 Enola Gay was personally selected by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets , Jr . , the commander of the 509th Composite Group , on 9 May 1945 , while still on the assembly line . The aircraft was accepted by the United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF ) on 18 May 1945 and assigned to the 393d Bombardment Squadron , Heavy , 509th Composite Group . Crew B @-@ 9 , commanded by Captain Robert A. Lewis , took delivery of the bomber and flew it from Omaha to the 509th 's base at Wendover Army Air Field , Utah , on 14 June 1945 . 
