25-03-2025
‘Enola Gay' pilot's granddaughter in ‘absolute disbelief' that photos targeted in DEI purge
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The granddaughter of a World War II pilot expressed her shock that photos of the 'Enola Gay' — the plane used to drop an atomic bomb on Japan — were targeted in the Trump administration's efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Department of Defense has flagged or removed thousands of photos and historical information from its website as part of the efforts. In some cases, photos were flagged because the file included the word 'gay.'
Kia Tibbets, the granddaughter of pilot Paul W. Tibbets, said that history must be protected.
'The first day I heard it, I believe, was on a Sunday and I ignored it,' Tibbets said. 'I thought it was just ramblings on social media. By Monday, my phone was blowing up and social media was blowing up. Disbelief. Just absolute disbelief.'
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Kia Tibbets was raised in Columbus after Paul Tibbets moved to the area from Florida after the war in the 1960s. She shared that it hurts knowing that her grandfather's photos and posts were flagged.
The plane he flew, the 'Enola Gay,' was named after his mother.
'My grandfather was proud to serve his country and serve all Americans,' Tibbets said. 'I know that he would be very upset, in a time when a lot of people were naming planes after other things you know, he chose to honor his mother, whom he respected and loved very, very much. You know, she gave him the opportunity to be a pilot.'
Though the Pentagon has restored some of the historical photos and posts that had been flagged for deletion, Tibbets notes this moment shines a light on the importance of knowing the history of our country.
'It is a part of history, so it can't be erased,' Tibbets said. 'None of history should be erased. Then we don't learn and history gets erased.'
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The Pentagon has said, 'In the rare cases that content is removed that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct components accordingly.'
Tibbets hopes to use this time as a way to recognize who her grandfather was, what he means to her and what his legacy is.
'I do like to say that I am proud of him for his service to this country,' Tibbets said. 'I'm proud of anyone that signs their life on the line for this country. But I'm proud of the man that he was, that I knew as a man.'
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