German V-2 rockets, which had plagued Great Britain during World War II, were also taken to Wendover for evaluation. With the change, the mission at Wendover shifted to weapons development.Īs a prelude to the development of the missile industry of the 1950s and 1960s, Wendover began testing and developing three types of missiles: power-driven bombs called “Weary Willies,” glide bombs, and vehicles such as ground-to-air-pilotless aircraft (GAPA). In December 1945 the army transferred jurisdiction of the base from the 2nd Air Force to the Air Technical Service (later Air Materiel) Command. The need no longer existed for training large numbers of bomber crews for combat, so the number of personnel assigned at Wendover dwindled to approximately 1,000. The end of the war brought drastic changes to Wendover Field. Only later did the people of Wendover realize what their base had housed and been a part of for more than nine months. Japan quickly surrendered, bringing a swift conclusion to the war. Three days later, the second bomb, known as “Fat Man,” was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, from “Bok’s Car,” flown by Major Charles Sweeney. On 6 August 1945, the “Enola Gay,” piloted by Colonel Tibbets, dropped the first atomic bomb, called “Little Boy,” on Hiroshima, Japan. The atom bombs were delivered in late July 1945 to the 509th at Tinian, where technicians and scientists made the required final adjustments. By mid-July 1945 the necessary modifications to the bombs had been completed to the satisfaction of the scientists. Meanwhile, ordnance personnel at Wendover continued to assemble and test components for the bombs. In preparation for the eventual atomic bomb drops, the 509th flew missions over Japan, employing “pumpkins” which contained conventional explosives. The code name of “Silver Plate” was the military designation for the complicated effort of assembling and training over 1,500 men to drop the first atomic bomb. Equipped with B-29 bombers, it became the first unit organized and trained expressly for atomic warfare. Officially activated on 17 December 1944, the 509th was no ordinary unit. This program came to an abrupt halt in September 1944 and pilots were quickly transferred to other locations because of the impending formation of the 509th Composite Group at Wendover. Beginning in April 1944, 180 fighter pilots successfully trained at Wendover in P-47 aircraft. In order for the bomber crews to better practice, lifesize targets of enemy battleships were formed, a city of salt was constructed near the mountains, and an electrical system for night illumination was installed. Equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses, the group arrived in April 1942. The 306th Bombardment Group was the first such outfit assigned for training at Wendover. The groups were activated, sent to Wendover, formed into complete units, trained together, and then reassigned to other bases or directly to combat zones in Europe or the South Pacific. One goal of this training was to foster teamwork. Under the direction of the 2nd Air Force, twenty-one bombardment groups were trained at Wendover. Wendover’s prime mission during World War II was to train the crews of B-17, B-24, and B-29 bombers. Morning roll call at Dussler’s barracks at Wendover
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