Francis Gary Powers to be awarded Silver Star

| June 14, 2012

Francis Gary Powers was shot down in his U2 spy plane over the Soviet Union in 1960 – considered impossible until it happened. The Eisenhower Administration denied that it even happened in the early days until the Soviets broadcast video of their prisoner. Powers was held by the Soviets for two years as a propaganda tool, an uncooperative propaganda tool. After he died in 1977, he was awarded a POW Medal, and now his family will receive his Silver Star Medal. According to Stars & Stripes;

Though pressured with threats of death, as well as sleep and food deprivation, “Captain Powers steadfastly refused all attempts to give sensitive defense information or be exploited for propaganda purposes,” the medal citation reads.

“I believe the Silver Star is an appropriate award for my father for what he endured from ’60 to ’62, and it helps to set the record straight after 50 years,” said Gary Powers Jr, 47.

His was a name that I grew up with and it’s outstanding that he’s finally getting the recognition his deserves. According to his memorial page at Arlington, he died in a helicopter crash while flying a local TV station’s helicopter. Captain Powers is buried at Arlington where he belongs with the rest of America’s heroes and pioneers.

Category: Real Soldiers

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CI Rollder Dude

And he was returned on “Freedom Bridge” in Berlin, Germany.
So far, nobody knows if they’ve ever shot down a SR 71…

UpNorth

CI RD, Kelly Johnson, the designer, says none were shot down. Even though 1,000 missile launches were conducted. http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/srqt~1.htm
See #11.

Laughing Wolf

CI Roller Dude: none have been shot down.

DR_BRETT

The U-2 (Powers’ craft) was shot down unexpectedly because The Commies had employed the new SA-75 missile, IF, I recall correctly .
Correct me, if I err .

DR_BRETT

One or two SR-71’s CRASHED in The Vietnam War Theater, if I am correct .

Beretverde

“Gallantry in Action”? DFC maybe… I’m still hard-core on this one.

Ex-PH2

I remember this. I was in high school when it happened. Gary Powers was in prison until 1962, when he and another American were exchanged for KGB spy Rudolf Abel.
Most Americans during the Cold War had no idea what risks people took to keep us safe in our little beds.

Just Plain Jason

There is a reason it was called a cold war.

Beret Verde, once again you show your character by judging the awards that other men earn. Dirtbag…

Yat Yas 1833

Gotta agree with Beretverde on this one. Maybe it’s the Marine Corps policy on not giving out awards.

Medic09

Seems to me it took some kind of gallantry to repeatedly fly over Soviet territory, knowing that if you went down (and survived) you were really SOL. I wouldn’t begrudge the man whatever long overdue medal a belatedly grateful country wants to give him.

Just Plain Jason

I just make it a point to not judge other people’s awards when they are merited. Especially when you weren’t the one in the Soviet prison…

badams

#6 Do you have a need to bring everyone else down so you can prop yourself up? Insecure much?

Just Plain Jason

I do believe that is the case. Do you notice his name is Beretverde, which means he is better than the rest of us normal soldiers.

Just Plain Jason

Just so everyone knows I don’t have a problem with SF, I have a problem with Beretverde in particular.

Ann

Please enlighten me as to what ‘beretverde’ means. The only thing Google got me was a hilarious Wiki stub…

Beretverde

Plane Jasin- The medal controversy is always a hot topic. Is a DFC more appropriate versus a Silver Star in this case? I think so. You don’t…fine, your opinion.
As for the dirtbag name calling… I learned to clean weapons first, then oneself. I am clean as a whistle!

btw-

The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by “heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918.”

The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States not justifying one of the two higher awards – the service crosses (Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Air Force Cross), the second-highest military decoration, or the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration. The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the armed forces, distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism involving one of the following actions:
In action against an enemy of the United States
While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force
While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party

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Hondo

I have to say I’m doing a bit of a head-scratch here as to why any military decorations were awarded to Powers relating to this incident. That’s not to degrade his conduct; IMO he behaved admirably and with valor throughout the ordeal. But Powers wasn’t in the military or a civilian serving with the military from 1960-1962. Rather, he was a civilian working for the CIA as part of a joint USAF-CIA operation; the CIA has its own awards program for its personnel. I thus just don’t see how a military decoration is appropriate. And Powers was awarded the CIA’s Intelligence Star and Director’s Medal already.

Just my opinion; yours may vary. The CIA’s Intelligence Star and Director’s Medal are quite high honors.

