(See Pt. 1)
After I opened the envelope, and studied my newest bit of
calligraphy, I mounted it alongside the dozens of other historic
autographs which I had collected over the past couple of decades.
Afterwards, I taped an article about the three men on the adjoining
page. The contents of that article struck me as something just short of
bizarre. (‘Just short of’ since I have long since learned that where
there’s money to be made, ethical or otherwise, people are going to make
it).
Somehow what I read there seemed to besmirch the reputations of these men whose military exploits I’d studied in high school.
For you see, the ‘Atomic Trio’ had ‘taken it on the road’ and with the
assistance of an agent began capitalizing on their first of a kind
military mission of so long ago. Tibbits had developed an expansive
package of momentos including Enola Gay coffee mugs ($6), T-shirts ($9),
Photographs ($9) a copy of the order authorizing the use of the atomic
bomb ($5), not to mention an autographed color lithograph of the Enola
Gay with Hiroshima’s mushroom cloud looming in the background for the
economical price of $24.95.
While he was roundly criticized by some for his ‘stock in trade,’
General Tibbits had a different take on his one of a kind business enterprise.
“It’s never dawned on me that I’m trying to capitalize on anyone’s death.”
I, for one, can only ask the rhetorical question,
“Really?”
(and a follow up),
“Ya think?”
(to be continued)
By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 46. Copyright pending
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