Francis Gary Powers, Jr. to Be Guest Speaker on the USS Hornet
Son of Famous Cold War Hero to Talk About the U-2 Incident of 1960

Alameda, CA – Francis Gary Powers, Jr., son of the famous U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, will be aboard the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum on Saturday, January 21, 2017 from 11:00 AM to noon to discuss the history and the impact of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, the May 1, 1960 U-2 shoot-down and the misinformation surrounding the incident, and his family’s effort to set the record straight. He will also provide unique insights and updates to his father’s memoir, Operation Overflight.

Mr. Powers is Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Cold War Museum in Vint Hill, Virginia and Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Cold War Theme Study. He also served as a consultant to Steven Spielberg during the filming of the motion picture Bridge of Spies, which was inspired by the U-2 incident.

WHO:             Francis Gary Powers, Jr.
WHAT:          Public Lecture on the Cold War and 1960 U-2 Incident
WHEN:          Saturday, January 21, 2017, 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, with a showing of the motion picture Bridge of Spies after the presentation

Admission to this unique event is free for all USS Hornet Sea, Air  & Space Museum Members. Non-members will pay regular daily admission to the Museum.

Biography on Francis Gary Powers, Jr.

Born June 5, 1965, in Burbank, California, he is the son of Francis Gary and Claudia “Sue” Powers. Gary holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Master Degree in Public Administration / Certification in Non-profit Management from George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax, Virginia. Recently, he consulted for a Steven Spielberg Cold War thriller, Bridge of Spies about James Donovan who brokered the 1962 spy exchange between Rudolph Abel and U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, Sr.

Gary is the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of The Cold War Museum, a 501(c) (3) charity located at Vint Hill, VA 45 minutes west of Washington, DC, He founded the museum in 1996 to honor Cold War veterans, preserve Cold War history, and educate future generations about this time period. As Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Cold War Theme Study he works with the National Park Service and leading Cold War experts to identify historic Cold War sites for commemorating, interpreting, and preservation. Because of his efforts to establish The Cold War Museum, the Junior Chamber of Commerce selected him as one of the “Ten Outstanding Young Americans” for 2002. Gary lectures internationally and appears regularly on the History, Discovery, and A&E Channels. He is married and has one son.