Frederick Ashworth
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral Frederick Lincoln "Dick" Ashworth (January 24, 1912 – December 3, 2005) was a United States Navy
officer who served as the weaponeer on the B-29 Bockscar
that dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man
" on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.
, Ashworth graduated from Beverly High School in 1928. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1933.
, the portion of the Manhattan Project
tasked with dropping of the weapons on Japan
, and selected Tinian
as the location of its operating airbase. The director of Project Alberta, Captain William Parsons
, had been weaponeer during the first mission August 6, when Hiroshima
had been bombed.
Prior to his being named to Project Alberta, Ashworth had been commander of Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11)
, a Grumman TBF Avenger
unit based on Guadalcanal
and the USS Hornet
.
Ashworth remained in the Navy after the war and was Commandant of Midshipmen
at the United States Naval Academy in 1958. He was promoted to vice admiral
and served as commander of the United States Sixth Fleet from 1966 until his retirement in 1968.
. He died in Phoenix, Arizona
at the age of 93.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer who served as the weaponeer on the B-29 Bockscar
Bockscar
Bockscar, sometimes called Bock's Car or Bocks Car, is the name of the United States Army Air Forces B-29 bomber that dropped the "Fat Man" nuclear weapon over Nagasaki on 9 August 1945, the second atomic weapon used against Japan....
that dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man
Fat Man
"Fat Man" is the codename for the atomic bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on August 9, 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons to be used in warfare to date , and its detonation caused the third man-made nuclear explosion. The name also refers more...
" on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.
- Main Article: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and NagasakiAtomic bombings of Hiroshima and NagasakiDuring the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
Early life
A native of Beverly, MassachusettsBeverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
, Ashworth graduated from Beverly High School in 1928. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1933.
Naval career
Holding the rank of commander, he became Director of Operations for Project AlbertaProject Alberta
Project Alberta was a section of the Manhattan Project which developed the means of delivering the first atomic bombs, used by the United States Army Air Forces against the Empire of Japan during World War II...
, the portion of the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
tasked with dropping of the weapons on Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, and selected Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
as the location of its operating airbase. The director of Project Alberta, Captain William Parsons
William Sterling Parsons
Rear Admiral William Sterling "Deak" Parsons was a naval officer who worked as an ordnance expert on the Manhattan Project during World War II...
, had been weaponeer during the first mission August 6, when Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
had been bombed.
Prior to his being named to Project Alberta, Ashworth had been commander of Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11)
VFA-115
Strike Fighter Squadron 115 , also known as the "Eagles", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi...
, a Grumman TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
unit based on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
and the USS Hornet
USS Hornet (CV-12)
USS Hornet is a United States Navy aircraft carrier of the Essex class. Construction started in August 1942; she was originally named , but was renamed in honor of the , which was lost in October 1942, becoming the eighth ship to bear the name.Hornet was commissioned in November 1943, and after...
.
Ashworth remained in the Navy after the war and was Commandant of Midshipmen
Commandant of Midshipmen
The Commandant of Midshipmen is the second-in-command at the United States Naval Academy. According to the Naval Academy, the Commandant of Midshipmen is "responsible for the professional development and day-to-day activities of all 4,000 Midshipmen in the Brigade" and equates to a dean of students...
at the United States Naval Academy in 1958. He was promoted to vice admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
and served as commander of the United States Sixth Fleet from 1966 until his retirement in 1968.
Retirement
Frederick L. Ashworth lived for over three decades in Santa Fe, New MexicoSanta Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. He died in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
at the age of 93.