AT 31,000 feet above Hiroshima, Maj. Clyde Kendall Rees received an order that would unknowingly make him a witness to a pivotal moment in history: “Start taking pictures and don’t stop!”
His nephew, Clayton Rees, is a retired mechanic who strives to ensure those photos and their stories are not forgotten. Rees wrote a section of the book “Seabees and Superforts at War” by Don Farrell, detailing his uncle’s experiences and highlighting the airplanes and equipment used. He also wrote an article for the Commemorative Air Force called “The Flyer,” read by over 70,000 people. Through these writings, Clayton celebrates the memory of his uncle.
Clyde grew up on a farm in Bedford County. His mechanical aptitude led him to aviation. He walked into a post office one day and noticed a Navy recruitment sign. Inspired, he joined the Army Air Corps and became an airplane mechanic. His mechanical abilities impressed his superiors, and he was selected for advanced education at Yale University. After his studies, he became an instructor and was eventually assigned to the 20th Air Force under Gen. Curtis LeMay.
Clayton said his uncle was a flight engineer and photographer aboard the B-29 Double Exposure. This aircraft was selected to photograph two controversial and historic missions: Clyde snapped countless photos of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — the attacks that effectively ended World War II.
“Until 2019, nobody knew the name of the crew that photographed the atomic bombings,” Clayton said. “After talking to the family, we finally decided it was time.”
According to Clayton, his uncle flew 20 photo missions aboard the modified B-29, which had camera doors running the length and belly of the aircraft. While most B-29s were bombers, this one carried only cameras and photographers. The crew endured dangerous conditions, flying just 250 miles from the center of the atomic explosions.
On the Hiroshima mission, Clyde was told to keep shooting without stopping. Clayton said his uncle told him the smoke from the blast rose as high as 38,000 feet. Astonishingly, he and his crew had no idea they were documenting the first use of an atomic bomb in warfare.
Even after Hiroshima, Clyde was not told what they had photographed during the Nagasaki mission. Unlike at Hiroshima, the Double Exposure was ordered to fly as close as possible to the blast zone. It wasn’t until after both bombs had been deployed that he learned the magnitude of what he had captured.
“My uncle told me that he picked up the radio broadcast from the radio tower off Iwo Jima,” Clayton said. “That’s how he learned that there had even been an atomic bomb drop. He said he didn’t even know what an atomic bomb was.”
During that mission, the crew thought they were simply witnessing a huge ammunition dump when they saw the mushroom cloud of smoke. Clayton is working to preserve these memories. He has worked with people worldwide to preserve his uncle’s historical contributions. He’s even collaborated with Russian historians and representatives from the Tinian Museum.
Through this extensive research, Clayton discovered that his uncle’s team almost didn’t get picked for the atomic missions. In his Commemorative Air Force article, he explained that Double Exposure only received the assignment due to engine problems with the first reconnaissance aircraft.
The instant Double Exposure landed, military police surrounded it. Scientists with Geiger counters swarmed, checking everyone for radiation. Clyde and his crew didn’t know what was happening but remained aboard as ordered. His historic photography was confiscated and mostly classified, but Clayton continues to make sure the world remembers what his uncle did.
Beyond his writing, Clayton serves as the historian for a nonprofit organization called Momentum-Foundation, a Tullahoma-based philanthropic organization created by Rodney Allison, its president. The foundation preserves World War II aircraft and history and is working to start a local World War II museum. The organization pays respect to World War II veterans still living in our area by offering to take them on complimentary flights in restored wartime planes, like Mustangs and B-25s.
“There’s not many of these guys left, and we need to honor them,” Clayton said.
He has also worked with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and YouTube to create documentary videos about his uncle’s service.
“MTSU has asked me to come in and do a follow-up documentary now that we know exactly what happened,” Clayton said.
It wasn’t until 2016, when a stranger began discussing intimate World War II details after learning Clayton’s last name, that he understood the magnitude of his uncle’s involvement.
“We just kept quiet all those years,” Clayton said. But now, with his family’s blessing, he’s determined to change that.
Clayton’s admiration for his uncle keeps him motivated. He said stories like his uncle’s will be lost if we do not make these efforts.
“I hope people will help me keep my uncle’s legacy alive along with so many others who are no longer with us,” Clayton said. “This year marks the 80th anniversary of World War II. So many men and women gave the ultimate sacrifice so we can be free. By helping me, their memory won’t die.” GN
For more information or to donate to the Momentum-Foundation, contact Clayton Rees at reesmorerees@gmail.com.
