Author Gary Powers, Jr., an accomplished author, lecturer, and Cold War expert will tell a story of intrigue, political gamesmanship, and courage about his father's U-2 incident and how it impacted the Cold War.
Even though they cooperated to defeat Hitler and Nazi Germany, after World War 2, the US and USSR found themselves locked in a high stakes battle over whose system would dominate the world.
An event that created a good deal of angst on both sides was the shoot-down of a US CIA U-2 reconnaissance aircraft by the USSR in 1960.
Former USAF Captain Francis “Gary” Powers was flying a secretive photographic aerial reconnassaince mission, launched out of Pakistan, over the Soviet Union when his U-2 aircraft was hit by an advanced surface-to-air missile.
It was a tense time – both countries had nuclear weapons, and the world had no idea if they would use them against one another.
Within this Cold War context, Gary Powers was imprisoned for nearly two years in the Soviet Union.While Gary Powers was ultimately released, the truth took years to surface.
Gary will also be available to autograph copies of his book "Spy Pilot."
Free refreshments and hors d'ouvres will be available.
