Documents / Official release

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 395 Original source ↗

“The Pentagon”12 pages

  • p. 18 …Leghorn persuaded his superiors to submit his suggestion to the Pentagon for funding. He had not…
  • p. 20 …Meanwhile Leghorn, frustrated by the rejection of his original concept, had transferred to the Pentagon in…
  • p. 22 …become the assistant director of Lockheed's Advanced Development Program, was in the Pentagon on business…
  • p. 24 …for the construction and maintenance of 30 aircraft to a group of senior Pentagon official s…
  • p. 26 …He had been present at Kelly Johnson's presentation on the CL-282 at the Pentagon…
  • p. 27 …with Strong in the Pentagon on 12 May 1954, six clays before the Wright Air Deve…
  • p. 52 …Late on the morning of 2 December 1954, Dulles told Bissell to go to the Pentagon…
  • p. 91 …He then briefed a high-level Pentagon panel that included the Secretary of the Air Force…
  • p. 92 …After a half hour passed, the base commander called the Pentagon to ask where the crippled…
  • p. 225 …By 25 September 1957, the National Security Council had become concerned with the course of events…
  • p. 251 …Early in 1963 the Agency sought special funds from the Pentagon to de velop a high…
  • p. 363 …CIA and Pentagon Covert Operations Since World War fl. New York: William Morrow, 1986. ---. The Soviet…
382
Sec, el l'(IOFORl'.J
Index
Soviet Union
1-3, 4-7. 14-27. 31, 39, 65, 81-89,
93-101. 104-106. 108-112. 120,
122-124, 126-130, 133-135, 137-
140, 142-149. 152-157, 159-165,
167-168. 170-172. 174-183. 186-187,
189, 195-197. 200-201, 205-206,
209-211, 215. 219,221,225,232,237,
247, 254, 259. 294, 297-299, 301,
303-304, 312. 315-320, 322. 329-330,
332. 335-336. 339,341,344
activity in Cuba
200,201
air defense system
2. 3. I08. I68. I70, 317
air power of the
20
air show
98
atomic energy program
317
bomber
21. 11 I. 167. 317
borders
123, 127, 143
diplomatic protests
315- -
electronic defenses
317
fighters
3. 5. 23, 26. I27. 144
G-class ballistic-missile submarine
237
guided missile and nuclear programs
135
guided missile research
99
guided missiles
81. 99
guided-missile test range
16
intentions
4. 318
intercept attempts
142
interception of U-2
19, 24-25. 47. 87. 106, 108. 110. 122.
127, 134. 144. I70, 244. 270. 3 I5, 339
medium-range ballistic missiles
201, 206
missile program
128. I59- I61. 163-164
missile test range
16. 23, 143, 164. 167, 176
overflight operation
110
propaganda campaign
317
Protest Note
109
radar coverage
106
radars
3. 7. 15, 97. 130, 134, 168. 176.
259. 339
rail network
167
strategic capabilities
2. 19
Supreme Soviet
179
surface-to-air missile (SAM)
177, 168, 304
surprise attack
19. 26-27, 89. 147, 159, 329-330
Soviet-Finnish border
303. 142
Soviet-Iranian border
124. 162-163. 168
Special Activities. Director of
193
Special Activities (OSA). Office of
43. 192-193, 207. 234-235. 242. 247.
252. 257,288. 296-297, 299. 303. 312.
328. 341-342. 344
Special Assistant for National Security Affairs
188
Special Assistant to the DCI
40
"special" missions
116
Special Operations Division
192
Spica. Incorporated
51
spotting camera
282
Sputnik
159
SQUARE DEAL
168. 170
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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.