By Jon DeStefano
Once again Brass Armadillo is offering an historic archive for sale. You may not remember Technical Sergeant George R. “Bob” Caron offhand but no one will ever forget his iconic photo of the mushroom cloud over Hiroshima which ushered in the atomic age.
Caron was the tail gunner on the famous bomber Enola Gay on August 6,1945 and on that day he had his own personal camera with him. After the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima he took the iconic picture on their way back to Tinian.
There was an official photographer on board the Enola Gay but he had inadvertently forgotten to pull his shutter lens up and consequently thanks to Bob Caron one of the most important historic photographs of the twentieth century was taken.
A few days after the bombing of Hiroshima the Air Force dropped leaflets over Japan urging the Japanese people to persuade their government to capitulate immediately, which they did not do. Hence the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.
The entire crew of the Enola Gay became famous especially captain Colonel Paul Tibbits and Bob Caron because he took that photograph. Caron gained publicity he never sought. Over the years Caron’s historic collection continued to grow including many unique items, photographs and correspondence with famous people.
It just so happens he left the archive to his daughter Jane who is a dealer at the Brass Armadillo.
Gary Stober has done several shows and interviews for iantiques with Jane on the items in her father’s collection. The entire archive including the iconic photograph and unique historic phonograph recordings will be sold this February and is available for viewing in person at Brass Armadillo. For more information and further details, call Gary Stober at Brass Armadillo, 303-403-1677.
Email
Follow Us