Michael Becshloss wrote an excellent book about the incident and it’s aftermath called May-Day: Eisenhower, Khrushchev, and the U-2 Affair. It also gives a good deal of background about Powers, the U2 program in general, and the incident (part of the route taken took Powers on that mission was nearly identical to one flown before, as was noted by one senior official before he flew the mission). The book is definitely worth a read.

The best guess today is that Powers was shot down by one of a volley of SA-2s (the SA-2 is the system, the missile itself was designated the S-75) that managed to nail him at the end of their flight regime by happenstance. (Powers was at an altitude too high for effective homing, but if you fire enough missiles or bullets in the same general vicinity of a target you can get lucky. And there’s also some thought that his ECM may have acted as a homing beacon for the missiles vice confusing them.) But unless/until the Russians release their info on the matter, however, we’ll probably never know the full details. And maybe not even then.

Yat Yas 1833

Ann, Beretverde is semi Spanish for “Beret Green”. To pick nits, it should actually be “boina verde”. In Spanish the noun goes first, so everyone knows what we’re talking about. Then comes the pronoun(?) to describe the noun. In this case we’re talking about a boina (beret) that is verde (green) or a Green Beret.

AW1 Tim

I remember the whole Powers incident (not when it happened, naturally) but his story was repeated to us all through school.

I’m the same age as Jonn and it was a staple of our education, along with Sputnik and other such topics.

I’ll say this much. Powers was also given cyanide to use should his aircraft be hit and going down. THAT was something that isn’t spoken of a lot. He was able to get out of that aircraft in a VERY challenging environment and situation, chose not to take the cyanide, and made it through 2 years of a Soviet incarceration without divulging any secrets.

That’s a true hero in my book.

Beretverde

Powers was, and is a hero.

A campfire story-
Beretverde… a bastardization (play-on) Spanish of a hat (beret) worn by military individuals. The US Army once called the “hat” (beret) an award (One tab- RANGER, One Beret- Green). During graduation from SFQC the command was given “Don the beret”…we tossed our cunts caps at Bronze Bruce and placed the “hat” our heads… never to wear the glider patch cunt cap again! Then Division got the raspberry beret and that is another story. Damn them for painting Bruce’s beret maroon… they never got caught!

Hondo

Not arguing that the man isn’t deserving of recognition and respect, Beretverde – only the method of recognition. He was CIA, serving in a joint CIA-military operation. He was not a civilian serving with or in support of the military. And the CIA has recognized his valor via awarding him the Intelligence Star (awarded for valor during operations and considered the rough equivalent of a military Silver Star) and the even rarer Director’s Medal. The Director’s Medal is the same award given to the two CIA guys held nearly 20 years in Communist China when captured on a clandestine mission.

https://www.cia.gov/news-information/press-releases-statements/press-release-archive-1998/pr062598.html

NHSparky

I’m kinda torn on this one. He wasn’t engaged in armed conflict per se, other than the fact the Russians were lobbing a shitload of SA-2’s at him. He was a civilian at the time (although former military.) He’s been dead for 35 years.

I remember when he passed (he was a traffic helicopter pilot for an LA station when he crashed) but again, I’m not sure that his actions fall in line with rating a Silver Star. He endured a lot of hardship, no doubt, and he’ll always have my gratitude, but I’m not sure what purpose this award so long after the event and under the circumstances will serve.

OWB

No doubt that Gary Powers earned our respect because of who he was, what he did, and the honorable way in which he comported himself.

Posthumous awards are for the survivors. Not sure what would motivate a family to seek something like this. It’s not as if his heroism had gone unnoticed – unlike other families who work to correct otherwise unrecognized acts of heroism.

Oh, well. This doesn’t really do anything other than remind us that many sacrifices were made to give us the world which is now entrusted to our care.

68W58

This is kind of a tough one. Apparently (according to wiki) Powers already has a DFC awarded in 2000. Was Powers still in a reserve status when he made his flight? I cross-checked Lindbergh’s bio and he was a reservist when he made his famous flight and was awarded the very first DFC and the blue max itself. That probably wouldn’t fly today, but it did in the 1920s and Lindbergh’s flight was even less about combat than Powers. I think Hondo is probably on the right track with the various CIA decorations, but it isn’t as clear cut as we think, at least with regard to awards others have earned.

Beretverde

If CIA and not military, then he is not entitled(?). If that is the case… the plug should be pulled and a CIA medal should be issued instead.

NHSparky

That’s where it gets interesting, Beretverde–he was a reservist at the time, if I read the above post (@25) correctly.

Hondo

It could be awarded, Beretverde, since it was a joint CIA-military venture. But IMO it would be one helluva stretch.

Powers was ex-military at the time. He left the USAF in 1956 to become a civilian U2 pilot for the CIA. And he may well have retained a reserve commission in the USAFR to facilitate later re-entry if he decided he didn’t like the CIA missions (and big $$$) that much after a while.

68W58: agreed, and there’s precedent for awarding decorations to civilians serving with or in support as well. One could argue that the fact that this was a Joint CIA-mil operation would make Powers’ service “in support of” the military and allow award of the DFC and SS to Powers on that basis. But IMO, as I said above that’s a helluva stretch.

Tthe DFC can be also awarded for non-combat aviation achievements. A fair number were awarded to test pilots during the early days of flight for record-breaking achievements.

68W58

NHSparky-I don’t know for sure one way or another if Powers was a reservist when he made his flight, but if he was then it strengthens his case for a military decoration vs. a CIA medal. In any event, he already has several military awards (again, according to wikipedia) including the DFC and POW medal for his flight. Lindbergh’s awards would be precedent, though my understanding is that the DFC can be awarded for actions other than combat (there was the case of a Naval aviator a few years ago who got one posthumously for guiding his plane into the drink while his crew bailed out).

68W58

Hondo-looks like we crossed each other up a little in posting above, but I agree with everything you say.

Just Plain Jason

Personally, I don’t know a whole lot about the incident because it happened 15 years before I was born, but I think it lacks character to downgrade someones award flippantly. Now that being said to go back and give your reasons does clear things up doesn’t make it right.

BV I still think you are a dirtbag because you have this need to prove how much better than everyone else you are. Yeah I get it you are a clean super soldier, got no skeletons in your closet because your entire military career you never done any wrong and you design t-shirts.

Beretverde

@31 Simma, simma, simma down now! You just need to be enlighteded! Sorry I can’t do that. If you disagree fine… but leave the keyboard kommandoing to the twelve year olds!

Just Plain Jason

Wow with a name like Beretverde you would wonder who is the keyboard kommando…tshirtmaker.

Beretverde

Well if you have to resort to getting personal (via keyboard kommando tactics) and call names like dirtbag etc… get real. Disagreements are common… life is tough. Seek help or bounce the gates.

Hondo

Just Plain Jason, Beretverde: C’mon, guys. Both of you strike me as decent, intelligent adults and combat vets. Sometimes adults disagree. Hell, JPJ – you and I got off to a rocky start, but managed to find common ground.

No need to carry on a running vendetta here. So you disagree? BFD. How about a “restart” here, and agree to disagree in the future with some civility? I think you’re both “big enough” men to do that.

Joe Williams

Gang, we are talking a very gray area. Who decided to award the S/S ? Is OBO trying to to show support to the Troops AGAIN?Or, Somesenior congress critters showing regret? All I know this is above my pay grade. Now maybe, could have, possibly happened, all military ID painted over on our Helos. Any and all US and military (money, ID tags of any kind,personal pictures,etc } were collected by the SGM and a civie. Eighteen helos then got lost and offloaded Nungs and a few “white deep in Laos and another time in Camdoia. What awards do you think if shot down we might have been awarded. Can you say no Americans just Mercs.

Just Plain Jason

Hondo I just have Zero respect for BV he has a need to put down other people’s service when he can. I don’t care if what he has done and where he has been he is an asshole. I have been places and done things also. I don’t feel a need to tell others how much better I am than them all the time. I see someone who has served it doesn’t matter what they did or where they served they deserve respect. He thinks because he was SF he has some authority above the rest of us, no he doesn’t. In fact because he was SF he should conduct himself better than the rest of us because I was always told they were quiet professionals. Not loudmouth assholes.

Just Plain Jason

And BV Ill tell you one more time and Ill type slowly because you aren’t that bright. I have been getting help for quite some time, because I admit I have issues with ptsd. I don’t run from it and I don’t think it is a weakness to be trifled with.

Joe Williams

JPJ take your or a readingwlogic course . BV has never came arcross as better than any one. He has only expressed his personal views. I am begining to question if you are picking when to troll or just stir up the pot?

Sig

Short of a great deal more information coming out about it than has so far, I would as soon believe he was shot down by a slingshot as by an SA-2.

Beretverde

@Jason… we vets all have problems and we all at times disagree… your inane name calling is getting old… again- if you disagree with my point of view- fine… I’m man enough to take it. But you are out of line with your petty stuff… my moccasins are different from yours… deal with it, or beat your boots. END OF DISCUSSION!

Just Plain Jason

Joe this goes back a long time.

