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Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
"US Military Firsts among the 26,000 Images Flagged for Deletion in Trump DEI Purge." The Guardian, 7 Mar. 2025. The original source for such a claim was an AP story that relied on anonymous officials to confirm the details. If we validate the content does not meet the EO requirement for removal, we will repost it.
The aircraft is preparing for its historic mission of dropping the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II.
Harry Bratton, Co-pilot B-29 tests, Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets 509th Composite Group CO (pilot of Enola Gay), Maj. Gen. Vernon C. Brent, Capt.
“In rare cases where content is removed outside the directive’s clearly outlined scope, we provide further guidance to the relevant components.”
With News Wire Services
What we know about U.S. military's anti-DEI purge of WWII Enola Gay aircraft photos
According to news reports, the Pentagon flagged files because of the word "gay."
Published March 10, 2025
Updated March 11, 2025Article 8 of 15 in Collection
In March 2025, following U.S.
President Donald Trump's orders to remove all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from federal agencies, The Associated Press reported the Pentagon was purging images from its sites that violated the order. Country: Unknown
William 'Deak' Parsons, USN, Maj. William 'Bill' Uanna - Security Officer, Operation Silverplate Director: Melvin Frank & Norman Panama 31 December 1952 **WARNING** This Photograph is for editorial use only and is the copyright of MGM and/or the Photographer assigned by the Film or Production Company and can only be reproduced by
Photos of the Enola Gay World War II bomber, Black military pilots and the country’s first female fighter pilot are among the tens of thousands of images flagged for removal by the Pentagon in an effort to eliminate references to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Department of Defense is scrapping more than 26,000 photos and posts related to DEI efforts across all military branches — a massive effort that stems from an executive order signed by President Trump on his first day in office, designed to end “radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.”
Many of the images and posts, some of which include events celebrating minorities as well as significant milestones achieved by Black, Hispanic and female service members, had been removed as of Friday, according to a database obtained by The Associated Press.
However, the flagging of some images — including one of the historic Enola Gay aircraft, the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan during the final stages of World War II — has raised some questions about the criteria used by the Pentagon.
In one photo flagged for deletion, pilot Col.
Paul Tibbets Jr. is seen posing in front of the plane, which was named after his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets.
Images of an Army Corps of Engineers dredging project in California were also flagged for removal, seemingly because a person in the photo had the last name Gay.
Overall, more than 26,000 items have been marked to be removed, according to the AP.
However, one unnamed official said that number could reach 100,00 items, when taken into account social media posts and other websites.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the department is happy with the swift compliance.
“We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms,” the spokesperson, John Ullyot, said in a statement.
Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
"Col. From left: Major Thomas W. Ferebee, Colonel Paul
Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., pilot of the ENOLA GAY, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, waves from his cockpit before the takeoff, 6 August 1945.
Individuals are encouraged to bring content they believe was erroneously removed to Public Affairs' attention for review.
The spokesperson would not specify on the record what categories or keywords violated the anti-DEI order.
Some information was removed based on a keyword search. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
"Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity." The White House, 22 Jan.
2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/. We are returning the focus of the military to merit and mission readiness."
What's Next
Military branches are continuing to review content, but officials have acknowledged that inconsistencies in archival procedures may make it difficult to recover deleted materials.
Some historians and military experts have raised concerns that the removals could lead to the loss of important records documenting the evolution of the armed forces.
This article uses reporting by The Associated Press.
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Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III touring a bomb pit loading area where the Enola Gay aircraft was loaded with the atomic bomb used on Hiroshima.
But many other photographs on the air force and National Defense University websites (seen here, here, here, and here) still show the Enola Gay aircraft as of this writing.
While the Air Force confirmed it was removing imagery that violated Trump's order, it did not specify which images and only anonymous officials confirmed the ones that were flagged for removal to the AP.
However, based on our examination of military webpages, a few images of Enola Gay have been removed while others remain.
Article 8 of 15 in Collection
Sources
"Atomic Bomb "Little Boy" Hoisted into Bomb Bay of B-29 Superfortress, Enola Gay, Tinian Island, August 1945." U.S. Navy National Museum.
From Left to right are: Sgt T.J. Healey; Sgt C.O. Wentzell; S/Sgt H.E. Osmond; M/sgt W.F. Orren; M/Sgt W. Duzenbury; Lt J. M. Anderson; Maj T. Ferrebee; Maj T. Van Kirk; and Col Paul W. Tibbets. Paul Tibbetts in Front of the Enola Gay." U.S. Air Force, https://www.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000593150/. It played a pivotal role in World War II and is one of the most significant aircraft in aviation history.
The bomber has just returned from its flight during which the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
"War Heroes and Military Firsts Are among 26,000 Images Flagged for Removal in Pentagon's DEI Purge." AP News, 7 Mar. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/dei-purge-images-pentagon-diversity-women-black-8efcfaec909954f4a24bad0d49c78074.
Col. Paul W. Tibbets, the pilot in centre
Army Air Forces' B-29-45-MO Superfortress, 'Enola Gay,' is positioned over a loading pit at Tinian Air Base. PICTURED: The ground and flight crew of the B-29 'Enola Gay' after the first Atomic Bombing mission on Hiroshima, Japan.