1,304 results
1945ref. 125771945. Jeppson Morris. Hand-annotated diagram of the "Little Boy" atomic bomb 1945 provides a direct technical interpretation of the weapon used in the bombing of Hiroshima by a participant who bridged both its development and deployment. As weapons officer aboard the Enola Gay and a scientist present at Los Alamos Laboratory Jeppson occupied a rare dual role linking the Manhattan Project's design phase with the operational execution of nuclear warfare. His annotations explain the internal structure and function of the uranium gun-type bomb offering a contemporaneous explanation of how critical mass was achieved and how the weapon was triggered. The document situates technical knowledge of nuclear fission within the lived experience of those responsible for its first use in warfare during World War II. Jeppson Morris. "Little Boy" atomic bomb diagram. United States 1945. One-page black-and-white printed diagram with extensive handwritten annotations and arrows in ink signed at lower margin "Morris Jeppson / Weapon Test Officer / Enola Gay Mission / HIROSHIMA 6 Aug. 1945." The annotations identify and explain key components including "target U235" "projectile 235" and the process by which the bomb "Becomes critical mass with projectile" along with labeled elements such as the "electric detonator" "gun barrel" and "one of 4 radar antennas." The markings function as a technical overlay to the printed schematic clarifying both structure and mechanism from the perspective of the officer responsible for in-flight arming and monitoring of the device. The atomic bombing of Hiroshima marked the first combat use of nuclear weapons and introduced a new phase of warfare defined by unprecedented destructive capacity and strategic implications. Jeppson's role in both the scientific and operational dimensions of the mission positions this document within the immediate transmission of specialized knowledge from laboratory to battlefield. His annotations provide insight into how participants understood and communicated the bomb's function contributing to the historical record of nuclear science military technology and the transformation of warfare at the end of World War II. Light handling wear; diagram remains clear with strong legible annotations and signature. Overall very good. unknown
1945ref. 117821945. Van Kirk Theodore J. "Atomic Bomb Explosion Over Hiroshima" signed statement recounting the August 6 1945 atomic bombing mission documents direct eyewitness testimony from the navigator of the Enola Gay the aircraft that delivered the first atomic bomb used in warfare. The document supports research into World War II air operations atomic warfare and firsthand participant narratives of the Hiroshima mission. As navigator Van Kirk occupied a central operational role in the execution of the flight and his account provides detailed observational evidence of the bombing sequence targeting and immediate visual aftermath. Van Kirk Theodore J. Signed statement titled "Atomic Bomb Explosion Over Hiroshima." 1 page. The typed document includes handwritten corrections and additions in blue ink by Van Kirk including the insertion "Over Hiroshima" in the title. The narrative records precise operational timing and targeting details stating: "Our plane was over Hiroshima at 0815 hours. The bomb fell away from the aircraft at 0915:17 Tinian time. It hit right on target on the Aioi Bridge in Hiroshima." Van Kirk further describes the visual effects immediately following detonation: "The first thing we saw was a big white cloud. It was probably 40000 feet already and around the base of that cloud the entire city of Hiroshima was covered with smoke and dust and you couldn't observe a thing down there." The statement also includes reflective commentary on the mission's intended strategic purpose noting pilot Paul Tibbets' assertion that the weapon could "shorten or end the war." Signed in full "Theodore J 'Dutch' Van Kirk." The document originates from one of the most consequential military actions of the twentieth century the atomic bombing of Hiroshima which marked the introduction of nuclear weapons into warfare and directly preceded Japan's surrender. As a participant-generated account it offers primary evidence of crew understanding mission execution and immediate perception of the bomb's effects complementing official military records and later historical analyses. The inclusion of precise times named targets and observational detail enhances its value for reconstructing the operational chronology of the mission. Light handling wear; otherwise well-preserved with clear text and signature. Overall very good condition. unknown
