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Published by Helion & Company 2011
eBook edition 2011
Designed and typeset by Farr out Publications, Wokingham, Berkshire Cover designed by Farr out Publications, Wokingham, Berkshire Printed by Gutenberg Press Limited, Tarxien, Malta
Text © Brig. Gen. Gerald E. McIlmoyle, (Ret.) and Linda Rios Bromley 2011 Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are from the private collection of the individual in whose story they appear, otherwise © as shown. Front cover photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co. Rear cover photo courtesy of TDBarnes.com.
Hardback ISBN 978 1 907677 20 5
eBook ISBN 9781907677854
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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Contents
List of Illustrations
List of Abbreviations
Preface
Acknowledgements
From Idea to Reality
A Temporary Unit was Born
A New Dimension: Development of the U-2 Program
A Tribute to Our Leader
In Memory of Our Leader
The Chosen Few
The Chosen Few Dragon Lady Pilots
The Ranch
Anthony P. (Tony) Bevacqua
Harry N. Cordes
Richard Giordano
Gerald E. (Jerry) McIlmoyle
Charles B. Stratton
Carmine Vito
Flying with the Lady
Julian Anderson
Buddy L. Brown
Richard (Dick) Callahan
Orville Clancy
Ward Graham
Patrick J. Halloran
Roger Herman
Anthony Martinez
Gerald E. (Jerry) McIlmoyle
Jack D. Nole
Chris Pocock
Francis G. (Frank) Powers
Daniel W. (Danny) Schmarr
Robert M. Wood
It Took a Dedicated Team …
What is NEPHO?
Glenn R. Chapman
Alexander R. (Alex the Old) Dulevitz
Gary (Shorty) Erdman
Gerard (Jerry) Fogel
B. C. Fowler
Joe Franklin
Robert H. Ingram
Jose F. (Lops) Lopez
James D. Manis
William L. Ming
Loomis L. (Robbie) Robertson
Joseph (Rooster) Robinson
Charlie Rogers
Gene Stoddard
John W. Washburn
Buck A. Young
Dressing Up and Stepping Out
The Development of the Partial Pressure Suit
4080th SRW Physiological Support Division
James W. May
Lewis C. Nelson
Gerald E. (Jerry) McIlmoyle
Joseph (Joe) Ruseckas
Thomas J. (Woody) Woodall
Dragon Lady Doctors
Robert W. Paret
Dragon Lady Caregivers
Maintenance
James E. Ballard
Hugh W. Bell
Donald E. (Donnie) Brown
Harold A. (Brownie) Brownback
Swinton Burroughs
James E. (Soup) Campbell
Joseph (Joe) Chapman
George Debinski
Russell (Ed) Eddington
Carlton L. (Lyn) Fite
Frank T. Hayes
Richard Kemp
Arthur L. (Art) Kveck
Harry R. Magill
Samuel R. McDowell, Jr.
Marion E. Neal
Roger (‘Big O’) Owens
Glenn Simmons
Richard W. Staats
William J. Turpin
Gordon E. (Joe) Warner
Albert (Dan) White, Jr.
To Launch a Recon Around the World
Cuban Missile Crisis
Buddy L. Brown
Richard Henry
Joe Glenn Hyde, Jr
Ward G. Graham
Charles W. Kern
Gerald E. (Jerry) McIlmoyle
Alaska, North Pole and Vietnam Flights
Robert C. Birkett
Buddy L. Brown
Bill E. Bye
Edward B. Dixon
Roger Herman
Michael (Mike) Horochivsky
Charles W. Kern
Cozier Kline
Ray B. Lodin
Charles (Chuck) Maultsby
Gerald E. (Jerry) McIlmoyle
Victor L. (Vic) Milam
James K. Rogers
Family And Community
Buddy L. Brown
John Harvey
James S. Long
Patricia McIlmoyle
Clifford B. (Cliff) Melton
William T. (Rody) Rodenbach II
Royal Air Force U-2 Pilots
Royal Air Force U-2 Pilots
Martin Bee
Richard (Dick) Cloke
Republic of China Air Force U-2 Pilots
Republic of China Air Force U-2 Pilots
Recommended Reading
List of Illustrations
Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are from the private collection of the individual in whose story they appear, otherwise © as shown.
Kelly Johnson, head of Lockheed's Skunk Works, stands beside U-2 N803X. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Brigadier General John A. DesPortes. Photo courtesy of Laughlin Heritage Foundation.
