RB-47H Shootdown survivors awarded Silver Stars after 44 yrs

[MKSheppard]

Linky]
More Info

AF leaders honor Cold War era flyers

By Ms. Stacey Knott
55th Wing Public Affairs

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (ACCNS) -- It's been more than 43 years since their ordeal ended, but two 55th Wing Airmen were finally recognized for their heroism Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C.

Retired Colonels John McKone and Bruce Olmstead were awarded the Silver Star by Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. James Roche, and Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. John Jumper, during the annual Air Force Association conference opening ceremony.

"I couldn't imagine a better venue," Secretary Roche said during the ceremony attended by hundreds of current and retired Airmen, Air Force civilians and defense contractors. "The men and women here today understand the awesome effects of air and space power; you also understand the omnipresent danger, even during peacetime."

Secretary Roche went on to say the security of the United States often depended on those who endured unspeakable hardship in silence and whose sacrifice occurred without public knowledge.

He called Colonels McKone and Olmstead quiet exemplars.

"Without speaking a word of their ordeal," Dr. Roche said, "they have lived our core values: integrity...service before self...excellence in all we do."

It was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission. The Soviets labeled him a spy and were using the incident for every ounce of propaganda possible.

Then-Captains McKone and Olmstead were members of the 343rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. During a routine mission north of Murmansk, Russia, a Soviet MiG fighter shot down their RB-47 over international waters in the Artic Ocean.

Three crewmates, Maj. Eugene Posa and Captains Oscar Goforth and Dean Phillips died in the shoot-down. Another crewmate, Maj. Willard Palm, succumbed to the icy artic waters after ejecting from the aircraft.

Colonels McKone and Olmstead also ejected, and after six grueling hours in one-person dingys were picked up by a Russian fishing boat, and sent to Moscow. The Russians imprisoned them in solitary confinement at the infamous Lubyanka KGB prison and accused them of espionage.

The colonels managed to resist all Soviet efforts to obtain confessions through interrogations, trickery and threats of death. After 208 days, they were unexpectedly released to the American Embassy Jan. 25, 1961 on the condition the U.S. government wouldn't use the occasion for any
propaganda purposes of its own. This prevented the award of any decorations to the crew at the time.

"Today there is no more Soviet Union due in large part to the sacrifice of Airmen like Colonels McKone and Olmstead, Majors Palm and Posa, and Captains Phillips and Goforth," Dr. Roche said during the ceremony. "We no longer need to be circumspect in recognizing the tremendous valor
exhibited by these two men and their crewmates."

"I'm extremely honored and feel rather humbled to receive such an award," Colonel McKone said after the ceremony. "It's just wonderful to be recognized by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and I just feel very humbled."

During their imprisonment, both men dealt with hunger, lack of sleep, constant interrogations and, in the case of Colonel Olmstead, constant physical pain from a broken back suffered while ejecting. Both men said unequivocally that if they had it all to do again, they would absolutely
do it.

"I felt very strongly about the mission then, and I do today," Colonel McKone said. "I think it's extremely important and vital to our country's national defense."

Colonel Olmstead said he thought there weren't many commanders today who would go to war without the 55th Wing.

"This was a tremendous honor," Colonel Olmstead said. "Actually though, it was more about the 55th Wing than it was about me or Colonel McKone.

They've been in business a long time and are in business even as we speak here today. I'm proud of all those people and I'll wear this medal proudly in their honor."

[salm]

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission. The Soviets labeled him a spy and were using the incident for every ounce of propaganda possible.

what do they mean "labeled" him a spy. he was flying a reconnaissance mission over soviet territory, so he WAS a spy.

[Beowulf]

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission. The Soviets labeled him a spy and were using the incident for every ounce of propaganda possible.

what do they mean "labeled" him a spy. he was flying a reconnaissance mission over soviet territory, so he WAS a spy.

Hmm... Shot down over international waters... That says to me at least that they weren't over Soviet territory.

[salm]

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission. The Soviets labeled him a spy and were using the incident for every ounce of propaganda possible.

what do they mean "labeled" him a spy. he was flying a reconnaissance mission over soviet territory, so he WAS a spy.

Hmm... Shot down over international waters... That says to me at least that they weren't over Soviet territory.

hmm... indeed. but the article also says:

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission

a bit undclear the whole thing.

[Sea Skimmer]

what do they mean "labeled" him a spy. he was flying a reconnaissance mission over soviet territory, so he WAS a spy.

He was also in uniform. Spying is a very specific crime, which is punished by death normally. If Powers was considered a spy then you could potentially execute any aviator who got shot down. That is not the way the law is normally interpreted since planes arrived on the battlefield.

[Beowulf]

what do they mean "labeled" him a spy. he was flying a reconnaissance mission over soviet territory, so he WAS a spy.

Hmm... Shot down over international waters... That says to me at least that they weren't over Soviet territory.

hmm... indeed. but the article also says:

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission

a bit undclear the whole thing.

Gary Powers was actually flying over the Soviet Union. The RB-47 was flying over international waters, and looking in. Get the difference?

[BlkbrryTheGreat]

Hmm... Shot down over international waters... That says to me at least that they weren't over Soviet territory.

hmm... indeed. but the article also says:

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission

a bit undclear the whole thing.

Gary Powers was actually flying over the Soviet Union. The RB-47 was flying over international waters, and looking in. Get the difference?

He was in the military and in uniform- therefore he was performing recon. If he was out of uniform, pretending to be a civilian, he would be a spy.

[Mr Bean]

t was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission. The Soviets labeled him a spy and were using the incident for every ounce of propaganda possible.

what do they mean "labeled" him a spy. he was flying a reconnaissance mission over soviet territory, so he WAS a spy.

One can't be a "spy" if one is
A. In uniform
B. In a frekken USA Flaged Craft

The Geneva convention is very specific about what a "spy" IS.
Powers on the other hand was a enemy combatant(As far as the USSR was concerned)

[salm]

One can't be a "spy" if one is
A. In uniform
B. In a frekken USA Flaged Craft

The Geneva convention is very specific about what a "spy" IS.
Powers on the other hand was a enemy combatant(As far as the USSR was concerned)

alright, so what is a military aircraft called that´s crossing foreign souvereignity without having permission?
invader?

[Sea Skimmer]

alright, so what is a military aircraft called that´s crossing foreign souvereignity without having permission?
invader?

It's just an airspace violation. The worst you could legally get the crew of a military aircraft for is some minor immigration charge for entering the country without a passport. You might be able to level some fines against the US goverment though.