1976ref. 125641976. Jeppson Morris signed photograph of Hiroshima after the August 6 1945 atomic bombing linking the physical destruction of the city to a member of the Enola Gay mission crew. Jeppson served as assistant weaponeer aboard the B 29 and had responsibility for weapons testing and arming procedures associated with the "Little Boy" atomic bomb; shortly before the aircraft reached Hiroshima he removed its safety devices and inserted the arming plugs. The photograph therefore combines a post bombing view of Hiroshima with the autograph and mission identification of a participant directly involved in preparing the weapon for use. Black and white photograph 11 x 8 1/2 inches showing the devastated Hiroshima landscape after the atomic bombing. Few structures remain visible beyond foundations and other remnants while burned tree trunks stand amid the cleared terrain. Jeppson has signed and inscribed the image "Morris Jeppson - Weapons Test Officer - Enola Gay Mission- Hiroshima-6 Aug 1945" explicitly identifying his role aircraft target and mission date. The Enola Gay dropped the first atomic weapon used in combat over Hiroshima on August 6 1945. Jeppson's inscription gives the image direct association with the mission and preserves his own description of his position as "Weapons Test Officer" while contemporary institutional histories also identify him as assistant weaponeer to Captain William S. Parsons. The visible destruction provides a stark record of the consequences of the bombing while Jeppson's signed identification connects that aftermath to the personnel responsible for carrying and arming the weapon. Condition not stated. unknown
1945ref. 129721945. Field Marshall III publisher. The Chicago Sun August 7 1945 documents the first full day of American press coverage following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the sudden public disclosure of the secret wartime program that produced the weapon. The United States dropped the uranium bomb "Little Boy" on Hiroshima on August 6 and President Harry S. Truman announced its use the same day disclosing the existence of the atomic bomb and declaring that the release of atomic energy opened a new era in humanity's understanding of natural forces. The issue is particularly significant for showing how a mass-circulation American newspaper initially presented the bomb through three interconnected narratives: the destructive results of atomic science the formerly secret industrial infrastructure of the Manhattan Project and expectations for the peacetime uses of atomic power. It provides primary-source evidence for the study of Hiroshima World War II journalism the public revelation of the Manhattan Project nuclear technology and the opening of the atomic age. The Chicago Sun. Chicago: The Chicago Sun Tuesday August 7 1945. 22 pages printed recto and verso. Complete issue. The front page contains extensive atomic-bomb coverage including "Story of Our Secret Weapon"; "Scientists Tell Of Watching First Blast. Steel Tower is Vaporized; Cloud Rises 8 Miles"; and "Truman Visions New Era Powered by Atomic Force." A large photograph depicts an atomic-production facility at the Clinton Engineer Works at Oak Ridge Tennessee giving readers a first visual introduction to part of the immense industrial system that had operated under wartime secrecy. The Clinton Engineer Works served as the Manhattan Project's administrative headquarters and contained the K-25 S-50 and Y-12 facilities used in uranium-isotope separation; enriched uranium produced at Oak Ridge contributed directly to the Hiroshima weapon. The juxtaposition of the first atomic test industrial production Hiroshima and Truman's predictions for atomic energy illustrates how quickly American newspapers began constructing a public explanation for technology that had remained secret throughout most of the war. The August 7 date gives the issue considerable documentary immediacy: American readers were encountering the scale scientific origins industrial production and possible future applications of atomic energy almost simultaneously with learning of its use against a populated city. Truman's August 6 statement itself moved rapidly between military destruction and predictions that atomic energy might eventually supplement coal oil and hydroelectric power a dual framing closely echoed by the headlines preserved here. Oak Ridge's appearance on the front page is equally significant because the sprawling Tennessee installation had been created under extraordinary secrecy beginning in 1942 and encompassed several parallel processes for uranium enrichment. Light age toning and spotting with slight wear to edges; otherwise complete and well preserved. Very good. An unusually immediate newspaper record of the transition from a secret wartime weapons program to a publicly recognized atomic age published one day after Hiroshima and preserving the first explanations offered to American readers of the bomb its production and its anticipated consequences. unknown