Trailers were temporary living quarters for Air Force personnel at The Ranch. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Dining hall at The Ranch. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Mission planning and tracking. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Pre-mission briefing. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
U-2 #66708 in flight at altitude. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Wings of a U-2 have been disassembled and are awaiting transport in a C-124. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
A U-2 fuselage is loaded inside a C-124 for transport. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Control tower at The Ranch. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Technicians work with the camera equipment in the Q Bay below the cockpit. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Maintenance operations at The Ranch. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Drag chute deployed at touchdown. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Flight planning and navigation prior to flight. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Inside the control tower with shuttle aircraft in background. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Flight line, hangars and control tower. Photo court
esy of TD-Barnes.com
Physiological Support technician checking pilots’ flight equipment, including the helmets. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
A view of the instruments as the pilot would see it. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Dragon Lady under construction at the Lockheed plant. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
The Ranch in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Reassembly of the U-2 after it arrived at The Ranch. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Security check for passengers boarding the shuttle to and from The Ranch on weekends. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Fire truck in front of the control tower. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Removal of U-2 tail section for engine maintenance. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Drift sight covers installed after flight. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Technician checks camera. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Hangar where photo operations were conducted. Dark room and camera maintenance were below the balcony at the end of the hangar. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Chase car follows a U-2 after landing. Photo courtesy of TD-Barnes.com
Pat Halloran and Tony Bevacqua at Eielson AFB, Alaska, for Operation Toy Soldier.
Major General Montgomery awarding the Distinguished Flying Cross to Anthony Bevacqua, May 23, 1958.
Anthony Bevacqua, July 1, 1965.
Tony and Marilyn Bevacqua, 2002.
Harry N. Cordes, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Strategic Air Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, October 1970.
July 1957, Detachment B, TUSLOG, Incirlik, Turkey, Weather Recon Unit in their “uniforms”. Left to right: Harry Cordes, Chet Bohart, Ed Perry, Don Curtis, Unknown pilot, and William Kennedy. Harry was the only U-2 pilot in the group.
TUSLOG, Detachment B, Incirlik, Turkey. Standing, left to right: Francis Gary Powers, Sammy Snyder, Tom Burkhead, Ed Perry, E.K. Jones, Bill McMurry, Bill Hall. Kneeling, left to right: Chet Bohart, Cy Perkins, Buster Edens, Jim Cherbonnoux, Harry Cordes.
Gerald E. (Jerry) McIlmoyle.
Charles B. Stratton leaning on the unit's modern speedy Dodge wagon, which served as the mobile control and chase vehicle at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam, March 1964.
Tightly wrapped U-2 is unloaded from a C-124. The U-2 was partially disassembled for transport and then reassembled at the destination. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Pilot is being prepared for a mission. The houdah or portable canopy is used to temporarily protect the pilot and cockpit from the elements prior to takeoff. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Julian Anderson awaiting his flight with Air Combat USA, 2005.
Julian Anderson checking the scheduling board for his flight, 2005.
Buddy Brown
Richard and Sharon Callahan.
Marking the one millionth foot of film shot over Cuba in 1963 are, standing left to right: Colonel DesPortes, Major Halloran, Jim Combs (Hycon Tech Rep), CM Sgt Max Burns, CM Sgt Willie Haynes; kneeling left to right: Airmen Jim Lobig, Jim Manis and Joseph “Rooster” Robinson.
Laverton RAAF Station Australia 1965, celebrating 1000 hours in the U-2 for George Bull. Left to right: Ray Pierson, Line Chief Okie Barnes, Crew Chief unknown, Ed Purdue, Pat Halloran, George Bull.
Beijing, China, 2004. Pat Halloran standing alongside the U-2 flown by Jack Chang, ROCAF. Chang was shot down by an SA-2 missile on January 10, 1965.
OL20 Bien Hoa, October 1964 - 4080th SRW compound, hutches on the right.
Maps showing routes of high altitude air sampling.
Aerial view of OL20, 4080th SRW compound at Bien Hoa, October 1964. Hutches are to the left, trailers to the right.
OL20, Bien Hoa, October 1964. Left to right: Jim Rogers (pilot), Capt Birk (Intel), Capt Ray Lodin (nav), Major Don Webster (pilot).
Lt Col Anthony Martinez, OL20 commander, October 1964.
OL20 Bien Hoa, September 1964 - two of our sergeants in the uniform of the day.
OL20 Bien Hoa, October 1964 - Major Roger Herman, pilot with pet monkey.
Jerry McIlmoyle receiving an award, 1960.
Left to right: Jerry McIlmoyle, Danny Schmarr, Ray Lodin and Ed Dixon, November 1963.
