U2 Spy Pilot Presentation hosted by the CAFSOCAL Museum

Living History Presentation
Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy
Date: Saturday, November 6, 2021
Time: 11:00 AM
Venue: 455 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010
They ask for a $10 donation per adult to attend.

The Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing is excited to announce that it will be hosting a talk by Francis Gary Powers Jr., son of famed U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers. This unique event will take place on Saturday, November 6, 2021, starting at 11:00 AM. After the talk the author will be available for questions and the signing of his latest book;

Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy. By Francis Gary Powers Jr. and Keith Dunnavant

One of the most talked-about events of the Cold War was the downing of the American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960. The event was recently depicted in the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies. Powers was captured by the KGB, subjected to a televised show trial, and imprisoned, all of which created an international incident. Soviet authorities eventually released him in exchange for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. On his return to the United States, Powers was exonerated of any wrongdoing while imprisoned in Russia, yet a cloud of controversy lingered until his untimely death in 1977. Now his son, Francis Gary Powers Jr., has written this new account of his father’s life based on personal files that have never been previously available. Delving into old audio tapes, the transcript of his father’s debriefing by the CIA, other recently declassified documents about the U-2 program, and interviews with his contemporaries, Powers sets the record straight. The result is a fascinating piece of Cold War history. Almost sixty years after the event, this will be the definitive account of a famous Cold War incident, one proving that Francis Gary Powers acted honorably through a trying ordeal in service to his country.

About the Authors: Francis Gary Powers Jr. is the founder and chairman emeritus of The Cold War Museum, a 501(c) (3) charity in Vint Hill, Virginia, near Washington, DC. As chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Cold War Theme Study, he works with the National Park Service and leading Cold War experts to identify historic Cold War sites for commemorating, interpreting, and preservation. He served as a consultant to Steven Spielberg’s Cold War thriller, Bridge of Spies. He lectures internationally and appears regularly on the History, Discovery, and A&E Channels. Keith Dunnavant is the author of seven books, including definitive biographies of Joe Montana, Bar Starr, and Paul “Bear” Bryant. The founder of Solovox Publishing and a former editor of Adweek magazine’s Special Report, Dunnavant has led award-winning editorial teams covering media, sports, lifestyle, and politics, directed the civil rights documentary Three Days at Foster, and covered college football for The National. He has been a featured historian on ESPN, CBS, HBO, and Showtime.

For more information visit https://www.cafsocal.com/u2-spy-pilot-event/