1945ref. 107541945. Van Kirk Theodore J. "Dutch." Signed photograph of the Enola Gay documenting the B 29 Superfortress used in the first atomic bombing in warfare and bearing an inscription by its navigator. Van Kirk served as navigator aboard the B 29 Enola Gay during the August 6 1945 bombing of Hiroshima guiding the aircraft during its flight from Tinian to Japan and its return. The image supports research into World War II aviation the Manhattan Project atomic warfare and the commemorative culture through which mission participants later identified and interpreted the aircraft. The National WWII Museum confirms Van Kirk's position as navigator aboard the Enola Gay. Color photographic image of the Enola Gay undated. 6 by 12 inches. The aircraft is the primary subject although its viewpoint setting markings and whether it is shown in flight or on the ground are not specified in the supplied description. Van Kirk has inscribed the photograph in blue ink: "To recipient - best wishes and thanks - Dutch Van Kirk Navigator - Enola Gay Gang 6 Aug. 1945." The personalized salutation and informal phrase "Enola Gay Gang" identify the photograph as a later commemorative presentation rather than a contemporaneously inscribed wartime image. On August 6 1945 the Enola Gay departed Tinian carrying the uranium bomb known as "Little Boy" and released it over Hiroshima initiating the use of nuclear weapons in war. The aircraft and its crew subsequently became central to competing historical interpretations of military necessity civilian destruction technological change and the beginning of the atomic age. Van Kirk's full mission inscription connects the pictured aircraft directly to the navigator responsible for plotting its course and records the date through the language of a surviving participant. Blue-ink inscription remains bold and legible; no defects are reported. Near fine. A personally inscribed aircraft portrait joining the material history of the Enola Gay with the later commemoration of the Hiroshima mission. unknown
1945ref. 125531945. Van Kirk Theodore J. handwritten autograph letter signed 6 August 1945 provides a first-person account by the navigator of the B-29 Enola Gay addressing the operational risks of deploying the first atomic bomb and the crew's reaction to the magnitude of its detonation over Hiroshima. As navigator on the aircraft that carried out the 6 August 1945 mission Van Kirk 1921-2014 bore responsibility for the precise calculations necessary to deliver an unprecedented weapon under combat conditions. This manuscript supports research into World War II strategic air warfare the operational uncertainties surrounding the Manhattan Project's first use in combat and the technological anxieties inherent in deploying a weapon whose destructive capacity exceeded prior experience. His reflections illuminate both mechanical vulnerability and the psychological shock experienced by participants at the dawn of nuclear warfare. Van Kirk Theodore J. 6 August 1945. Two pages. Approximately 8.5 x 11 inches. In this holograph letter written in question-and-answer format Van Kirk considers the potential for catastrophic malfunction: "Could something have gone wrong during the flight or when the bomb was launched Of course - all kinds of things. We all know what can go wrong with airplanes even during pastime flying. The bomb could 'hang up' in the bomb bay and not launch cleanly. Therefore it would not fall as predicted and if not could cause damage or destroy the plane." Reflecting on the detonation itself he acknowledges: "Were the crew members surprised at the extent of the explosion Yes. The explosion was much greater than the test in New Mexico and much bigger than any of us could realize." He signs "Theodore J Van Kirk / Navigator - Enola Gay / 6 Aug. 1945." The manuscript preserves his language emphasizing both the technical fragility of the mission and the unforeseen scale of the weapon's destructive force compared to the Trinity test. Although composed retrospectively and dated to the day of the mission the letter contributes to the documentary record of how participants later described the uncertainties surrounding the first atomic combat deployment. Van Kirk's acknowledgment that the explosion exceeded expectations underscores the limited empirical frame of reference available even to trained officers briefed on the weapon's development. His discussion of bomb bay malfunction and aircraft vulnerability highlights the intersection of conventional aviation risk and revolutionary weapons technology in August 1945. Minor edge wear and light handling creases; ink strong and fully legible; paper clean. Overall very good to near fine condition. A substantive self-authored reflection on mechanical peril and the unprecedented scale of the first atomic explosion in warfare. unknown
