Concealed Poison Pin in Coins,The U-2 Spy Plane, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
BLUEJAYWAY
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I'm reading a new book titled "Above and Beyond". It concerns a historical account of our spy missions over Cuba by the U-2 spy planes. Within it's contents it is noted how the pilots carried with them a poison pin concealed in a coin to be used in case they were shot down. Also the pilots were supplied with currency in the event they were shot down. BTW there were different classes of U-2's used in those missions. Overall the book is a fascinating read/account of an important page in our history. Thought this would be of interest from a coin use standpoint.
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The girls cried and the boys went off to war. That's how I remember it.
Yeah, like they were likely to use the poison pin (I wouldn't either). Just ask Francis Powers.
U.S. Type Set
I always found it interesting that the titanium we needed to create these ridiculously high altitude planes came from soviet sources.
Interesting !!!
When Powers bailed out he manually opened the canopy and jumped rather the pull the auto eject lever. He knew it had a secret explosive device that would have blown up him and the plane so the secret spy equipment couldn't be captured by the soviets.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Poison pin AND local currency. Sounds like they gave them a choice.
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So, the local currency in his pocket was just a head fake?
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Trust no one... even your teeth bite your tongue occasionally.....Cheers, RickO
According to the 2015 film "Bridge of Spies" the coin was a silver Peace dollar.
Bridge of Spies scenes showing silver dollar
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
From what I have read, the Soviets got lucky with the shot they made to bring the U-2 down. Under normal circumstances, there was no way that their missiles could have been effective given the altitude.
As for the poison pill, I remember my parents commenting that Powers let the country down by not taking it. This was circa 1960 at the height of the Cold War. I was 11 years old at the time.
There is a chapter in the book that addresses the Powers incident. One high ranking official quoted in the book stated that Powers should of killed himself. He said it would of saved a lot of trouble. I like the fact that the book covers the backgrounds in up close and personal terms the lives of the other U-2 pilots and their families. And their feelings on the missions.
The U-2 incident ruined a scheduled summit meeting between Eisenhower and Khrushchev. Khrushchev used the meeting to claim that he was the aggrieved party.
if you think this was a good book, buy a soft cover called "MIG PILOT". about a defected mig pilot and the secrets he brought with him to the US. you can't put it down.that good.
I recall reading about Francis Gary Powers being shot down over the USSR. But apparently a U2 was also shot down over Cuba. I don't recall hearing about that one but when I was in Havana 20 years ago they had some of the wreckage on display. I guess the US never claimed the body of the pilot as we took the official position that it was not our plane.