Operation Overflight

by Francis Gary Powers

  The word “like” was definitely an exaggeration.

  “That test was subsequently duly administered by an expert, and in it he was examined on all of the factual phases which the board considered critical in this inquiry. The report by the polygraph operator is that he displayed no indications of deviation from the truth in the course of that examination. In the fifth place, a study of the photograph of the debris of the plane and other information concerning the plane revealed, in the opinion of experts making the study, no condition which suggested an inconsistency with Powers’ account of what had transpired. The board noted the testimony of Russian witnesses at the trial in Moscow which dealt with the descent and capture of Powers and with technical features of the plane and the incident.

  “The testimony was consistent with the account given by Powers. Powers was able to identify a spot near a small village where he thought he had landed. This location checked with prior testimony given by Powers as to physical features, directions, and distances, and also corresponded with earlier independent information not known to Powers that certain of the persons who captured him lived in this same small village. Some information from confidential sources was available. Some of it corroborated Powers and some of it was inconsistent in parts with Powers’ story, but that which was inconsistent was in part contradictory with itself and subject to various interpretations. Some of this information was the basis for considerable speculation shortly after the 1 May episode and subsequent stories in the press that Powers’ plane had descended gradually from its extreme altitude and had been shot down by a Russian fighter at medium altitude. On careful analysis, it appears that the information on which these stories were based was erroneous or was susceptible of varying interpretations. The board came to the conclusion that it could not accept a doubtful interpretation in this regard which was inconsistent with all the other known facts and consequently rejected these newspaper stories as not founded in fact.”

  Finally the bogus story was laid to rest. Yet there was not a hint as to who had perpetrated this fiction in the first place. Or why.

  The final paragraph of the statement read:

  “On all the information available, therefore, it is the conclusion of the board of inquiry which reviewed Mr. Powers’ case and of the director of Central Intelligence, who has carefully studied the board’s report and has discussed it with the board, that Mr. Powers lived up to the terms of his employment and instructions in connection with his mission and in his obligations as an American under the circumstances in which he found himself. It should be noted that competent aerodynamicists and aeronautical engineers have carefully studied Powers’ description of his experience and have concluded on the basis of scientific analysis that a U-2 plane damaged as he described would perform in its descent in about the manner he stated. Accordingly, the amount due Mr. Powers under the terms of his contract will be paid to him.”

  “POWERS CLEARED BY CIA,” the headlines would read.

  Yet I wondered.

  Three

  There’s been a change in plans,” one of the agents informed me excitedly. “You’re going to the White House before you go to the Senate. You have an appointment with the President.”

  Nervous enough before, I was doubly so now. The newspapers had made much of President Kennedy’s greeting the two RB-47 pilots but “snubbing Powers.” This meeting, I realized, could do much to allay the criticism. It also meant that the attorney general had apparently gotten the message. The likelihood of my actually being brought to trial was, I felt, quite remote. Still, that it had even been considered bothered me.

  We were awaiting the arrival of the limousines to take us to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, when another message came through. One of the agents gave me the news. “The White House called. The appointment has been canceled.”

  Why? He didn’t know; there had been no explanation.

  With my appearance before the Senate to begin in just a couple of hours, I hadn’t the time to worry about it. To mask my disappointment, I told myself that maybe it had been postponed until after the hearing. But I didn’t really believe that. Something had happened.

  I wished they hadn’t brought it up in the first place.

  Thoughtfully, the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, Richard B. Russell of Georgia, had provided the agency with a list of questions he would ask me at the start, to put me at ease. Then I would be asked to describe exactly what had happened on my May 1 flight. Beyond that I’d be on my own; the committee members were free to ask whatever questions they wished.

  CIA Director McCone had given his closed-door testimony that morning, at the same time the chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Forces committees had jointly released my CIA clearance, thus providing groundwork for my testimony.

  As we drove to the Old Senate Office Building, I scanned the list. What part of Virginia are you from? Where did you attend grammar and high school? Where did you go to college? I was admittedly shy; the mere thought of appearing before a large crowd frightened me. This little bit of prebriefing was helpful, and I was thankful to Russell for being so considerate.

  We made it out of the automobile and into the building without being spotted. But as we were walking down the corridor to the Senate caucus room, one of the TV reporters recognized me. Within seconds the cameras were focused and questions were coming from every direction.

  I thought: This is the first time I’ve ever been on TV! But, before I could panic, I remembered: No, it isn’t. There was Moscow. You should be a seasoned performer by now.

  Powers can’t make any statement at this time, my escort insisted, trying to hurry me past. Would I talk to them after the hearing ended? I promised to do so.