1945ref. 143931945. Jeppson Morris R. Autograph letter recounting his role in the Hiroshima atomic bombing mission written by the weapons test officer aboard the B 29 Enola Gay the aircraft that delivered the first atomic weapon used in warfare on 6 August 1945. Morris Jeppson served as the electronic officer responsible for the bomb's fuzing system and for arming the uranium bomb known as "Little Boy" shortly before it was released over Hiroshima. His recollections provide firsthand testimony concerning the selection of the mission crew the operational procedures followed aboard the aircraft and the technical responsibilities associated with the deployment of the atomic weapon during the closing days of World War II. Jeppson Morris R. Autograph Letter Signed. Three pages written on yellow lined paper composed as responses to a series of questions concerning the Hiroshima mission. The manuscript appears to be a draft with numerous corrections and annotations with both the questions and answers written in Jeppson's hand. Addressing how he was selected to fly on the mission Jeppson recounts: "The day before the mission there were 6 of us who had participated in the development and testing of the electronic fuzing system for atomic weapons. George called our group of 6 together and said it was decided that whether Jeppson or Lt. Leon Smith would fly the first mission scheduled for 6 August. He said a coin toss will decide. He tossed I got the assignment." When asked about his role aboard the aircraft Jeppson describes assisting Captain William Parsons in preparing the weapon after takeoff and monitoring the bomb's electronic fuzing system during the flight. He explains that shortly before the bombing run he entered the bomb bay and "replaced an electrical component plug in the bomb with a red coded plug that armed the bomb so that it would self detonate when it reached an elevation above ground of about 1800 feet." The letter concludes with reflections on the mission's perceived outcome noting that the detonation confirmed the operational success of the weapon's design. The Hiroshima bombing represented the first combat use of nuclear weapons and marked a decisive technological and political turning point at the end of World War II. Personnel involved in the Manhattan Project and the 509th Composite Group later became central witnesses to the development and deployment of atomic weapons. Jeppson's manuscript responses offer detailed technical and personal recollections concerning the operational procedures aboard the Enola Gay including the late decision to arm the weapon in flight and the responsibilities assigned to the crew members who developed the bomb's electronic fuzing system. The document provides insight into the internal mechanics of the Hiroshima mission as remembered by the officer who physically armed the weapon shortly before its release. Signed "Morris R. Jeppson" in a different pen. Light handling wear; overall excellent condition. A detailed firsthand account of the technical preparation and execution of the first atomic bombing mission. unknown
1945ref. 127381945. Van Kirk Theodore J. signed and inscribed photograph of the Hiroshima Atomic Dome created post-1945 represents a direct visual and textual reflection by the navigator of the B-29 Enola Gay on the devastation wrought by the first atomic bomb used in warfare. Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk 1921-2014 responsible for navigation during the 6 August 1945 mission from Tinian here annotates an image of the ruined cityscape transforming a documentary photograph into a vehicle for personal recollection and justification. The item supports research into World War II memory culture strategic bombing doctrine and the ways in which atomic bomb participants publicly framed civilian casualties and the ethics of total war in subsequent decades. Van Kirk Theodore J. Inscribed photograph. 8 ½ x 11 inches. Black-and-white photograph depicting the Hiroshima Atomic Dome standing amid surrounding devastation the skeletal structure isolated against a flattened urban landscape. In ink Van Kirk writes: "I remember after the explosion the airplane was hit with a big jolt It was not flak but the shock wave effect of an atomic explosion. 60% of the city had been instantly destroyed. The number of killed and missing was 80000. Unfortunately in modern warfare you cannot separate civilian and military targets. - Theodore J. 'Dutch' Van Kirk Navigator - Enola Gay 6 August 1945." The inscription combines operational memory-the shock wave striking the aircraft-with statistical casualty figures and a broader statement about the nature of twentieth-century warfare. Signed within the text. Produced decades after the event and dated to the day of the mission the photograph reflects the enduring historical reckoning with Hiroshima's destruction and the moral arguments advanced by those who carried out the bombing. Van Kirk's juxtaposition of physical sensation in the aircraft with quantified urban devastation links technical execution to human consequence while his statement regarding the inseparability of civilian and military targets situates the image within debates over strategic bombing and nuclear ethics. Minor surface wear and light handling marks; image clear with strong tonal contrast; inscription bold and fully legible. Overall very good to near fine condition. A significant inscribed image uniting one of the most recognizable architectural remnants of Hiroshima with a candid reflection by a principal participant in the first atomic bombing mission. unknown
