Posted on 12/09/2013 7:28:24 PM PST by posterchild
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has recognised two former intelligence agents who spent more than 20 years jailed in China after their plane was shot down.
The two agents, Mr John Downey and Mr Richard Fecteau, were awarded the "Distinguished Intelligence Cross", the CIA's highest honour, during a ceremony held on an unspecified date last month, the CIA said in a statement issued on Monday.
During a mission in November 1952, the two men were trying to retrieve an agent from Chinese territory, by flying a plane close to the ground allowing him to hook on. "The agent, who unbeknownst to (the) CIA had been compromised by the Chinese, had promised valuable information in clandestine messages to his (agency) handlers," the agency recounted in its statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at straitstimes.com ...
Herky bird with nose trap of SPY extraction harness?
Ah, whoops! 1952, Kay...
I meant FULTON S.A. recovery system, sorry.
Fultons system wasn’t in place with the balloon until 1958 and it took till 1965 before DOD used it . Christians In Action...CIA,.... In 52 these guys would have used the ground poles and a trailing grappling hook in their C47. Big brass ones on both ends of that line......
Did the SPIE’s ride a couple of times in my career in training. I believe the
Fulton was a last resort thang only after late 1996 when DOD dropped its use in favor of modern long range helicopters and now tilt rotor CV-22’s etc ....
I read that only one fatality using the Fulton in 17 years was on record. Seems it would still be valuable tool even today to pick up a good guy running from bad guys. Good safety record for as many times as it was used in training and actual ops.......
20 years in a Chinese prison when they know your a CIA agent....that had to suck big time.
....God Bless those who did and continue to do right by serving their country who’s stories will never be told ........
Stay Safe Gaijin !
Guess you could say the CIA left them with their DICs in their hands.
The enemy was known to used fabricated voices or induced conversations to set up an ambush.
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