Frequently Asked Question #7
What kind of information on Cold War shootdowns is included in the book?
A. The book addresses Cold War air incidents involving attacks on and harassment of U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy reconnaissance crews by Soviet and Chinese forces, with emphasis on incidents involving MIAs.
1) The Soviets shot down 10 U.S. recon planes through 1958.
2) The Chinese shot down two U.S. recon planes (one in 1953 with six MIAs and one in 1956 with four KIAs and 12 MIAs).
3) One USAF RB-50 recon plane disappeared in Sept. 1956.
B. In 36 incidents the U.S. suffered 264 recon losses (105 KIAs and 159 MIAs); the book provides a detailed look at many of these incidents, plus the midair collision of the Navy EP-3E and Chinese fighter.
1) 12 incidents in SEA/Vietnam War (41 KIAs and 9 MIAs)
2) 22 incidents (Soviet, China, N. Korea) (29 KIAs and 150 MIAs)
3) Israeli attack on USS Liberty in '67 Middle East War (34 KIAs)
4) One KIA during recon flight over Cuba in October 1962
C. Other shootdowns
Soviets
1) Korean Air Boeing 707 in Siberia in 1978 (no losses)
2) KAL 007 Boeing 747 near Sakhalin Island in 1993 (269 dead)
3) Argentinean CL-44 in Azerbaijan in 1981 (4 dead)
Chinese
1) Shot down several Taiwanese-piloted U-2 recon planes
2) Shot down CIA C-47 over Manchuria; two CIA agents captured and imprisoned for 20+ years.
D. For American reconnaissance crews, the Cold War was every bit as hot as the Korean and Vietnamese Wars.
All these incidents are covered in the book.