William Helms: “when a remarkable North Carolina native died on March 16, a more perfect world would have dictated that his death be…”

“when a remarkable North Carolina native died on March 16, a more perfect world would have dictated that his death be given far more attention than it received, attention that would have invoked memories of a distinguished, decorated war veteran; a career Air Force officer; and a conscientious, hard-working real estate agent; and most importantly, it would have kindled memories of a kind, gentle grandfather who enjoyed bass fishing and tending to his beloved roses. But, when death came to Thomas Wilson Ferebee, some of the media mentioned these fine personal qualities only in passing, but many others will remember Tom Ferebee's carrying out his awesome, solemn responsibility as lead bombardier on the Enola Gay. It was he, on duty that fateful day when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, helping to bring, finally, an end to the costly, destructive, most terrible conflict that history records as World War II. The decision to use the atomic bomb was an extraordinarily difficult one. And, too often, revisionist historians have tried to rewrite the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with unjustified suggestions that Harry Truman's decision to use the bomb to end the war was immoral. What would have been immoral, of course, would have been to force the world into a further, protracted, bloody struggle when the means were available to end it--with, in the end, less suffering, destruction, and killing.”