OTD 1977: Former U2 pilot Francis Gary #Powers was killed when his helicopter crashed due to a faulty fuel gauge.
1.usa.gov/1F6yVCA
In 1960, #Powers flew what was to be the first U-2 flight across the whole of Russia. He was shot down over the USSR on May 1st.
Powers, stuck in the rapidly descending plane, was unable to activate the U-2’s self-destruct mechanism before he finally freed himself.
Powers avoided landing on a tractor, in a lake, & on crackling power lines, but was seized by 2 men following him from the ground.
Powers was taken to KGB headquarters & questioned 11 hours a day, 7 days a week.
He was tried for espionage, lost, & sentenced to 10 years.
Almost 2 yrs later, #Powers was exchanged on Glienicke Bridge -Bridge of Spies- for Rudolf Abel, a Soviet spy convicted of espionage in US.
Powers continued working for CIA, training officers to cope while being interrogated, until he became a @LockheedMartin U-2 test pilot.
1965: Powers was awarded the CIA Intelligence Star “for voluntary acts of courage performed under hazardous conditions…”
As a traffic pilot-reporter for @NBCLA Powers died 1 Aug 1977 when his helicopter crashed due to a faulty fuel gauge
1.usa.gov/1F6yVCA
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.