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

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to gather intelligence on the Soviet missile program. Discussions con­
tinued the following day with the addition of Secretary of State
Herter, who stated in support of the CIA proposal that "the intelli­
gence objective outweighs the danger of getting trapped." The strong
backing of the proposed overflight by both CIA and the State
Department finally convinced President Eisenhower to approve the
•
•
9
mIss10n.
On 9 July 1959, more than 16 months after the previous over­
flight of the Soviet Union, a U-2 equipped with a B camera left
Peshawar, Pakistan, flew over the Urals, and then crossed the missile
test range at Tyuratam. This mission, known as Operation
TOUCHDOWN, produced excellent results. Its photography revealed
that the Soviets were expanding the launch facilities at Tyuratam.
While this overflight was under way, another U-2 flew a diversionary
mission along the Soviet-Iranian border.'
0
Despite its success, this overflight remained an isolated incident.
President Eisenhower was unwilling to authorize additional over­
•flights of I.he Soviet Union. in part because he did not wish to increase
tension before Premier Khrushchev's visit to the United States sched­
uled for 15-27 September 1959. Nevertheless, the President still
wanted as much intelligence on the Soviet missile program as possi­
ble. Because the Soviets were conducting an extensive program of
missile tests in mid-I 959, Eisenhower authorized a steady stream of
I.he less provocative electronic intelligence (ELINT)-gathering mis­
sions (14 in all) along the Soviet border during the remainder of the
II
year.
Within the United States, concern about the Soviet missile pro­
gram continued to grow. On 12 September 1959 the Soviets scored
another space success when their Luna 2 rocket reached the moon,
and Khrushchev stressed this success when he arrived in the United
States three days later. He also boasted of Soviet missile progress in
private conversations with President Eisenhower. while making no
• Andrew J. Goodpaster. Memorandum for the Record. 7 July 1959 (TS): iJem,
Memorandum of Conference with the President. 8 July !959. WHOSS. Alpha. DDEL
(TS).
"' Mission folder 4115 (9 July 1959). OSA records (TS Codeword).
" OSA Hisrorv. chap. 19. annex 120. pp. 12-14 (TS Codeword).
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Chapter 4
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