Mission Number

Date

Pilot

Result

3001

26 OCT 60

CIA U-2’s from Detachment G (Laughlin AFB,Texas) conduct overflights of Cuba –Operation KICKOFF.

Abort "D" Light

3002

27 OCT 60

CIA U-2’s from Detachment G (Laughlin AFB,Texas) conduct overflights of Cuba –Operation KICKOFF.

Cloud cover

3003

27 NOV 60

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation GREEN EYES.

Successful

3010

4 DEC 60

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation GREEN EYES.

Abort -No mission

3011

5 DEC 60

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation GREEN EYES.

Abort- No mission ????

3016

11 DEC 60

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation GREEN EYES.

Successful

3028

19 MAR 61

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation LONG GREEN

Successful

3029

21 MAR 61

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation LONG GREEN

Successful

3030 TO 3051

6 APR 61

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation FLIP FLOP

Successful

3052

Take off delay-Successful

3053

Abort-no mission

3054

Successful

3058

Successful

3060

Successful

3061

6 DEC 61

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3062

19 JAN 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3064

31 JAN 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Air Abort-no mission

3065

2 FEB 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3067

21 FEB 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3071

15 MAR 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3074

1 APR 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3078

2 MAY 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3079

22 MAY 62

Det G U-2 conducts Cuban overflight –Operation NIMBUS

Successful

3080

6 JUN 62

FIRST INDICATION OF SAM SITES- NO MISSILES SEEN

Successful

3081

15 JUN 62

Successful

3082

18 JUN 62

Successful

3083

29 JUN 62

Successful

3084

8 JULY 62

Camera failure

3085

12 JULY 62

Successful

3086

5 AUG 62

Successful

3088

29 AUG 62

Successful

3089

5 SEP 62

 More SAM SITES Being Readied + MIG 21'S

Successful

3091

17 SEP 62

Cloud covered

 3093

 26 SEP 62

 3 MORE SAM SITES FOUND

 3095

 29 SEP 62

 3098

 5 OCT 62

 3100

7 OCT 62 

 5 SAM SITES FOUND- STIL NO SAM MISSILES FOUND

 12 OCT 62

 Air Force take over- OPERATION BRASS KNOB

3101?

14 OCT

On 14 October 1962, A SAC U-2F Flown by Major S Heyer brought back the definitive proof of Soviet installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba. Flying from the McCoy AFB, Florida, one of the two U-2’s brought back photos which clearly showed Soviet SS-4 Medium Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBM) being set up in the San Cristobel section of northeast Cuba.  President Kennedy informed next day.

3102

15 OCT 62

 RUDY ANDERSON

3103

 STEVE HEYSER

3104

17 OCT 62

 3105

As for my involvement in the Cuban missions, here is a precise of my initial mission from Laughlin AFB, TX.  -------The  early morning of the initial Cuban flights I was either the 2nd or 3rd off.  As I recall, we took off in the worst thunderstorm with rain, lightning, cross winds that I have ever been exposed to  I don't remember it ever being that bad, especially for October and to think that we would be executed for takeoff. I took off approximately 0400 (it was radio silent, so no radios were used, we were not to transmit during the complete mission. I could break radio silence approximately 30 minutes before landing at McCoy)  I arrived at McCoy sometime between 10:30 and 11:00 am.  I believe  Tony Martinez was the mobile that morning, and M/G Compton, SAC/DO recovered my mission package, it looked like a convention around by bird when I shut the engine down.   Of all the mission aircraft that took off that morning, three returned to Laughlin while I recovered at McCoy.  I don't know why I was chosen to recover at McCoy but I believe they wanted my "B" system film so it could be flown to NPIC ASAP to be processed.  (All the missions aircraft that morning was carrying the "B" configuration) Also my aircraft, which was Grey,  was the only bird that morning with slipper tanks.  I remember during my takeoff roll I was concerned about the pogo's falling off because of the strong cross wind which would cause the downwind pogo to possibly stick and not fall free,  There were no other Cuban mission aircraft that took off that morning.  (As a side light, if I had taken off at noon and flew a Cuban mission, (it would have put my over Cuba during the worst part of the day due to the afternoon thunderstorm build-up) I would have arrived at McCoy approximately 1900 - 2000)  If requested I will produce a copy of my Form 5 for your review)  Form 5 information, 17 Oct 1962 Total Time 7:35 (5+05 Day VFR, 2+00 Night, .30 mins Weather)   .  The birds were spotted just off the end of the runway,  as I was being  transported out to my bird (the winds were rocking the PSD van along with constant lighting and rain).   The cockpit check was completed with the canopy closed because everything was getting soaked because of the intense rain.  After engine start, we were led out to the active runway by the crew chief and waited for a go (red light from the tower) it was radio silent.  It was a complete surprise to me that the missions that morning were executed.  Every bird got off without incident, some one was looking over the Wing that morning.  After receiving the red light "GO" I advanced the throttle and started rocking my wings to insure the pogo's would fall off.   We had a quartering, aft (about the 7 o'clock position) cross wind I would estimate at 10 to 20  knots.  After getting airborne I configured my bird for rough air penetration, GUST control, slower climb airspeed, cockpit lights full bright and run my seat all the way to the bottom.  I finally broke out about 50,000 feet.  Of all the birds who took off that morning (about 0400) I recovered at McCoy AFB, Orlando FL. the other birds returned to Laughlin. 

As told by BUDDY BROWN 

 3106

 3107

 3108

 3109

 22 OCT 62

3121

 23 OCT 62