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

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Saaret N0FORN
Chapter 5
Taiwan on 14 December. Within the Agency the Nationalist pilots and
aircraft were known as Detachment H, and they were based a1t the
Nationalist Chinese Air Force Base at T'ao-yuan. One of the U-2s
was painted with the Nationalist Chinese insignia, and the other was
left unmarked so that it could also be used by Agency pilots as need­
ed. The planes were maintained by Lockheed mechanics under con­
tract to the CIA. The Agency attempted to maintain at least two U-2s
in Detachment H, so lost or damaged aircraft were replaced from the
·Agency's inventory.
During 1961, Detachment H conducted training missions with
both U-2s, and one Nationalist pilot was killed in a crash on 19
March. Although the detachment was ready to begin operations, the
new Kennedy administration was not yet ready to authorize over­
flights of the PRC. In a 3 March 1961 meeting between S tate
Department and CIA officials to discuss the possibility of such over­
flights, Under Secretary of State Chester Bowles noted that "the
President was feeling his way on the international scene, and time
was needed to evaluate the new Sino-Soviet posture with relation to
the United States."
37 In July 1961 the USIB considered the possibility
of conducting overflights of the PRC, but the State Department re­
mained opposed.
By the fall of 196 l , interest in overflights of the PRC was grow­
ing because of indications that the Chinese were making progress in
nuclear energy and missile development. As a result, on 4 Oc1tober
Detachment H U-2 at T'ao-yuan
Airfield
" James A Cunningham. Jr., Assistant Chief, DPD-DD/P, Memorandum for the Record.
··TACKLE STPOLLY Briefing for State Depanment Officials," 6 March 1961, IC Staff,
COMIREX records, job 33-B-119A. bol( I, " IDEALISTffACKLE. 1961" (S).
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