  There were about four hundred people in the Senate caucus room. Including Chairman Russell, fourteen senators were present: Harry Flood Byrd, Virginia; John Stennis, Mississippi; Stuart Symington, Missouri; Henry M. Jackson, Washington; Sam J. Ervin, Jr., North Carolina; Strom Thurmond, South Carolina; Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia; Leverett Saltonstall, Massachusetts; Margaret Chase Smith, Maine; Francis Case, South Dakota; Prescott Bush, Connecticut; J. Glenn Beall, Maryland; and Barry Goldwater, Arizona.

  As I sat down at a table, facing them, someone handed me a model of the U-2, and I held it while the flash bulbs snapped. Promptly at two P.M. the chairman called the hearing to order.

  Chairman Russell began: “That will be all for those cameras. I will ask the officers to see that rule is enforced and that no further pictures are taken. If you need any additional policemen for that purpose, we will summon them.

  “The Armed Services Committee, through the Central Intelligence Agency, has extended to Mr. Francis Gary Powers an invitation to appear in open session this afternoon.

  “Before we hear from Mr. Powers, the Chair would like to make a very short statement concerning the circumstances of this hearing.

  “The Chair believes it can be fairly stated that this committee and its subcommittees have attempted to deal with subjects involving the Central Intelligence Agency and, indeed, all matters affecting the national security, in an unspectacular manner.

  “Accordingly, to some, it may appear that this hearing in the caucus room, under these circumstances, is somewhat uncharacteristic of the proceedings of this committee.

  “In this instance, however, the correction of some erroneous impressions and an opportunity for Mr. Powers to reveal as much of his experience as is consistent with security requirements make it apparent that a hearing of this type at this time is not only in the national interest, but is in the interest of fair play for Mr. Powers… .

  “Mr. Powers, after having been subjected to a public trial in Moscow, you should feel no trepidation whatever in appearing before a group of your fellow citizens and elected representatives. I hope that you feel just as much at ease as you possibly can.

  “I understand from Senator Byrd that you are a Virginia boy. What part of Virginia are you from?”

 
; After the initial questions, Chairman Russell asked me to tell, in my own words, exactly what had happened on May 1.1 did, describing the prebreathing, the last check of the maps, my final instructions from Colonel Shelton, and the delayed takeoff—but omitting mention that this had been occasioned because we were awaiting White House approval. Then I described the flight itself, seeing the jet contrails below and realizing I had been radar-tracked, the autopilot trouble, the route—but again omitting certain things, such as how I made my radio fixes, that this would be the first time a U-2 had overflown Sverdlovsk. Although I was accompanied by Lawrence Houston, general counsel for the Central Intelligence Agency, there had been no prior briefing by the agency on what I should or should not say. Apparently by this time it was presumed I knew what was and wasn’t sensitive. All I could do was guess, hoping some of these matters had been earlier covered by McCone.

  Interrupted only for occasional clarification by Russell, I then described in considerable detail the orange flash and what had followed, up to my final unsuccessful attempt to activate the destruct switches. From the faces of the senators I couldn’t tell whether or not they believed me. All I knew was that I was telling the truth.

  I went on to tell of my descent and capture, the trip to Sverdlovsk, the bringing in of my maps and assorted wreckage, the questioning, my decision to admit that I was employed by the CIA, the trip to Moscow, Lubyanka Prison, and the interrogations. Realizing that I had been talking for what seemed a very long time, I paused and observed that they probably had many questions.

  Russell had several. I had been vague as to time. Didn’t I have a wristwatch? No, I replied, explaining that because of the difficulty of putting it on over the pressure suit, I didn’t wear one. Had I ever experienced a jet-plane flameout? Yes, and there was no comparison.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: Has there ever been any other occasion when you were in an airplane and were the target of a ground-to-air missile or explosive or shell of any kind?

  POWERS: Not that I know of.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: YOU have never seen any ground-to-air missile explode?

  I replied that I hadn’t, although I had seen motion pictures of such happenings, adding, “I am sure that nothing hit this aircraft. If something did hit it, I am sure I would have felt it.”

  I’d had twenty-one months to think about this question and was convinced—as were “Kelly” Johnson and others—that the plane must have been disabled by the shock waves from a near-miss. Had it been a direct hit, I doubted seriously whether I would be here testifying before the Senate.

  While I was talking, one of the Senate pages handed me a white envelope. I slipped it into my pocket and promptly forgot it.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: I wish you would clear up the matter of the needle, Mr. Powers. Were you under any obligation to destroy yourself if you were captured?

  POWERS: Oh, no. I don’t remember exactly who gave me the needle that morning, but they told me, “You can take it if you want to.” They said, “If something does happen, you may be tortured. Maybe you could conceal this on your person in some way, and if you see that you cannot withstand the torture, you might want to use it.” And that is the reason I took the needle. But I could have left it. I wasn’t told to take it.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: DO you have the instructions that you received that morning and that you usually received before you—

  Russell stopped abruptly, realizing he had almost mentioned my other overflights.

