Presented is a black and white 8x10 photograph of the nose of the historic US Army Air Corps B-29 Super Fortress “Straight Flush,” with the signatures and inscription of nine of its crew members. The plane and its crew participated in the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945; it was used as a weather reconnaissance plane and flew over the city before the attack to determine if conditions were favorable for a visual drop.

     At the top left corner in black marker is the signature “Frank Wey Bombardier Hiroshima Weather Plan Aug. 6, 1945,” while immediately below in blue maker is the signature “Frank D. Felix Thornhill Navigator.” To the right of those signatures is that of “Ira Weatherly Pilot” in black ink. Near the nose of the plane in the center left of the photo is the signature “Lefty Grennan Flt. Engr” in blue marker. Below the plane’s nose is the signature, in blue marker, “Gil Nicely Tail Gunner Hiroshima Drop Aug. 6 – 1945.” At the bottom left is the signature, in blue marker, “Jack Bivans Asst. Flt. Engr./Scanner.” In the upper right corner is the signature “Don (Red) Beaudette Crew Chief” in blue marker. Upside-down in the center, written on the plane in black ink next to its “Straight Flush” nose art, is a second signature of “Jack Bivans Asst. Flt. Engr. + Scanner.” At the bottom of the plane is a signature in blue marker for the “Mechanic.” This item is accompanied by a LOA from PSA/DNA (AB12777).

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