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American Morning

How Did the Plane Enola Gay Get Its Name?

Aired August 06, 2001 - 10:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARV WILLIAMS, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA: My name is Marv Williams from Lincoln, Nebraska. And I would like to know how the Enola Gay got her name.

BRIG. GEN. PAUL W. TIBBETS, RET. ENOLA GAY COMMANDER AND PILOT: That goes back a little ways. Enola Gay got her name because that was the name of my mother. And when I got this (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I thought that the airplane would go down in history. I wasn't thinking about myself, but I thought the airplane would. Because my father had been adamant in his position as father for years that I was going to be a doctor, and I believed him, so I played along with him real well.

But then I got to the point where I had soloed an airplane, and I said, I don't want to be a doctor, I want to be flying machines. My mother, without any epiphany of concern, she said, Paul, if you want to go fly, you're going to be all right.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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