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

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project-the construction and testing of the aircraft-remained the ex­
clusive province of Lockheed.~
9
As a result of this agreement, CIA remained in control of the
program, but the Air Force played a very important role as well. As
Richard Bissell later remarked about the U-2 project, "The Air Force
wasn't just in on this as a supporting element, and to a major degree it
wasn't in on it just supplying about half the government personnel;
but the Air Force held, if you want to be precise, 49 percent of the
common stock."
30
One of the first Air Force officers assigned to Project OILSTONE
was Col. Osmund J. Rieland. He began coordinating Air Force a:ctivi­
ties in the U-2 program with Richard Bissell in December 1954. On 27
June 1955, Rieland became Bissell's deputy, although Air Force Chief
of Staff Twining did not officially approve this assignment until 4
August, the day after the signing of the CIA- Air Force agreement. ln
March 1956, Colonel Ritland returned to the Air Force and was fol­
lowed as deputy project director by Col. Jack A. Gibbs.
. . . -
Another Air Force officer. Lt. Col. Leo P. Geary. joined the: pro­
gram in June 1955 and remained with it until August 1966. l1onger
than any of the other project managers. Using the Air !Force
Inspector General's office as cover with the title of Project Otificer,
AFCIG-5, Geary served as the focal point for all Defense
Department support to the U-2 and OXCART programs. His 11 years
with the overhead reconnaissance projects provided a high degree of
Air Force continuity.J•
TECHNICAL CHALLENGES TO
HIGH-ALTITUDE FLIGHT
To get the U-2 aircraft ready to Ry, Lockheed engineers had to solve
problems never before encountered. Among these problems w21s the
need for a fuel that would not boil off and evaporate at the very high
altitudes for which the aircraft was designed. Gen. James H. Doolittle
See, el N61-0ftN
Chapter 2
Osmund J. Rieland
,. OSA History. chap. 3. p. 15 and annex 14 (TS Codeword).
•• Speech given by Richard Bissell at CIA Headquaners. 12 October 1965 (TS Codc::word).
" Brig. Gen. Leo A. Geary (USAF-Ret.). interview by Donald E. Wc:lzc:nbach. tape re­
cording, 3 April 1986 (S); OSA History, chap. 3, p. 3 (TS Codtword).
Secret