World War II Honoree

Harold M. Agnew

Hometown

California

Honored By

Walton R. Haddix

HE HELPED BUILD THE WORLD'S FIRST REACTOR AND ATOMIC BOMBS, FLEW ON THE FIRST ATOMIC STRIKE AGAINST JAPAN, FILMED THE MUSHROOM CLOUD. ON AUGUST 6, 1945, HE BOARDED A B-29 BOMBER THAT ACCOMPANIED THE ENOLA GAY, WHICH WAS CARRYING THE BOMB CODE-NAMED 'LITTLE BOY'. HE AND TWO OTHER SCIENTISTS MEASURED THE SIZE OF THE SHOCK WAVE AND THUS THE BOMB'S POWER. AFTERWARDS, HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES TOOK TURNS PEERING OUT A SMALL WINDOW AT THE MUSHROOM CLOUD AND GROUND DAMAGE. HE FILMED THE DEVASTATION WITH A 16 MILLIMETER BELL AND HOWELL MOVIE CAMERA. HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO WITNESS THE WHOLE UNDERTAKING FROM REACTOR TO WEAPON TO HIROSHIMA.