Morris R. Jeppson collection of "The Only Surviving Parts of the First Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima"
Scope and Contents
Contains a booklet with photocopies of the handwritten account of Morris R. Jeppson and his experience dropping the atomic bomb. He worked as the weapons electronics officer and made sure the bomb was properly armed before it was released. He shares information on how the bomb worked and his specific role in the process. News articles honoring Jeppson are also included. Photo copies of select documents relating to his Air Force service, and other photographs may be found with the materials. Materials are dated approximately 1945-2001.
Dates
- Approximately 1945-2001
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Morris R. Jeppson collection of "The Only Surviving Parts of the First Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima" must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.
Biographical History
Morris R. Jeppson (1922-2010) was a second Lieutenant in the Air Force during World War II, and served as assistant weaponeer on the Enola Gay, which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
Morris R. Jeppson was born on June 23, 1922 in Logan, Utah to parents Robert Baird and Elsie Smith Jeppson. He studied physics at the University of Nevada-Reno before enlisting in the Army Air Force in 1943. He attended basic training in Florida and received electrical engineering training at Yale, Harvard, and MIT. He was requested in Wendover, Utah where he worked on bomb firing mechanisms with the Los Alamos scientists under extreme secrecy.
On August 6, 1945 he and his crew dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, Japan endeing World War II. Jeppson left the military in 1946. He went on to work on nuclear projects at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Calirofnia and later started his own company manufacturing microwaves.
He was married twice and has six children. Jeppson passed away on March 30, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Biographical History
Lawrence S. Jeppson (approx. 1935- ) is a business owner in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Lawrence S. Jeppson was born in approximately 1935 to parents Robert Baird and Elsie Smith Jeppson.
In 1945 he attended Oregon State College where he studied civil engineering and graduated from the army specialized training program. From 1946-48 he attended the University of Utah, graduating with a Bachelors in Journalism. He went on to Boston University from 1951-1952, receiving a Masters in Public Relations. He finished off his education at the University of Nevada-Reno with his graduate study in 1951.
He owns his own business in Salt Lake City, Utah and has previously lived in North Brunswick, New Jersey and Bethesda, Maryland.
Extent
1 folder (0.02 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Collection was donated by Lawrence S. Jeppson in 2010.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated; Lawrence S. Jeppson; 2010.
Appraisal
Utah and the American West and LDS cultural, social, and religious history (20th century Western & Mormon Manuscripts collection development policy, 5.VII, 2007).
Processing Information
Processed; Catie Freedman, student manuscript processor, John M. Murphy, curator; 2015.
Source
- Jeppson, Lawrence S., approximately 1935- (donor, Person)
- Title
- Register of Morris R. Jeppson collection of "The Only Surviving Parts of the First Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima"
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Catie Freedman
- Date
- 2015 March 17
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States