Francis Gary Powers awarded Silver Star.

[helolumpy]

Although he passed (in a helo crash) in 1977, DOD finally decided to recognized Francis Gary Powers for his U-2 work.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57454034/francis-gary-powers-honored-at-pentagon/

As always, the comments do not disappoint.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Apparently ludvig1-2009 wants a better retirement package since he was a blood donor...?

 

[Pugs]

As always, the comments do not disappoint.

No kidding.

I've always been fascinated by the U-2 and it's history. After the SA-2 hit Powers was lucky to get out of the thing at all, let alone try to destroy it.

 

[MIDNJAC]

That being said, there was a lot of noise from the peanut gallery when Shane Osbourne & Co took their EP-3 into China as well. Not saying the situations were comparable, or that either was handled wrongly or correctly, just that there are opinions wherever you go.

 

[Renegade One]

Although he passed (in a helo crash) in 1977, DOD finally decided to recognized Francis Gary Powers for his U-2 work.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57454034/francis-gary-powers-honored-at-pentagon/

As always, the comments do not disappoint.

Give me my flowers while I'm alive, son...

 

[Fog]

When Powers came home from Russia, no one at the Pentagon or Langley busted their asses (publicly) to call him a hero. In fact, they gave him a cold shoulder. This was a guy from a small town in the Virginia coal country (Pound, Va.) who was recruited from the USAF because he was a "good stick." In captivity, he took everything the Russians did to him and never broke or divulged CIA secrets. Better late than never, but when Powers died in 1977 you can bet he felt screwed by the U.S. intelligence community and the USAF. JMHO.

 

[Sapper!]

Kelly Johnson appreciated the guy enough to give him a job after returning home. Powers gives a first hand account of riding the thing down a good ways as it came apart in Ben Rich's book "the skunk works". I think I've reccommended this book in the aviation book thread, it is a fantastic and so good it's the only book I've read twice back to back. http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/dp/0316743003

Of course Power's book is the definitive take, but if you are interseted in the plane itself Rich's book is the better of the two.

 

[Brett327]

You've got to figure, though, that when your boss hands you a couple cyanide pills before your flight and mentions something about "knowing what to do with them" should things "not work out," knows what he's getting into. Hero or not, being thought of as "expendable" by your agency on an unacknowledged mission means you might not get that ticker tape parade if you happen to survive being shot own.

 

[Renegade One]

You've got to figure, though, that when your boss hands you a couple cyanide pills before your flight and mentions something about "knowing what to do with them" should things "not work out," knows what he's getting into. Hero or not, being thought of as "expendable" by your agency on an unacknowledged mission means you might not get that ticker tape parade if you happen to survive being shot own.

Brett: With respect, although it's never been voiced "by your agency": ...you, too, are expendable. Recommended tattoo: "REUSABLE CONTAINER: DO NOT DESTROY".

 

[Brett327]

Brett: With respect, although it's never been voiced "by your agency": ...you, too, are expendable. Recommended tattoo: "REUSABLE CONTAINER: DO NOT DESTROY".

Exactly, and nobody is demanding recognition on my behalf - especially me.

 

[Renegade One]

Exactly, and nobody is demanding recognition on my behalf - especially me.

Precisely.
"The Force is strong in this one!"

 

[helolumpy]

You've got to figure, though, that when your boss hands you a couple cyanide pills before your flight and mentions something about "knowing what to do with them" should things "not work out,"

Is that like when your Skipper rolls out plastic sheeting on his office floor before doing your FITREP debriefs?

 

[Brett327]

Is that like when your Skipper rolls out plastic sheeting on his office floor before doing your FITREP debriefs?

Dunno. Seems different to me.

 

[craftingraptor]

You've got to figure, though, that when your boss hands you a couple cyanide pills before your flight and mentions something about "knowing what to do with them" should things "not work out," knows what he's getting into. Hero or not, being thought of as "expendable" by your agency on an unacknowledged mission means you might not get that ticker tape parade if you happen to survive being shot own.

When I was a young'un, I can recall overhearing conversations about this gary powers guy and how he should have used the cyanide. [This of course being at least 3 decades after the incident.]

I guess I never really considered what it meant to be that guy until now. I figure, and this is just me figurin', you don't take the green pill unless you don't trust yourself to not leak classified information. Since he obviously could take what the russkies handed out, he shouldn't have to take the pill, right?

 

[Brett327]

What he did or didn't give the Soviets will probably never be known.