United States 6th Fleet from 1966 until his retirement in 1968

[mmerc20]

And finally, the most amazing piece yet. No description is needed. I will let the pictures talk.

[mmerc20]

...and here is the map

[Jim Baker]

I know if you have to ask how much, it's too much. But...... I gotta ask. How much??

 

This is right up there with that Arizona grouping. Really nice!!

 

Actually, if someone had the $$ this and the Arizona group would be very cool together. The beginning and the end of the Pacific war.

[kphfun]

Wow, Really cool stuff! I met Paul at a gun show some years ago which was really neat and then he told me that the hanger his plane was in while training in Utah was dismantled and moved to Reno, NV in the mid Fifty's and told me where it was at, Unbelivable when I went there, It is located at the top of Sutro st. on Tampa st. complete with all it's adjoining out building's and in one room the walls are painted with the breakdown schamatics of the B-29 and B-24. It is owned by a company that does all the neat stuff you see at casino's and hotels in nevada. You cant miss it when you know what you are looking for. It blends in well with the other buildings as it is in a commercial area..