“Spy Pilot” hovers over Cold War Museum: Virginia-born U-2 pilot’s story told in full

Courtesy Photos Francis Gary Powers Jr.

Several cousins raised their hands when Francis Gary Powers Jr., son of Francis Gary Powers Sr,  the downed U-2 spy plane pilot in 1960, called for a recent showing at a Cold War Museum presentation at Vint Hill, VA.

Powers Jr., known as Gary, published a book this year about his dad, who, with most of those relatives in the audience, were born and raised in Southwest Virginia, including a mom, Carol Barr of Front Royal. Her son, Malcolm Barr Jr., of Gloucester, VA, also was present to claim “cousinhood!”

Gary, who now lives in the Richmond area, was publicizing his latest book, “Spy Pilot,” co-authored with Keith Dunnavant, that is a detailed account of his father’s life and experience as a pilot of a Central Intelligence Agency-sponsored plane that crashed while on a photographic spy mission over the Soviet Union.

Powers Sr., was a former U.S. Air Force pilot, one of a number who volunteered for the top secret missions in planes that flew so high – 70,000 feet – that they were considered invulnerable to anti-aircraft fire from the ground.

The 1960 crash of the U-2 was an exception, however, and Powers was captured and jailed for 10 years as a spy by the Soviets. In a spy-for-spy exchange, however, Powers was released after two years, but until his untimely death in 1977 in a helicopter crash over California, his name was besmirched by the press, by certain members of Congress, and even the CIA. Mostly, the allegations against him were about allegedly not following orders. A final book by his son sets the record straight and Powers’s place of honor as an American hero is established beyond any doubt.

The Barr connection with Powers Sr. goes back to that day in 1960 when the U-2 incident hit the headlines and Carol Powers of Coeburn, VA, realized that it was a cousin of hers who was in the public searchlight. Powers was born and raised in Pound, VA, both towns being in the county of Wise.

Years later, Carol Powers Barr gave birth to a son who, by dint of circumstance, followed Powers path into the USAF. Both specialized in military intelligence, although Barr, an Iraq veteran, kept both feet on the ground while Powers did the aerial “recon” duty. Both mother and son raised their hands at the book signing ceremony when called upon.

“We were both very proud of the moment,” Carol said after getting a copy of “Spy Pilot” signed by her cousin.

Listening to his 90-minute talk about the U-2 incident and the raw deal his father got in the aftermath of the shoot down, Carol,

a 37-year federal government employee, remarked on his book. “I have only admiration for Gary and his tenacity to take on the job of clearing his father’s name, much of it by digging through government files. This book does the job.”

After his death, and following years of dogged research by his son, Francis Gary Powers was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry and a patriot’s burial in Arlington National Cemetery.