The last crew member of the Enola Gay, the American B29 that dropped the first atomic bomb, has died. Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk was 93.
From left: Navigator Major Theodore Van Kirk, pilot Colonel Paul Tibbets and bombardier Major Thomas Ferebee after dropping the first atom bomb. Photo: AFP / US Air Force
He was navigator on the flight that dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima in Japan on 6 August 1945. About 78,000 people died instantly; by the end of the year, the toll had reached 140,000.
Six days after, the crew of the Bockscar dropped a bomb on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 80,000 and Japan surrendered, the BBC reports.
Mr Van Kirk said he had "no regrets" about the mission and defended its morality, saying it helped to end the war.
His son, Tom Van Kirk, paid tribute to his father, who he said remained active until the end of his life and died of natural causes. He will be buried in Pennsylvania.
