The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; the U-2 and Oxcart Programs, 1954-1974

Secret NOFORN
Chapter 5
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wanted the Nationalists to be allowed to begin operations, reluctantly agreed to wait until conditions were favorable. $ ^{34} $ The situation changed radically in May 1960 after the loss of Powers' U-2 destroyed the existing cover story for U-2 operations. Now there was no longer any reason not to use the Nationalist pilots. In addition, the Agency soon found itself in need of a base of operations in the Far East after Detachment C had to leave Japan.

During discussions with Nationalist officials on 6 May 1960, the raised the possibility of assigning U-2s to the Chinese Air Force. Two weeks later. approached

informally to propose that the U-2 aircraft based in Japan be moved to Taiwan. This was followed three days later by an official offer on

President Eisenhower learned of Nationalist China's proposal on 18 June. Several weeks later, Richard Bissell suggested that two U-2s be turned over to the Nationalists for use in overflying the mainland. The project would be conducted along the lines of Project STPOLLY. $ ^{35} $

On 26 August 1960, President Eisenhower and the State Department approved Bissell's proposal to turn U-2s over to the Nationalist Chinese rather than move an American detachment to Taiwan. Using Nationalist pilots for overflights had the advantage of providing complete deniability for the United States, even if an aircraft was lost over hostile territory. The U-2s would belong to Nationalist China and would have Nationalist pilots, and there was no overt US involvement with the overflights. In reality, however, the United States would maintain strict control over the missions to be flown. $ ^{36} $

On 7 December 1960, two U-2s were officially licensed for export to Nationalist China as part of a new effort codenamed TACKLE. These planes came from the Agency's U-2 inventory and arrived in