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

Text

This text came with the file. It may have mistakes. When the text and the image disagree, the image is right.

224
Sec.et NOFORN
Chapter 5
-SeeFet
wanted the Nationalists to be allowed to begin operations, reluctantly
agreed to wait until conditions were favorable.'"' The situation
changed radically in May 1960 after the loss of Powers' U-2 de­
stroyed the existing cover story for U-2 operations. Now there was no
longer any reason not to use the Nationalist pilots. In addition, the
Agency soon found itself in need of a base of operations in the Far
East after Detachment C had to leave Japan.
During discussions with Nationalist officials on 6 May 1960, the
CIA's Chief of Station in Taipei, Ray Cline, raised the possibility of
assigning U-2s to the Chinese Air Force. Two weeks later, Gen.
Chiang Ching-kuo, head of the National Security Bureau, approached
Cline informally to propose that the U-2 aircraft based in Japan be
moved to Taiwan. This was followed three days later by an official
offer on behalf of General Chiang's father, Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-shek. President Eisenhower learned of Nationalist China's pro­
posal on 18 June. Several weeks later, Richard Bissell suggested that
two U-2s be turned over to the Nationalists for use in overflying the
mainland. The project would be conducted along the lines of Project
STPOLLY. 35
On 26 August l 960, President Eisenhower and the State
Department approved Bissell 's proposal to tum U-2s over to the
Nationalist Chinese rather than move an American detachment to
Taiwan. Using Nationalist pilots for overflights had the advantage of
providing complete deniability for the United States, even if an air­
craft was lost over hostile territory. The U-2s would belong to
Nationalist China and would have Nationalist pilots, and there was no
overt US involvement with the overflights. In reality, however, the
United States would maintain strict control over the missions to be
flown. 36
On 7 December l 960, two U-2s were officially licensed for ex­
port to Nationalist China as part of a new effort codenamed TACKLE.
These planes came from the Agency's U-2 inventory and arrived in
'" Andrew J. Russo, Low-Level Technical Reconnaissance Over Mainland China
( 1955-1966) (draft), Clandestine Services Historical Program, CSHP-2.348 (CIA: History
Staff, 1972) (S).
'' OSA History. chap. 17, pp. 1-7 (TS Codeword).
'• Ibid., chap. 17. pp. 12-13, 44 (TS Codeword).