Thomas Ferebee
Encyclopedia
Thomas W. Ferebee was the bombardier
aboard the B-29 Superfortress
, Enola Gay
, that dropped the atomic bomb, "Little Boy
", on Hiroshima
in 1945.
, as the third of eleven children. In 1935, at age 17, he attended Lees-McRae College
in Banner Elk, NC. Talented in athletics since childhood, he earned awards in track
, basketball
, and football
. After training for a small position with the Boston Red Sox
and not making the team, he joined the Army
. A knee injury kept him from service in the infantry
but he was accepted into flight training. After two years of flight school, Ferebee was assigned as a bombardier in the European theater
, completing more than 60 bombing missions. In the summer of 1944, he was recruited by Colonel
Paul Tibbets
to be part of the 509th Composite Group
which was formed to deliver the atomic bomb. After the war, he remained in the Air Force
until December 1970. After he retired from the Air Force, he worked as a real estate agent in and around Orlando, Florida
. Like Tibbets, Ferebee never expressed regret for his role in the bombing, saying, "it was a job that had to be done."
Like Tibbets, Ferebee remained in the military in the years after World War II as the US Army Air Forces became the U.S. Air Force. Ferebee spent most of his USAF career in the Strategic Air Command
, serving during the Cold War
and in Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Master Navigator (bombardier) with the rank of Colonel
. He died at his home in Windermere, Florida
at the age of 81. He was survived by his wife, Mary Ann Ferebee, who donated his collection of military documents and objects to the North Carolina Museum of History
in Raleigh
.
Bombardier (air force)
A bombardier , in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force, or a bomb aimer, in the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces, was the crewman of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft's bomb...
aboard the B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, Enola Gay
Enola Gay
Enola Gay is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, mother of the pilot, then-Colonel Paul Tibbets. On August 6, 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb as a weapon of war...
, that dropped the atomic bomb, "Little Boy
Little Boy
"Little Boy" was the codename of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets of the 393rd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, of the United States Army Air Forces. It was the first atomic bomb to be used as a weapon...
", on Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
in 1945.
Biography
Thomas Wilson Ferebee was born on a farm outside Mocksville, North CarolinaMocksville, North Carolina
Mocksville is a town in Davie County, North Carolina, USA. The population was 4,178 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Davie County.-Geography:Mocksville is located at ....
, as the third of eleven children. In 1935, at age 17, he attended Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College is a private four-year college in Banner Elk, North Carolina affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Lees-McRae College has the highest elevation of any college or university in the United States east of the Mississippi River at above sea level. It is one of the few colleges...
in Banner Elk, NC. Talented in athletics since childhood, he earned awards in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. After training for a small position with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and not making the team, he joined the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. A knee injury kept him from service in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
but he was accepted into flight training. After two years of flight school, Ferebee was assigned as a bombardier in the European theater
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
, completing more than 60 bombing missions. In the summer of 1944, he was recruited by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Paul Tibbets
Paul Tibbets
Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force, best known for being the pilot of the Enola Gay, the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in the history of warfare. The bomb, code-named Little Boy, was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima...
to be part of the 509th Composite Group
509th Composite Group
The 509th Composite Group was a United States Army Air Forces unit created during World War II, and tasked with operational deployment of nuclear weapons...
which was formed to deliver the atomic bomb. After the war, he remained in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
until December 1970. After he retired from the Air Force, he worked as a real estate agent in and around Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Like Tibbets, Ferebee never expressed regret for his role in the bombing, saying, "it was a job that had to be done."
Like Tibbets, Ferebee remained in the military in the years after World War II as the US Army Air Forces became the U.S. Air Force. Ferebee spent most of his USAF career in the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, serving during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and in Vietnam. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Master Navigator (bombardier) with the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. He died at his home in Windermere, Florida
Windermere, Florida
Windermere is a town in Orange County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,897. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the town had a population of 2,019. It is expected that the 2010 census will show the town with almost 3000 people...
at the age of 81. He was survived by his wife, Mary Ann Ferebee, who donated his collection of military documents and objects to the North Carolina Museum of History
North Carolina Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History is located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Permanent exhibits focus on the state’s military history, decorative arts, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and more. Visitors will see a variety of short-term and traveling exhibits...
in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
.
See also
- Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and NagasakiAtomic bombings of Hiroshima and NagasakiDuring the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
- Kermit BeahanKermit BeahanKermit K. Beahan was the bombardier on the American B-29 Superfortress Bockscar, and was the one who, on August 9, 1945, targeted Nagasaki, Japan, in order to drop an atomic bomb onto it. It was his 27th birthday on the same day...