January EAA 92 General Meeting — U-2 Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, Jr.–A Cold War Legacy
January 5, 2027 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
– Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy–
Our speaker, Francis Gary Powers, Jr, will speak about his father, Francis Gary Powers, and the U-2 Spy Plane incident that was a pivotal moment in the Cold War.
Gary will help to set the record straight in regards to the fake news that surround the U-2 Incident and tarnished his father’s reputation. He will give an overview of what it was like to grow up in the shadow of a famous Cold War figure, his search for the truth after his father’s 1977 death in a helicopter when Gary was 12 years old, and how his research led to the USAF and CIA posthumously awarding his father the POW Medal / Director’s Medal and Silver Star in 2000 and 2012 respectively.
Gary’s presentation will include showing several video clips. During his talk he will discuss the Cold War, U-2 Incident and what it was like to be a consultant on Spielberg’s 2015 Cold War thriller, Bridge of Spies, that depicts his father’s shootdown and eventual exchange for Soviet spy Rudolph Able in 1962 at the Glienicker Bridge in Potsdam, Germany.
A book signing will follow.
Gary is the author of several books, including Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy. Another of his books, Enemy Territory, is a graphic novel about the U-2 Incident and among his most recent books are The Berlin Airlift (a graphic novel) and Cold War Virginia. Cold War California was released on May 1, 2026. He is currently working on Cold War Florida.
This in-person meeting will be held at the IRWD Community Room at 15500 Sand Canyon Ave in Irvine.
January 5, 2027.
Meeting begins at 7:00 PM
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