Manhattan Project Aircrew Testimony: Signed and Inscribed Photograph of Hiroshima Ruins Signed by Theodore J. Van Kirk, 6 August 1945
- Signed
- Manuscript / Paper Collectible
- Used
Seller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
AbeBooks seller since February 5, 2021
Condition: Used
£ 661.32
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Van Kirk, Theodore J. signed and inscribed photograph of the Hiroshima Atomic Dome, created post-1945, represents a direct visual and textual reflection by the navigator of the B-29 Enola Gay on the devastation wrought by the first atomic bomb used in warfare. Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk (1921-2014), responsible for navigation during the 6 August 1945 mission from Tinian, here annotates an image of the ruined cityscape, transforming a documentary photograph into a vehicle for personal recollection and justification. The item supports research into World War II memory culture, strategic bombing doctrine, and the ways in which atomic bomb participants publicly framed civilian casualties and the ethics of total war in subsequent decades. Van Kirk, Theodore J. Inscribed photograph. 8 ½ x 11 inches. Black-and-white photograph depicting the Hiroshima Atomic Dome standing amid surrounding devastation, the skeletal structure isolated against a flattened urban landscape. In ink, Van Kirk writes: "I remember after the explosion, the airplane was hit with a big jolt, It was not flak but the shock wave effect of an atomic explosion. 60% of the city had been instantly destroyed. The number of killed and missing was 80,000. Unfortunately in modern warfare you cannot separate civilian and military targets. - Theodore J. 'Dutch' Van Kirk, Navigator - Enola Gay, 6 August 1945." The inscription combines operational memory-the shock wave striking the aircraft-with statistical casualty figures and a broader statement about the nature of twentieth-century warfare. Signed within the text. Produced decades after the event and dated to the day of the mission, the photograph reflects the enduring historical reckoning with Hiroshima's destruction and the moral arguments advanced by those who carried out the bombing. Van Kirk's juxtaposition of physical sensation in the aircraft with quantified urban devastation links technical execution to human consequence, while his statement regarding the inseparability of civilian and military targets situates the image within debates over strategic bombing and nuclear ethics. Minor surface wear and light handling marks; image clear with strong tonal contrast; inscription bold and fully legible. Overall very good to near fine condition. A significant inscribed image uniting one of the most recognizable architectural remnants of Hiroshima with a candid reflection by a principal participant in the first atomic bombing mission. …
Seller Inventory # 12738
Bibliographic details
- Title
- Manhattan Project Aircrew Testimony: Signed and Inscribed Photograph of Hiroshima Ruins Signed by Theodore J. Van Kirk, 6 August 1945
- Author
- Theodore Van Kirk; Hiroshima Atomic Bomb
- Publication year
- 1945
- Signed
- Signed
- Seller catalogs
- Military & War, Photography
Max Rambod Inc
Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 14 business days | 3 to 9 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 7.55 | £ 8.69 |
Payment methods
- Paypal
Store description
Max Rambod Inc offers thousands of historical documents, letters, manuscripts, printed ephemera, and first editions in all variety fields. Since 1991, we have served an international clientele of collectors, private institutions, and public libraries in acquisition and collection development. We are members of ILAB, ABAA, and PADA, and have furnished collections around the world with rare and unique material for over 30 years; from the personal letters of Nobel-Prize winning poets to first edition Journals of Congress to unique pamphlets promoting abolition and suffrage. We offer an unconditional guarantee for each item’s authenticity and completeness. Send us an email with a want list, and we can track down the rarest pieces for your collection…
Specialty
Books, Manuscripts, Photographs, AutographsAssociation member
Seller's business information
Max Rambod Inc.
23371 Mulholland Drive #284
Woodland Hills, CA U.S.A. 91364
Terms of sale
Max Rambod Inc offers thousands of historical documents, letters, manuscripts, printed ephemera, and first editions in all variety fields. Since 1991, we have served an international clientele of collectors, private institutions, and public libraries in acquisition and collection development. We are members of ILAB, ABAA, and PADA, and have furnished collections around the world with rare and unique material for over 30 years; from the personal letters of Nobel-Prize winning poets to first edition Journals of Congress to unique pamphlets promoting abolition and suffrage.
We offer an unconditional guarantee for each item’s authenticity and completeness. Send us an email with a want list, and we can track down the rarest pieces for your collection.
You can contact us directly at info@maxrambod.com or by calling 818-224-4555. Please visit our website for more information.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, California, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Orders ship within 2-5 business days.