Nagasaki had never been subjected to large scale bombing prior to the
explosion of the atomic bomb there. On August 1st, 1945, however, a
number of high explosive bombs were dropped on the city. A few of
these bombs hit in the shipyards and dock areas in the southwest
portion of the city. Several of the bombs hit the Mitsubishi Steel and
Arms Works and six bombs landed at the Nagasaki Medical School and
Hospital, with three direct hits on buildings there. While the damage
from these few bombs were relatively small, it created considerable
concern in Nagasaki and a number of people, principally school
children, were evacuated to rural areas for safety, thus reducing the
population in the city at the time of the atomic attack.
On the morning of August 9th, 1945, at about 7:50 A.M., Japanese time,
an air raid alert was sounded in Nagasaki, but the "All clear" signal
was given at 8:30. When only two B-29 superfortresses were sighted at
10:53 the Japanese apparently assumed that the planes were only on
reconnaissance and no further alarm was given. A few moments later, at
11:00 o'clock, the observation B-29 dropped instruments attached to
three parachutes and at 11:02 the other plane released the atomic bomb.
The bomb exploded high over the industrial valley of Nagasaki, almost
midway between the Mitsubishi Steel and Arms Works, in the south, and
the Mitsubishi-Urakami Ordnance Works (Torpedo Works), in the north,
the two principal targets of the city.
Despite its extreme importance, the first bombing mission on Hiroshima
had been almost routine. The second mission was not so uneventful.
Again the crew was specially trained and selected; but bad weather
introduced some momentous complications. These complications are best
described in the brief account of the mission's weaponeer, Comdr., now
Capt., F. L. Ashworth, U.S.N., who was in technical command of the
bomb and was charged with the responsibility of insuring that the bomb
was successfully dropped at the proper time and on the designated
target. His narrative runs as follows:
"The night of our take-off was one of tropical rain squalls, and
flashes of lightning stabbed into the darkness with disconcerting
regularity. The weather forecast told us of storms all the way from
the Marianas to the Empire. Our rendezvous was to be off the southeast
coast of Kyushu, some 1500 miles away. There we were to join with our
two companion observation B-29's that took off a few minutes behind us.
Skillful piloting and expert navigation brought us to the rendezvous
without incident.
"About five minutes after our arrival, we were joined by the first of
our B-29's. The second, however, failed to arrive, having apparently
been thrown off its course by storms during the night. We waited 30
minutes and then proceeded without the second plane toward the target
area.
"During the approach to the target the special instruments installed in
the plane told us that the bomb was ready to function. We were
prepared to drop the second atomic bomb on Japan. But fate was against
us, for the target was completely obscured by smoke and haze. Three
times we attempted bombing runs, but without success. Then with
anti-aircraft fire bursting around us and with a number of enemy
fighters coming up after us, we headed for our secondary target,
Nagasaki.
"The bomb burst with a blinding flash and a huge column of black smoke
swirled up toward us. Out of this column of smoke there boiled a great
swirling mushroom of gray smoke, luminous with red, flashing flame,
that reached to 40,000 feet in less than 8 minutes. Below through the
clouds we could see the pall of black smoke ringed with fire that
covered what had been the industrial area of Nagasaki.
"By this time our fuel supply was dangerously low, so after one quick
circle of Nagasaki, we headed direct for Okinawa for an emergency
landing and refueling".