Approved for Release: 2013/06/25
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Secret NOPORN
Chapter 4
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snubbed by President Kennedy, who one year earlier had warmly welcomed 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 effective, Powers received the Star (which was dated 1963 on the back) from DDCI Marshall S. Carter.⁴⁶
Powers’ return from captivity raised the question of what his future 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 officer) 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 military aggression; on the other hand there is on file 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 reinstatement in the Air Force, then we would be subjecting ourselves to probable adverse propaganda by the USSR. Admitting little appreciation for the finer points of political and psychological 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.⁴⁷
Despite this negative recommendation, the Air Force agreed on 4 April 1962 to reinstate Powers effective 1 July, a decision that was approved by the Agency, State Department, 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 Powers 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 Lockheed.⁴⁸ Powers remained at Lockheed until U-2 testing ceased in September 1969. Earlier in the year, he had published an account of his experiences on
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⁴⁶ *OSA History*, chap. 14, p. 54 (TS Codeword); *Beschloss, Mayday*, p. 397.
⁴⁷ John N. McMahon to Chief, Cover Staff, DPD, 21 March 1961, Operation MUDLARK files, OSA records, job 74-B-605, box 6 (S).
⁴⁸ *OSA History*, chap. 14, p. 52 (TS Codeword).
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Secret
Approved for Release: 2013/06/25