Chris Pocock shown after his own U-2 flight to high altitude. Courtesy of Chris Pocock and Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
Francis G. (Frank) Powers. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Daniel M. Schmarr in the cockpit preparing for a flight.
Robert M. Wood relaxing at his home in Gig Harbor WA, 2006.
U-2 #66954 ready for takeoff. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
U-2 #66721 ready for touchdown with only a few feet off the runway. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
U-2 #66722 in flight. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin Co.
Itek optical bar camera used in the U-2.
Glenn R. Chapman and his son Joseph Michael Chapman, a U-2 crew chief at Beale AFB, California with Oscar, the Crow Flight mascot.
Gary Erdmann 1961.
4080th SRW Photo Lab, Laughlin AFB, Texas August 1962. First row left to right: C. Cook, F. Robinson, R. Dobbleman, E. Branning, Lt G. Baker, Capt R. Duggan, W. Williams, E. MacGil, L. Dillon, J. Lyons. Second row left to right: R. Barfield, B. Burge, B. Brewer, W. Duette, H. Warrick, J. Hendricks, L. Pincombe, L. Ames, H. Reed, H. Wayman, G. Gwilliams, S. Andrews, A. Robertson. Third row left to right: G. Stoddard, G. Erdmann, B. Payne, A. LeDuc, L. Oberlander, B. Davis, C. Davis, G. Garcia, T. Presnell, H. Eaves, C. Hunt, R. Hall. Fourth row left to right: B. Nuckolls, L. Dennison, L. Robertson, D. Techman, T. Lee, E. Hinojosa, L. Small, J. Montano, P. Lindke, G. DelaGarza, B. Casterline, D. Smith, R. Heintzleman.
4080th SRW Photo Lab, Laughlin AFB, Texas, August 1962. First row, left to right: G. Stoddard, B. Casterline, G. DelaGarza, C. Davis, G. Erdmann, E. Branning, L. Oberlander, B. Nickolls, T. Lee, D. Smith, C. Garcia, J. Montano, A. LeDuc, P. Sharp. Second row left to right: T. Presnell, C. Cook, D. Techman, B. David, L. Dennison, L. Small, Lt G. Baker, Capt R. Duggan, L. Dillon, E. Hinojosa, B. Payne, L. Robertson, C. Hunt, H. Warrick, H. Eaves, K. Bartly. Third row left to right: A. Robertson, J. Lyons, E. MacGil, H. Wayman, R. Dobbleman, W. Williams, L. Pincombe, L. Ames, B. Brewer, B. Burge, F. Robinson, D. Jacob, H. Reed, J. Hendricks, W. Duette, P. Lindke, R. Barfield, S. Andrews, D. Davis.
4080th SRW Photo Lab. Left to right: Gary Erdmann, Larry Oberland, Everett Owens, Tom Presnell, kneeling: M.K. Bevz.
4080th SRW Photo Lab. Front row, left to right: G. Hinojosa and wife, P. Brazee, C. Davis, C. Hunt, G. Erdmann, T. Lee, D. Smith, M. Riles, D. Techman, E. Owens. Back row, left to right: T. Presnell, H. Eaves, L. Ames, H. Reed, D. Sharp, L. Pincomb, G. DelaGarza.
Gary Erdmann 2010.
2005 4080th SRW Reunion. Left to right: Al Defilipis, Horace Tanner, Bob Zint, Bobbie Black, Jerry Fogel, James King, B.C. Fowler and Bob Ingram.
Don Cinnamon (left) with B.C. Fowler (third from left).
Don Cinnamon (left) receiving an award.
Silas Lewis (left) and B.C. Fowler loading a camera for a flight in Vietnam. Note the sidearms.
Lester Herling, Crew Chief (left) and Ed Stewart, SFERICS systems. A jokester had covered the unit shield with black panties.
Lola and Joe Franklin.
Bien Hoa AB, standing in front of a hut that served as living quarters. Left to right: Charlie Couch, B.C. Fowler, Jim Lobig and Si Lewis.
Air Force attendees at Stanford University IRIS camera training sponsored by the ITEK Company. Left to right: Bob Ingram, Instructor unknown, Photo Specialists Jenkins, Goudy, Johnson, Rodriguez, Washburn, McDowell and Cook.
Housing for South Vietnamese Air Force personnel.
Jim Combs, Hycon Tech Rep (foreground), with Jim Lobig NEPHO specialist (far right) at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam 1964.
Negrito village chief, Philippines, 1964.
Remembering the Dragon Lady: The U-2 Spy Plane: Memoirs of the Men Who Made the Legend Page 1