Francis Gary Powers

In August 1956, Francis Gary Powers graduated with the second CIA U-2 class at Area 51 and deployed to the Incirlik Air Base, Turkey as Det 10–10; Det B; WRS (P) -2. 

On 20 November 1956, Francis Gary “Frank” Powers flew the sixth Soviet overflight, Mission 4016. On 1 May 1960, Powers flew Mission 4154, Operation GRAND SLAM and was shot down over Russia. Sentenced to 10 years in a Soviet prison, he served 21 months before traded in February 1962 for Soviet intelligence officer Rudolph Abel in the first and most dramatic East-West spy swap ever to occur in Cold War Berlin.

For his role in the highly classified CIA U-2 project at Area 51 and service to the United States, Francis Gary Powers has earned his 2019 enshrinement into the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame.