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The Soviet Union Shoots Down A Top-Secret U2 Spy Plane
Historical Events
On May 1, 1960 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down by a surface to air missile flying over the Soviet Union near Sverdlovsk. Powers was flying the top-secret Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Due to the altitude that the aircraft can fly, it was thought untouchable by Soviet missiles by the US. He was captured and later put on trial for espionage.
In addition to making the existance of the U2 spy plan public, the incident created an international furor, and a superpower summit scheduled for later in the month is canceled.
On February 10, 1962, Powers was exchanged for Soviet KGB agent Rudolf Abel.
Posted: 2003-10-11 9:11:32 PM
This fact has been viewed 7409 times.
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