Faked Soviet Photo to Show Complete Destruction of U-2 Plane
1960
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During the Cold War, fearing the Soviet Union's weapons abilities, President Eisenhower approved a number of spy missions to collect intelligence about Soviet military bases and missile construction complexes.
On May 1, 1960, Captain Francis Gary Powers received orders to begin his reconnaissance mission in a U-2 spy plane. He would never complete his mission — a ground-to-air missile hit his plane. He managed to crawl out of the cockpit and open his parachute.
The Soviet Union quickly recovered the wreckage and captured Captain Powers. Premier Nikita Khrushchev announced that the Soviet Union had shot down a spy plane flying over its airspace.
Believing that there was no possibility that Powers survived, President Eisenhower gave the order to proceed with releasing a cover story. NASA announced that a U-2 plane running a joint NASA-USAF Air Weather Service mission went down in Turkey. The pilot had reported oxygen problems. Later, on May 7, 1960, Khrushchev revealed that not only did they have the plane, mostly intact, but also that the pilot survived.
On May 1, 1960, Captain Francis Gary Powers received orders to begin his reconnaissance mission in a U-2 spy plane. He would never complete his mission — a ground-to-air missile hit his plane. He managed to crawl out of the cockpit and open his parachute.
The Soviet Union quickly recovered the wreckage and captured Captain Powers. Premier Nikita Khrushchev announced that the Soviet Union had shot down a spy plane flying over its airspace.
Believing that there was no possibility that Powers survived, President Eisenhower gave the order to proceed with releasing a cover story. NASA announced that a U-2 plane running a joint NASA-USAF Air Weather Service mission went down in Turkey. The pilot had reported oxygen problems. Later, on May 7, 1960, Khrushchev revealed that not only did they have the plane, mostly intact, but also that the pilot survived.
This primary source comes from the Collection DDE-1036: Gerald D. Morgan Records.
National Archives Identifier: 594267
Full Citation: Photograph 79-5-28; Photograph of U-2 Wreckage; 1960; Photographs Relating to the U-2 Incident, 1960 - 1960; Collection DDE-1036: Gerald D. Morgan Records; Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Abilene, KS. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/fake-photo-u2-wreckage, June 12, 2025]Rights: Copyright Not Evaluated Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
