We have managed to obtain some detail pertaining to U-2 flights which originated from Giebelstadt, West Germany in 1956 and 1957. Mission numbers, as indicated in the matrix, are "operational flights".
|
Mission |
Date |
Departure Base |
Pilots Name |
Remarks |
|
2029 |
10 Dec 1956 |
Giebelstadt |
Carmine Vito |
Over Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia and back to Giebelstadt. On this sortie the pilot, known as the Lemon Drop Kid, nearly bit on the suicide L-pill, mistaking it for one of his favourite sweets. The L-pill was available until Jan 60 when it was replaced by a poisoned needle. |
|
Unknown |
25 Apr 1957 |
Giebelstadt |
Unknown |
Over Albania. |
|
2037 |
11 Oct 1957 |
Giebelstadt |
Jake Kratt |
Article 351 (56-6684) North to the northern tip of Norway and over the Barents Sea on an ELINT mission. The flight covered a distance of 3,900 nautical miles and lasted nine hours and 53 minutes. |
|
2040 |
13 Oct 1957 |
Giebelstadt |
Hervey Stockman |
Article 351 (56-6684) North to the northern tip of Norway on a photo mission, then east parallel to the Soviet coast then south towards the Kola Fjord. Over Polyarnyy, Severomorsk and Murmansk where many submarines, cruisers and other vessels were moored. Continued south as far as Monechegorsk before leaving Soviet territory at northern Norway. Landed back at Giebelstadt after more then 9 hours in the air. In Nov 57 Detatchment "A" was disbanded and returned to the USA. From this point on Giebelstadt was used only as a refueling point when U-2's were ferried to and from Detachment "B" in Turkey. This practice began in February 1958, as a better alternative to disassembly and transport from Edwards by the lumbering C-124s, followed by reassembly at the Detachment. |
| Return to Top of Page |
This page is located at
http://www.pinetreeline.org/metz/other/otherm9t2.html
Updated: October 30, 2003