Hondo

Sig: best public accounts indicate multiple (I’ve seen 8 quoted) missiles were fired in a volley. If Powers was at his prescribed altitude (70000+ feet), that’s beyond the effective controlled flight regime of the early SA-2 – but not beyond it’s unguided range. From what I’ve read, it seems the missile could reach that altitude and higher, but the ailerons couldn’t control the missile’s flight at that altitude (air was too thin for the ailerons to be effective at that height).

I find the following scenario credible. The Soviets were pissed about the U2 program. They saw Powers coming (they’d apparently tracked every U2 overflight, but simple couldn’t hit the aircraft at 70000+ feet). On May Day 1960, they decided to take a “screw the cost, shotgun everything we’ve got at him” approach to try and nail Powers’ aircraft. Do that, and you might well get lucky and find the “golden bb”. They did. I think that’s exactly what happened: they got lucky and one missile got close enough to take off the tail of Powers’ aircraft. Kelly Johnson is reputed to have seen photos taken of the aircraft wreckage (it was publicly displayed by the Soviets) and opined that it looked like the tail had been blown off.

The missile might not have needed to get all that close to bring down the U2. The U2 was (and is) fragile as hell. If I recall correctly I’ve read that one was lost early-on when it got buzzed by some curious USAF pilots taking a close look at it (air turbulence from a close approach broke one or both wings).

But unless and until the Russians let us examine their archives and the wreckage, we’ll never know. And maybe not even then.

Anonymous

Some of you guys like to spit hairs when it comes to awards being given to individuals. He was a hero in my book anyone who survived the gulag for two years is hard core like woodpecker lips. Besides, the Russians found out how to shoot down the U-2 with better missiles so our intelligence dropped the ball on that one. How come nobody calls out Major Frank Burns from the 4077 on M*A*S*H when he got the purple heart for getting a egg shell in his eye?

Hondo

Anonymous: Powers was working for the CIA at the time as a civilian, not in any military capability. So IMO, the CIA honors he’s received are more apropos than military ones.

Again: I’m not denigrating his service or valor. I’m simply saying that I don’t think a military award is the correct way to honor it. He wasn’t military at the time. The CIA has its own award system. And they’ve honored Powers with both the Intelligence Star and the CIA Director’s Medal.

About our intelligence “dropping the ball” here: don’t think that’s the case. Published accounts indicate we knew about the SA-2 and its capabilities for quite some time prior to May Day 1960, but rated it as an acceptable risk and flew the missions anyway. That’s what the guys in charge get paid to do – evaluate risk/reward and make the hard calls. And from what I’ve read, the U2 pilots were briefed and were quite aware of the threat posed by the SA-2. They were all civilians and could easily have said “forget this” and quit. They chose to fly anyway. Balls o’steel.

Did we blow it? Did the Soviets get lucky? Who knows? In retrospect, flying that mission was obviously the wrong decision. But that’s almost always the case in retrospect when something goes wrong. The folks making the decision at the time didn’t have the luxury of looking “in retrospect”.

My opinion. “Your mileage may vary.”

Anonymous

As a Cold War Warrior vet myself awarded the Cold War certificate. Gary Powers was a media coup for the Western forces against the forces communism. I pulled border duty along the border between East and West Germany. Malboros cigarettes and coke cola had just as much to do with the fall of communism as our military forces. I believe the same principles should be applied to the War against Terror. As it stands now we need the Middle East more than they need us by the oil in the region. The Europeans and Russians are also becoming addicted to the Middle East with all the heroin being imported there. We need to find something they want from us in return except a few dollars that only go to the elites and corrupt officials.

Hondo

Anonymous: you are 100% correct about economics being dominant in ending the Cold War.

I had the privilege of visiting a small part of the former East Germany a few months after reunification. It was literally like going back 30 or 40 years in time. Roads were poor, buildings were old/drab/in need of paint and repair, and in general looked like a poor part in an older US city. And that was in the best part of a major town near former West Germany (Erfurt, if I recall). I hate to think what the poorer areas looked like.

Talk to the environmentalists. Nuclear and domestic petroleum, plus coal, could make us independent of Middle Eastern oil in a decade, and could have 30 years ago. But according to them, nuclear and drilling are “bad for us” and have convinced the American population we shouldn’t do that.

68W58

Hondo-LFTR reactors would be safer than conventional reactors and use more abundant materials. But we can’t seem to move forward with even technology that would be of clear benefit due to NIMBYism and bureaucratic intransigence. Eventually some crisis will force the issue, but it is absurd that our nation has reduced itself to inertia as a matter of course.