Francis Gary Powers

U-2 pilot and Cold War figure

Francis Gary Powers - Military & Warriors born August 17th, 1929
Born
Died
Category

Military & Warriors

Country

United States

Links & References

Birth on August 17, 1929, took place in Jenkins, Kentucky. A career as a U.S. Air Force pilot led to a role in the CIA's U-2 program for high-altitude reconnaissance. In 1960, an operational flight over the Soviet Union resulted in capture after the aircraft was shot down. Following a spy trial in Moscow, Powers received a ten-year sentence but was exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolph Abel in 1962. His life thereafter included media work and writing about intelligence operations. His experiences highlighted the tensions of the Cold War.

Participation in U-2 reconnaissance flights

Capture and trial in the Soviet Union

Exchange for Soviet spy Rudolph Abel

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