Enola Gay Log, Other Papers Sold
“My God what have we done.”
The Enola Gay co-pilot’s log book recording the horror of having just dropped the first atomic bomb in war was the most chilling item on auction Wednesday in a sale of U.S. historical documents that fetched record prices.
An autographed manuscript of Abraham Lincoln’s last speech, delivered from the window of the White House three days before his assassination in 1865, was sold for $3,086,000--the most ever for a U.S. historical document.
Albert Einstein’s letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt warning him of the potential for “the construction of extremely powerful bombs,” which helped launch U.S. research leading to the development of the atomic bomb, was sold for $2.10 million, a record price for a letter.
The sale of 201 American historical documents from the Forbes Collection, which was started by the late financial publisher Malcolm Forbes and is now controlled by his sons, yielded more than $20 million and saw record prices paid for items from 14 different presidents, said Chris Coover of Christie’s books and manuscripts department.
The winning bid for Capt. Robert Lewis’ log chronicling the “Little Boy” mission that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, was $350,000--more than the estimated range of $200,000 to $300,000 but far short of the record prices paid for some of the other documents on sale.
“It is a uniquely important document,” dealer Seth Kaller said about the Enola Gay log. “It’s one of the greatest moments, but one of the most terrible, of the century.
“It’s a terribly sad record. I think that affects the desire to own it.”
Lewis’s minute-by-minute account of the mission written in pen and pencil during the flight was full of details of the bombing run aimed at bringing a fast end to the Second World War. It also was filled with awe after the 9,000-pound bomb, dubbed “Little Boy,” was dropped over Hiroshima.
It is believed that more than 140,000 people died by the end of the year as a result of the bomb. The total number of people who died due to the bomb has been estimated at 200,000.
Lewis wrote that “15 seconds after the flash there were two very distinct slaps (air turbulence) that was all the physical effects we felt. We then turned the ship so we could observe results, and there in front of our eyes was without a doubt the greatest explosion man has ever witnessed.
“The city was nine-tenths covered with smoke . . . and a column of white cloud, which in less than 3 mins, reached 30,000 feet and then went up to 50,000 . . . “
Lewis continued: “I am certain the entire crew felt this experience was more than anyone human had ever thought possible. It just seems impossible to comprehend. Just how many did we kill? I honestly have the feeling of groping for words to explain this or I might say My God what have we done.
“If I live a hundred years I’ll never quite get those few minutes out of my mind . . . “
He added that the massive cloud left by the blast was still visible “even after an hour and a half, 400 miles from the target.”
The front page of the 11-page document has “Dear Mom and Dad,” and at the end come the words, “Love to all/Bud.” The Brooklyn, N.Y. pilot apparently feared the log might be confiscated because of strict security over the mission.