  He was referring to the three paragraphs in the CIA clearance regarding what I was to do in the event of capture. On his instructions, I read them into the record.

  Russell then questioned me about the red-and-white parachute I had seen. Earlier, when this had been brought up during the debriefings, one of the agency intelligence men had told me there was evidence indicating that in their attempt to get me the Russians had also shot down one of their own planes. I wasn’t told the source of this information, only that from contacts within Russia they had learned about the funeral of a fighter pilot who presumably had piloted the aircraft.

  This fit in with what I had suspected.

  However, since this was an area which might be sensitive— involving, as it did, our intelligence apparatus within Russia—and because, too, my information on this was secondhand, I didn’t mention it to the committee. I did observe that the second chute was not a part of my equipment.

  We came now to my treatment after capture.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL- Did they threaten you at any time when they were examining you?

  POWERS: There were no definite threats, but they didn’t let me forget that this crime was punishable by death. Anytime they would mention it was seven to fifteen years or death, and they wouldn’t let me forget that.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: Did you ever manifest any reluctance in answering the questions that they asked you, or did you answer them immediately?

  POWERS: I refused to answer several of their questions. I showed reluctance on many.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: Pardon?

  POWERS: I showed reluctance on many, some that I couldn’t see how they could be of any interest to them at all, but I was just reluctant in answering all questions.

  I was caught in a trap, and not one of my own making. I wanted to say more, but couldn’t. I had no idea how much McCone had told the committee. I could only hope he had made clear that important information had been withheld.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: That was not exactly in conformity with your instructions there to cooperate with your captors, was it?

  POWERS: Well, you shouldn’t go overboard with this cooperation… .

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: YOU were quoted in the press as having stated at your trial that you had made a terrible mistake in flying over Russia and apologized to the Russian people and would never do it again. Was that a misquotation, or did you make that statement at your trial?

  POWERS: NO, that wasn’t a misquotation. I made this statement on the advice of my defense counsel, and also because it was easy to say I was sorry, because what I meant by saying that, and what I wanted them to think I meant, were quite different. My main sorrow was that the mission failed, and I was sorry that I was there, and it was causing a lot of adverse publicity in the States. But, of course, some of these things I couldn’t say in that statement.

  Russell then questioned me at some length about my imprisonment, the food, whether I felt my cellmate was a plant, how I was treated generally.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: I can’t refrain from saying that the Russians were much more gentle with you than I would ever have expected they would have been to one who was taken under those circumstances.

  POWERS: It surprised me also. I expected much worse treatment than I received.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: I rather think you got off somewhat better than a Russian spy would in this country under the same circumstances.

  POWERS: I really don’t know.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: It might depend on where he happened to land. Undoubtedly he would have a rough time in the section of the country from which I come.

  Russell then turned the questioning over to the other senators. White-haired Senator Saltonstall from Massachusetts, looking every bit the formidable New Englander, led off.

  SENATOR SALTONSTALL: Mr. Chairman, Mr. Powers, I think I only have one or two questions. I have listened with interest to what you have said. I have listened to what Mr. McCone has told us, what he has given out in unclassified information, and I have listened to the chairman. My question would be this: Did I understand you correctly that when you were coming down in the parachute you threw away your instructions and threw away your map?

  POWERS: No, I had no written instructions with me, but I did have a map, and I tore that up in very small pieces and scattered it out in the air as I was coming down.

  SENATOR SALTONSTALL: SO that your instructions were in your head, so to speak?

  POWERS.- Yes.

  SENATOR SALTONSTALL- Now, did you have a briefcase or something
else in which these other things, your special food, and these other things, were that they looked through afterward?

  POWERS: Yes, I had what we call a seat pack. In this seat pack was a collapsible life raft, some food, some water, matches, several other items necessary to, say, live off the land or survive in an unpopulated area.

  SENATOR SALTONSTALL: In other words, nothing except survival kit?

  POWERS: Yes. There were also some cloth maps for escape and evasion.

  I was anticipating another question, and what came next caught me completely off guard.

  SENATOR SALTONSTALL: Mr. Powers, I will just say this: After listening to Mr. McCone and after listening to you, I commend you as a courageous, fine young American citizen who lived up to your instructions and who did the best you could under very difficult circumstances.

  I managed to say “Thank you very much,” but my voice choked. I was deeply moved by his response. Excepting only the private remarks of Allen Dulles, this was the first commendation I had received since my return.

  CHAIRMAN RUSSELL: Senator Byrd?