Photos of the enola gay

Images of "Enola Gay," the aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in Japan are among those targeted by the U.S. military in an initiative to eliminate content related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

They are among a number of photos unrelated to DEI that have been mistakenly flagged, including those from an Army Corps of Engineers dredging project in California, seemingly because an engineer in the image had the last specify "Gay."

Why It Matters

The military is set to eliminate thousands of photos and online posts in the DEI purge following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.

The Pentagon's directive to remove DEI-related content has resulted in the flagging of more than 26,000 images across all military branches, though officials suggest the terminal count could exceed 100,000 as reviews continue.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the move, arguing that DEI initiatives undermine military cohesion and operational effectiveness.

What to Know

The executive directive mandating the removal of DEI-related content required all military branches to review years of archived material, including website postings, photos, news articles and video

The U.S. military has mistakenly flagged images of the B-29 Enola Gay and other historically significant materials as part of a Pentagon-led purge of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-related content. The initiative, following an executive order by President Donald Trump, has already resulted in the removal of over 26,000 images, with estimates suggesting the last count could outdo 100,000. The review process has led to confusion and unintended deletions, including photos of the Tuskegee Airmen, female Marine Corps graduates, and commemorative posts for minority history months. Some images were mistakenly removed due to keywords like “gay” in filenames, such as an Army Corps of Engineers undertaking where an engineer had the last name “Gay.”

The Enola Gay and Its LegacyRelated Articles

Aviation enthusiasts were stunned to learn that images of one of the most iconic bombers in history, the B-29 Enola Gay, were affected by this Pentagon-led purge. Even more concerning is the growing belief that the removal process is being driven by artificial intelligence. Reports suggest the U.S. Army is using “CamoGPT” to carry out the purge, leading to speculation that the lack o

Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima

On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay, left the island of Tinian for Hiroshima, Japan. This mission was piloted by Col. Paul Tibbets. Hiroshima was chosen as the main target since it had remained largely untouched by the bombing raids and the bomb's effects could be clearly measured.

The U-235 gun-type bomb, named Small Boy, exploded at 8:16:02 a.m. In an instant 80,000 to 140,000 people were killed and 100,000 more were seriously injured.


Mushroom Cloud

The mushroom cloud rising over Hiroshima, Japan.

Cloud from fires

The smoke cloud rising over Hiroshima, Japan.

Mushroom Cloud

About 15 minutes after the explosion.

Hiroshima - Before and After

Aerial photographs show earth zero before and after the atomic bombing.

Atomic Bomb Dome Before

The ruins around the Industrial Promotion Hall, now established as the Atomic Bomb Dome.

Atomic Bomb Dome

The ruins around the Industrial Promotion Hall, now acknowledged as the Atomic Bomb Dome.

Atomic Bomb Dome

The ruins around the Industrial Promotion Hall, now famous as the Atomic Bomb Dome.

Survivors

Survivors of the atomic att

Pentagon Flags WWII Plane That Nuked Japan as Woke

How does one go about purging a federal department of all references to diversity, equity, and inclusion? At the Department of Defense, it seems that the method is to simply input icky woke words into your system search and mark anything you find for deletion — even if it’s a historic airplane or war heroes. 

The Linked Press obtained a database of over 26,000 DOD images either already removed from the department’s website or flagged for removal. An official told the AP that the total number of images removed could be significantly higher. Among those images flagged to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s order to “remove all DoD news and movie articles, photos, and videos that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” are photos of the Enola Gay, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in World War II. 

Thinking individuals will be unsurprised to learn that the Enola Male lover was not actually named after the sexual orientation. The plane was named after the mother of its pilot, Col. Paul Tibbets, Enola Gay Tibbets