(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000400080123-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 123
• Publication Date: March 12, 1962
• Content Type: OPEN

Approved For Release 2000/08/03 : CIA-RDP75-00001 RO
UNITED PRESS MARCH 12, 1962
INTERNATIONAL
(POWERS)
BIG STONE GAP, VA.--PEOPLE WHO ONCE KNEW HIM AS A SHOEMAKEE'S
SON HONORED U2 PILOT FRANCIS GARY POWERS TODAY AS "NOT ONLY OUR HERO,
BUT ON OF OUR BOYS WHO MADE GOOD."
TWO HIGH SCHOOL BAN[ S, ABOUT 600 PEOPLE AND THE MAYORS OF WISE
COUNTY'S SEVEN TOWNS ABOUT HALF-FILLED THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY
HERE TO HONOR THE SPY PILOT WHO BECAME A NATIONAL FIGURE WHEN HIS
AIRPLANE WENT DOWN OVER RUSSIA MAY 1, 1960.
REP. W. JENNINGS, D-VA., CALLED HIM A MAN WHO "SERVED HIS COUNTRY
IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM." EACH OF THE SEVEN MAYORS MADE A BRIEF
SPEECH PRAISING HIM AND STATE SEN. M. M. LONG CALLED HIM "ONE OF OUR
BOYS WHO MADE GOOD."
POWERS ENTERED THE ARMORY WITH HIS MOTHER, IDA, AND HIS FATHER,
OLIVER, WHILE THE HIGH SCHOOL BANDS PLAYED "WHEN JOHNNY COMES
MARCHING HOME."
THROUGHOUT THE CEREMONIES HE SAT QUIETLY BENEATH A SIGN PROCLAIMING:
"WISE COUNTY WELCOMES YOU HOME GARY" AND HELD HIS MOTHER'S HAND.
NEAR THE END OF THE CEREMONIES' THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE VETERANS
OF FOREIGN WARS PRESENTED HIM WITH A CITIZENSHIP AWARD. POWERS THEN
MADE BRIEF REMARKS WHICH LASTED ABOUT ONE MINUTE.
HE SAID HE WAS THANKFUL FOR THE CONFIDENCE THE PEOPLE OF HIS HOME
COMMUNITY HAD IN HIM. HE SAID HE WAS GRATIFIED THAT THE WELCOME HOME
HAD BEEN PLANNED BEFORE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ANNDUNCED HE SATISFACTORILY
FULFILLED HIS MISSION AS A SPY PILOT.
"I THANK YGU FOR IT," HE SAID.
AT THIS POINT, HIS FATHER PULLED OUT A HANDKERCHIEF AND WIPPED
HIS EYES.
AFTER THE CEREMONIES POWERS TOLD NEWSMEN HE EXPECTED THE SOVIET
COURTS TO SENTENCE HIM TO DEATH FOR ESPIONAGE.
"I EXPECTED TO BE SHOT UNTIL THE DAY I HEARD THE VERDICT,"
I E SAID. BUT HE ADDED THAT HIS TREATMENT IN THE SOVIET PRISON WAS
"MUCH BETTER THAN I EXPECTED."
3/12--N 700 PES
Approved For Release 2000/08/03 : CIA-RDP75-00001 R000400080123-0