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Milt Martin
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Wednesday December 31 2008 02:11:31 pm
From: Bockscar's Bash, Flight Journal, Aug 2005 by Albury, Charles Don, Busha, James P
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As B-29 production increased so, too, did the need for pilots to fly them. A small problem soon developed: the Air Corps found that they were almost out of instructors. I was sent back to Pratt, Kansas, where I rejoined Tibbets along with my future squadron commander Maj. Chuck Sweeney. I took my turn in the ring and helped train new pilots. Despite the moments of sheer terror as I wrestled the controls back from excited student pilots, it was a good life.
One morning, I was called to see Tibbets in Operations, and he asked whether I would like to join him in Wendover, Utah. I had never heard of it, but if Tibbets was going, I would go, too! We soon boarded a brand-new B-29 for the long flight to Utah. In the air, Tibbets told me he was getting an outfit together to take overseas, and he asked whether I wanted to go along. My beaming smile and the nod of my head were acknowledgment enough.
Tibbets then said, "I can't tell you where we are going or why we are going." I sat in stunned silence, wondering what he was talking about. I found out soon enough.
When we touched down at Wendover, I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore.
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