1945ref. 143891945. Jeppson Morris R. Autograph Letter Signed written after World War II a first person technical and eyewitness account by the weapons officer of the Enola Gay the B 29 aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. As one of eight Army Air Forces second lieutenants recruited to support Los Alamos weapons development Jeppson occupied a rare operational position linking laboratory science to combat deployment. In the present two page letter written entirely in his hand in question and answer format he explains his recruitment after advanced electronics and radar training at Harvard and MIT and his assignment to the 509th Bomb Group at Wendover Utah. He describes working under Dr. Edward Doll of Los Alamos on the bomb's fuzing system including radar height detection noting that "Los Alamos civilian scientists were not permitted to fly combat missions" and recounts test drops of dummy bombs over the Salton Sea. His narrative situates him among the very small circle beyond senior scientists who understood the weapon's intended use as he was responsible for arming the fuzing system inside the bomb bay shortly before release over Hiroshima. Jeppson Morris R. Autograph Letter Signed. No place no date. Two pages on yellow lined paper written in ink signed "Sincerely Morris R. Jeppson." In response to a question about J. Robert Oppenheimer Jeppson recounts a May 1945 flight in which "The sole passenger was Dr. Oppenheimer. This very gracious man was smiling to visit with me and he answered my questions about where I should attend graduate school in nuclear physics after the war" recommending the University of California Berkeley. He emphasizes the strict compartmentalization of the Manhattan Project: "Because of very tight security restrictions neither of us ever mentioned nuclear weapons." The letter provides granular insight into the operational secrecy of the project the integration of military officers into laboratory development and the transition from experimental design to battlefield use at the close of World War II. Numerous corrections and annotations appear throughout reflecting careful retrospective clarification. Paper clean and fully legible signature strong. Overall condition: excellent. unknown
1945ref. 125471945. Van Kirk Theodore J. handwritten autograph letter signed 6 August 1945 offers a first-person reflection by the navigator of the B-29 Enola Gay on the most perilous moments of the Hiroshima atomic bombing mission and the psychological atmosphere aboard the aircraft. Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk 1921-2014 a central member of the three-man flight deck crew provides direct testimony concerning the uncertainty surrounding the bomb's force and the crew's fear that the detonation might destroy their own plane. The letter supports research in World War II military aviation the operational history of the Manhattan Project and the lived experience of nuclear warfare from the American aircrew perspective. By fore grounding danger doubt and immediate reaction Van Kirk's account contributes to the documentary record of how participants later interpreted the unprecedented destructive power they helped unleash. Van Kirk Theodore J. 6 August 1945. Two pages. Approximately 8.5 x 11 inches. In this holograph letter written in question-and-answer format Van Kirk records: "What do you think was the most dangerous moment during the mission Undoubtedly the seconds when and right after the bomb exploded. The question was 'will the bomb blow up or severely damage the airplane.' Thankfully we got far enough away so this did not happen." Addressing crew morale he continues: "Were your fellow crew members anxious about carrying out the mission There was some doubt in everyone's mind about the force of the bomb. Would it damage or even destroy the plane. I was all assuaged the moment the bomb exploded." He signs "Theodore J 'Dutch' Van Kirk / Navigator - Enola Gay / 6 Aug 1945." The manuscript preserves his phrasing and emphasis underscoring both technical calculation and personal apprehension at the moment nuclear warfare entered combat history. Although composed retrospectively and dated to the mission itself the letter reflects the sustained historical reckoning with the atomic bombings and the strategic doctrine that followed. Van Kirk's language centers not on political justification but on immediate survival revealing the acute awareness among crew members that the weapon's effects were not fully predictable even to those tasked with delivering it. Such testimony is especially significant given that only a small number of crew members had direct visual access to the detonation and experienced the shock wave firsthand. Light handling wear and minor edge creasing; ink bold and fully legible; paper clean. Overall very good to near fine condition. A substantive and self-authored statement documenting the perceived mortal risk faced by the Enola Gay crew at the threshold of the nuclear age. unknown
