Veteran glad to have met Enola Gay crew

Many veteran stories were told and heard in the past week. One was that of Jerry Barnett, who was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1945.

“I came home one day and received a letter from the president, and so I went to serve my country,” he said.

Barnett said the main reason for traveling to Saipan and taking part in the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of World War II Battles of Saipan and Tinian was to meet the crew of the Enola Gay—Ret. Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets, navigator Theodore Van Kirk, and weaponeer Morris Jeppson.

“I was trained to go to war in Japan, and had they not done what they did, I would’ve had to go there,” he said. “Had there been an invasion on Japan, it would have been very costly to both sides. [Because] they dropped the bomb, I didn’t have to go to war in Japan, and so I wanted to thank them for saving my life.”

Barnett was able to accomplish his goal, meeting all three members of the crew during his stay.

“I told them thank you, and they told me that it was just part of their job and a job they had to do,” he said.

Shortly after Japan’s surrender, Barnett served in the Army of Occupation in the Europe theatre. He was deployed to Germany and was in the parachute infantry as a pathfinder.

“We had to get to the ground and set equipment on the ground. We had the finest equipment, and we would find the designated place for our troops to land. We had communication with the pilot of the planes, and we were able to signal them on the precise area to drop the troops.”

Barnett said another reason for his traveling to Saipan was to meet Marines, soldiers, and sailors who were actually in combat.

“I have a friend who was supposed to come but couldn’t because of illness. He was a member of the 27th Infantry Division on Saipan, and he would tell me a lot of stories. I would always meet him for coffee at Camp Dodge in Iowa, and so I’ll be bringing back stories and memorabilia for him.”

Barnett, who spent memorable moments on island with his wife, Lucille, was pleased at the reception and the turnout of the commemoration event. Lucille also served her country through the cadet nurse program.

“I find our stay here to be very delightful,” he said. “We received the utmost courtesy, and everyone was kind…from young children to adults and people my age.”

As a member of the U.S. Army, Barnett took advantage of the G.I. Bill of Rights and pursued a profession as a medical doctor. He currently volunteers for the Arizona Memorial Museum Association. During winter, he stays in Hawaii, and during warm conditions on the U.S. mainland, resides at his home in Iowa.

“We’re pleased that we were able to learn about the event from the AMMA. We followed it up, got more information, and now we’re standing here,” said Barnett.