The 509th Composite Group was a United States Army Air Forces unit created during World War II and tasked with the operational deployment of nuclear weapons. Commanded by Paul W. Tibbets, it conducted the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The group, which was activated on 17 December 1944, was designated as a "composite" rather than a "bombardment" formation because it contained flying squadrons equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers and C-47 Skytrain and C-54 Skymaster transport aircraft. It operated Silverplate B-29s, which were specially configured to enable them to carry nuclear weapons. In addition to the two nuclear bombing raids, it carried out 15 practice missions against Japanese-held islands and 12 combat missions against targets in Japan, dropping high-explosive pumpkin bombs. In the postwar era, the 509th Composite Group was one of the original ten bombardment groups assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946 and the only one equipped with Silverplate B-29 Superfortress aircraft capable of delivering atomic bombs. It was standardized as a bombardment group and redesignated the 509th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 10 July 1946.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/509th_Composite_Group

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

546:

After a nearly year-long siege, Ostrogoths led by Totila sacked Rome. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Rome_(546)

1819:

The Republic of Gran Colombia in South America was established, with Simón Bolívar as its first president. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Colombia

1918:

About 1,000 demonstrators marched on Government House in Darwin, Australia, where they burnt an effigy of Administrator John Gilruth and demanded his resignation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Rebellion

1970:

Soldiers fired at workers (memorial pictured) emerging from trains in Gdynia, Poland, beginning the government's brutal crackdown on mass anti-communist protests across the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_1970_protests

1989:

The Simpsons, currently the longest running American prime time entertainment series, made its debut on the Fox television network with the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

neotenous: 1. Exhibiting retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult. 2. (informal) Babyfaced. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/neotenous

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

We need to get to know each other, listen to each other and improve our knowledge of the world around us. Sometimes after a meeting I want to arrange another one because new ideas are born and I discover new needs. This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good.   --Pope Francis https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pope_Francis