1945ref. 121191945. Van Kirk Theodore "Dutch." Signed poster reproducing the navigator's log of the Enola Gay mission to Hiroshima documenting the flight chronology of the first atomic bombing used in warfare on August 6 1945. Van Kirk served as navigator aboard the B-29 commanded by Paul Tibbets and recorded the aircraft's route from Tinian Island to Japan and its return to base. By presenting successive navigational entries-including the notation "BOMB AWAY"-the poster provides a reproduced documentary account of the mission that initiated the nuclear age and supports research into World War II aviation the Manhattan Project atomic warfare and the continuing historical and ethical study of Hiroshima. The National WWII Museum identifies Van Kirk as the Enola Gay's navigator and preserves his oral testimony concerning the mission. Flight Log of the Enola Gay Atomic Bomb Mission to Hiroshima. Signed by Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk. Publisher place date and dimensions not specified. The poster reproduces three pages of navigational-log entries progressing from takeoff through the aircraft's return to Tinian. Recorded events include the B-29's departure at 0245 Tinian time navigation toward Iwo Jima and the Japanese home islands and "BOMB AWAY" at 0915 corresponding to 0815 in Hiroshima. The Nuclear Museum records the surviving log as beginning shortly after the 0245 takeoff and concluding with the aircraft's landing at 1458 with all entries given in Tinian time. Van Kirk signed the poster in full in blue ink. The supplied description states that the reproduced pages were handwritten by Van Kirk but the poster itself should be distinguished clearly from the original August 6 1945 navigational log. The original log was offered by Heritage Auction Galleries in October 2007 with an estimate of $350000 to $400000 and realized $358500. Heritage described it as the log retained by Van Kirk after the mission and consigned directly by him while the present object is a later commemorative reproduction carrying his autograph. Its sequence of times and positions makes the poster a concise visual record of the operational stages through which the mission proceeded while Van Kirk's signature connects the reproduction directly to the airman responsible for navigation. Blue-ink signature and reproduced log images remain clear; no defects are reported. Near fine. A signed commemorative document presenting the flight chronology of the Enola Gay through the recorded observations of its navigator. unknown
2010ref. DADAX0739135570Lexington Books 2010-04-12. paperback. New. 6.32x0.59x9.38. Buy with confidence. Excellent Customer Service & Return policy. Lexington Books paperback
ref. 030644531X.Ghardcover. Good. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book. hardcover
ref. 53231089like new. unknown
ref. 37672550like new. unknown
ref. 9813293047.Gpaperback. Good. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book. paperback
1980ref. KOS06300175TBD 1980. Soft Cover. Fine. KOS06300175 TBD paperback
ref. 4569789463.Ghardcover. Good. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book. hardcover
ref. ria9783110403503_inpHardcover. New. New Book; Fast Shipping from UK; Not signed; Not First Edition; N/A hardcover
ref. ria9781638285045_inpHardback. New. New Book; Fast Shipping from UK; Not signed; Not First Edition; The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online. This book provides a comprehensive guide to compressed sensing-based techniques focusing primarily on their application to systems and control. hardcover
1998ref. 28839Hiroshima Japan : Hiroshima Peace Cultural Foundation 1998. First Edition. Paperback. Color-printed presentation box-set fine very slight toning to the edge . Corners sharp with an overall tight bright and clean impression. ; 0 pages; Description: 1 vol. : plates ; 24 cm. Subjects: World War 1939-1945 --Hiroshima Japan --History --Photo-journalism. UNdated. Date is suggested/cannot be verified. Hiroshima (Japan) : Hiroshima Peace Cultural Foundation paperback
ref. 63-7302Hiroshima Japan: Restaurant Chambord ca. 1980. Folio. Laminated Covers With Sash Bound Pages inside 8 pp. Very Good with some wear along top edge. Illustrated. En Francais English & Japanese.Provenance: Michelin Archives. Collection Guy Legay. Clermont-Ferrand France. Hiroshima, Japan: Restaurant Chambord, [ca. 1980?]. unknown
ref. 63-3658Hiroshima Japan: Mazda Motor Co. 1972. 8vo. 64 pp. Oblong. Soft Covers Very Good with creasing & minor staining to covers. Illustrated fold-out wiring diagram. Hiroshima, Japan: Mazda Motor Co., 1972. paperback
ref. 53231089-nnew. unknown
ref. 6263053526.Gpaperback. Good. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. May be an ex-library book. paperback
