1929 – 1977

Francis Gary Powers

American pilot shot down flying a U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union (1929-1977)

spyaircraft pilot

Born

1929-08-17, Jenkins

Died

1977-08-01

Birthplace state

Kentucky

Biography

Francis Gary Powers was born in Jenkins, Kentucky in 1929 and worked as an aircraft pilot and spy. He served as a United States Air Force officer and CIA employee. In 1960, while flying a secret CIA mission over the Soviet Union, his aircraft was shot down; he survived but was captured and sentenced to 10 years in a Soviet prison for espionage. He was released after 21 months through a prisoner exchange in 1962 and died in 1977.

Occupation

Francis Gary Powers is recorded as a spy and a aircraft pilot, born in Kentucky (1929–1977).

Connections to Kentucky

Francis Gary Powers was born in Jenkins, Kentucky in 1929. Explore other notable figures from Kentucky, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Kentucky›Kentuckyhistory ›Historic sites in Kentucky›

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Francis Gary Powers came from Jenkins. A full Aubrey report on Jenkins pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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More notable figures from Kentucky

Other historical figures born in Kentucky, ranked by historical prominence.

Abraham Lincoln

president of the United States from 1861 to 1865 (1809-1865)

Muhammad Ali

American boxer (1942–2016)

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865 (1808–1889)

Thomas Hunt Morgan

American biologist (1866–1945)

D. W. Griffith

American filmmaker (1875–1948)

Jim Varney

American actor and comedian (1949–2000)

Hunter S. Thompson

American journalist and author (1937–2005)

Frequently asked about Francis Gary Powers

Who was Francis Gary Powers?

Francis Gary Powers was American pilot shot down flying a U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union (1929-1977), born in Kentucky (1929 – 1977).

When and where was Francis Gary Powers born?

Francis Gary Powers was born on 1929-08-17 in Jenkins.

When did Francis Gary Powers die?

Francis died on 1977-08-01.

What was Francis Gary Powers known for?

Francis Gary Powers is recorded as a spy and a aircraft pilot.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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