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

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242
Sec, el N6fiOFU'<J
Chapter 5
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I
:Ihe nw missi:r mounted by Project TACKU
ook place on 8 September 1967. The U-2C air­
craft overflew centr; China and fell victim to a SAM in the vicinity
of Shanghai; the fate of the pilot was unknown. This loss reduced the
number of U-2s in the Agency's inventory to five.''
The entire U-2 overflight program was temporarily halted in
early November l 967 after an Air Force U-2 in Vietnam was discov­
ered to have cracks in its wing. All Air Force and CIA U-2s were or­
dered back to Lockheed for ultrasonic inspection of the wings and
other stress points to check on metal fatigue. Upon completion of this
inspection, both the Air Force and the Agency resumed their over­
flight activity.(,.!
The End of U-2 Overflights of Mainland China
Project TACKLE mounted a mission over northeastern China on 13
December 1967 and an overflight of central China on 5 January 1968.
Later that month the Far East became very tense when North Korea
seized the US electronic intelligence ship Pueblo on 23 January. One
"' Ibid.. chap. 17. p. 72 (TS Codeword).
" Mission folder C297C (8 September 1967). OSA records (TS Codeword).
~ OSA Histor:,:. chap. 16. p.•q (TS Codeword).
-Seeret