The Last Bomb: Nagasaki


		Robin Hardy Online




	The Last Bomb: A Marine Remembers Nagasaki by David C. Milam (Eakin Press, 2001)

The United States' role in World War II began with a surprise attack: "On the morning of December 7, 1941, a contingent of hundreds of Japanese bomber planes attacked Pearl Harbor [Hawaii] in the most successful surprise attack in history. In less than two hours, they had destroyed or seriously damaged 347 planes and 18 ships of war. American casualties, including civilians, totaled 3,581." (The Last Bomb, p. 54)

After four years of grueling warfare, President Harry S Truman decided the only way to end the war was to use the most advanced weaponry available: the atomic bomb. "The 'Little Boy,' with a core of uranium 235, was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The more sophisticated and more deadly 'Fat Man' was dropped over Nagasaki three days later. The bomb [was] ten feet long, five feet wide, 10,000 pounds, with plutonium at its core." (ibid) Shortly thereafter, the Japanese surrendered.

Nineteen-year-old Marine Corporal David C. Milam was a member of Admiral Halsey's Fifth Fleet that occupied Sasebo, Japan, just 44 days after the bomb was dropped over Nagasaki. Contrary to orders, and under threat of court-martial, Milam took photos of the devastation with a little box camera his parents had sent him. He stowed the camera in his sea bag, which was lost for months before mysteriously reappearing.

Following the war, Milam stored the camera and film in a closet, where they stayed for the next 50 years.

In the mid-1990s, Milam met Robin at a friend's birthday party. He told her about his photos and the slender memoir he had written to accompany them. She researched facts surrounding the historic events, edited the manuscript, and offered it to Eakin Press of Austin, Texas, who published it. Below are a few photos from the book:




	"Main plant headquarters of Mitsubishi, located along the waterfront and shipping docks. Prior to the bomb drop, this building was hit by American aircraft, possibly a dive bomber. It must have been a carefully selected target as the result of intelligence efforts."




	"Ruins of the Catholic Church of Layan (also called the Church of the Immaculate Conception). Run by the Jesuit order, it had been the largest church in Japan, with over ten thousand parishioners."


	As a bonus for Robin's efforts, Milam gave her a few pieces of occupation currency issued by the U.S. after the war to aid in Japan's recovery:







			For more examples of this currency, and more explanation, see here.

		Back to top Back to War Stories Back to Meditations