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CIA-UAP-003, The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974

Central Intelligence Agency · 1954 · 406 pages · text from the file's own layer

This is a Secret History Staff monograph by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach of the Central Intelligence Agency, published in 1992. It gives a history of the CIA's manned overhead reconnaissance program from 1954 to 1974, covering the development and operation of the U-2 and the A-12 OXCART aircraft. It covers overflights of the Soviet Union, the 1960 downing of Francis Gary Powers, and later operations. One section is titled "U-2s, UFOs, and Operation BLUE BOOK."

From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 This CIA History Staff document chronicles the complete history of the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974, detailing their development, operations over the Soviet Union and other targets worldwide, the famous downing of Francis Gary Powers in 1960, organizational reforms following that incident, and the eventual transfer of operations from CIA to Air Force control. A more redacted version of this document has been available on CIA's public website.

Open the PDF at page 199 Original source ↗

“The Advance”34 pages

  • p. 6 …255 The Phaseout of the Office of Special Activities ........ ................... 257 0 ) Chapter 6 The U-2…
  • p. 7 …319 Advances in Technology............................................... ........................... 320 Cooperation With the Air Force ............................................................. 321 Impact of the Overhead Reconnaissance…
  • p. 22 …retired from the Air Force to become the assistant director of Lockheed's Advanced Development Program…
  • p. 24 11 / Chapter 1 gravity (g's) instead of the military specification strengLh of 5.33 g…
  • p. 32 …lithium deuteride, a tech nology more advanced than the heavy water method used by US '' BEACON…
  • p. 33 …between the developed and undeveloped nations. This aggressive Soviet foreign policy. combined with advances in nuclear…
  • p. 58 …secrecy in the new project, Kelly Johnson placed it in Lockheed's Advanced Development facility at…
  • p. 65 …His software algorithms made it possible to model lens designs and determine in advance the effects…
  • p. 76 …seen on pilot Francis Gary Powers) advanced gear for the U-2 pilots. David Clark expert…
  • p. 111 …of Soviet advances in long-range bombers and missiles. The initial sighting of the new Soviet…
  • p. 114 …Adenauer be informed in advance of US plans to overfly the Soviet Union from bases in…
  • p. 174 …concentrating on developing the more advanced solid-fueled missiles rather than increasing the num ber of…
  • p. 183 …if the Soviet SAMs received sufficient advanced warning, they posed a major threat to the U…
  • p. 191 …the cover story that had been prepared and distributed in advance of the mission. The first…
  • p. 206 …In 1965 the head of OSA received a new title, Director of Special Activities. The Office…
  • p. 235 …STPOLLY added the more advanced Lockheed P3A in 1963. Between 1955 and 1967, when the CIA…
  • p. 249 …The Defense Department feared that the loss of this device with its highly advanced traveling-wave…
  • p. 250 …Chapter 5 Advanced ECM Equipment for Detachment H Demand for overhead photography of the PRC continued…
  • p. 252 …In addition, the Project TACKLE U-2s began receiving even more advanced ECM • 60 equipment. •• Mission…
  • p. 265 …but some was the result of technological advances. The ini tial order for eight of the…
  • p. 266 …This camera was actually a very advanced version of the original B camera with a new…
  • p. 282 …aircraft from the small inventory of its most advanced bomber. Even had the B-588 program…
  • p. 295 …In fact, it was an advanced version of the highly reliable B camera developed for the…
  • p. 296 …Prospective pilots had to be qualified in the most advanced fighters and be emotionally stable and…
  • p. 307 …advanced experimental jet aircraft, the A-11. which has been tested in sustained flight at more…
  • p. 310 …It was now time to find work for the most advanced aircraft ever conceived and built…
  • p. 321 …advanced aircraft ever .built was to be put out to pasture. The aban donment of the…
  • p. 325 …when the OXCART program ended in the summer of 1968, no mcire advanced successor was wait…
  • p. 326 …The most advanced aircraft of the 20th century had become an anachronism before it was ever…
  • p. 333 …ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY One very important byproduct of the CIA's manned reconnaissance program was the…
  • p. 334 …the end of the usefulness of the world's most advanced aircraft; its offspring, the SR…
  • p. 335 …Thus, the CIA sponsored the development of the world's most advanced aircraft-the OXCART-and…
  • p. 352 …They believed that recent advances in the minia turization of electronic technology would make possible the…
  • p. 356 343 Defense Research and Engineering, John Foster, liked the concept and provided DOD funding for ORD…
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Sec, et NO,-OPU~
Chapter 4
snubbed by President Kennedy, who one year earlier had warmly wel
comed two Air Force RB-47 fliers released by the Soviet Union.
McCone remained hostile to Powers. and in April 1963 he awarded
the Intelligence Star to all of the U-2 pilots except Powers. Finally on
25 April 1965, just two days before McCone's resignation became ef
fective, Powers received the Star (which was dated 1963 on the back)
from DDCI Marshall S. Carter:6
Powers' return from captivity raised the question of what his fu
ture employment should be. This issue had already been discussed
one year earlier by John N. McMahon, executive officer of the DPD.
who noted that he and Col. Leo P. Geary (the Air Force project offi
cer) were concerned about a major dilemma for the CIA and the US
Government: " On the one hand we have gone to considerable lengths
to prove that the U-2 program was a civilian undertaking and not mil
itary aggression; on the other hand there is on fi le a document that
assures Francis Gary Powers that if he so desires he may be reinstated
into the USAF.'' On 21 March 1961 McMahon wrote:
If we grant him [Powers/ the right that is now his, namely rein
statement in the Air Force, then we would be subjecting our
selves to probable adverse propaganda by the USSR. Admitting
little appreciation for the finer points of political and psycholog
ical warfare, should Francis Gary Powers return to the USAF I
suspect that the Soviets would have a "PP" field day illustrating
our big lie. The question then. since we cannot permit Powers to
return to the USAF. is what do we do with him."
Despite this negative recommendation, the Air Force agreed on
4 April I 962 to reinstate Powers effective I July, a decision that was
approved by the Agency, State Dep•artment, and White House. Then
Powers· divorce proceedings began. and the Air Force, concerned
about adverse publicity, postponed reinstatement until the end of the
proceedings. In the meantime Pow1ers began working for Lockheed
as a U-2 pilot. In March 1963, he met with Colonel Geary to discuss
his future plans and decided to stay with Loc kheed."11 Powers re
mained at Lockheed until U-2 testing ceased in September 1969.
Earlier in the year, he had published an account of his experiences on
"' OSA Hiswry, chap. 14. p. 54 (TS Codeword): Beschloss. Mayday. p. 397.
" John N. McMahon to Chief. Cover Staff. DPD. 21 March I 961. Operation MUDLARK
files. OSA records. job 74-B-605. box 6 (S).
" OSA History. chap. 14, p. 52 (TS Codeword).

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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.