Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-06-06
BY DAVID WISE and
THOMAS B. ROSS

The U-2 was born In the last
days Of October. 1854, in Room
4E964 In the Pentagon, over
looking the Potomac.
1t was the office Of Trevor
Gardner, a 39-year-old engi-
neering prodigy who had been
persuaded by President Eisen-
hover to join the Government
in 1858 as q technical adviser
to the Air Force on research
and development. He made q
dramatic exit three years later
when the administration re-
fused to provide more money
for bomberS and missiles.
Gardner was a member Of a
small group which had been
agonizing over the w. since
July. The idea had been
brought to the Air Force by
Clarence L. kelly johnson,
a Lockheed vice president and
its chief designer.
In December, 1858, johnson
had begun an investigation of
the possibility of increasing the
performance Of his F-104 jet
so as to gain maximum altitude
and range for reconnaissance
purposes. He decided quickly
that an entirely new plane
might be built to Snoop at will
on the Soviet Union.
On March 5, 1854, Johnson
took his design to Gardner and
Col. Bernard A. Shriever, who
was later to become the chief
Of all missile development in
the Air Force. They liked the
idea and advised Johnson to
draw up a formal plan.
Early the next month, he
submitted q full description of
the plan along with a sug-
geSted program Of construction.
Rejected, Then Reviewed
On June Z, 1854, Johnson's
idea was rejected in a letter
from Maj. Gen. Floyd Wood,
deputy commander for techni-
cal operations of the Air Re-
search and Development Com
mand.
The proposal was revived by
the Science Advisory Commit
tee, which had been established
by the White House to explore
new scientific techniqueS for
the Government.
johnson was called back to
Washington on November 10.
1854. and questioned in great
detail by Gardner and the sci
entists. He also discussed the
project over lunch with Air
Force Secretary Harold Tai
bott, CHA Director Allen Dulles
and Richard M. Bissell, who
had been brought into the CHA
that year as a troubleshooter
and idea man.
Bissel was intrigued by john
sons proposal and Joined forces
With Gardner and the scien-
lists in pushing it. A plane that
could fly at 10000 feet-John-
sons first goal-was a fantas-
tic idea in 1854. The top-oper-
ating altitude for aircraft at
that time was $4,000 feet. The
British had Just set a record
$4,000 feet on a zoom-up. But
Johnson had done fantastic
things before, turning out the
F-80, Americas first jet, in 141
days in World War II.
Meets Opposition
Gardner fully expected the
Soviets to develop the means
to counter the U-2 in a year or
so. Still he saw ample reason
for taking the risk. He was con-
WINGED the Russians were max
ing significant advances in
hombers and missiles, but he
was finding it difficult to per-
suade his boss, Charles E. Will
son, the Secretary of Defense.
Every time Gardner would
plead with him for more money.
Wilson would reply: You'll
never convince me the Russians
are 9 feet tall"
If the U-2 were to bring back
revaling pictures, Gardner rea-
soned, they might speak a
thousand words to Engine
Charlie"
His argument was convinc-
ing to Talbot. He approved the
program in December of 1854
and the money was provided by
Wilfred j. Mcneil, the Penta-
CONS controller. The initial
outlay was small and Wilson
went along with the order to
build.
knowledge Of the operation
was tightly restricted from the
start. Only 10 men were ad-
mitted to the secret-three
members of the Science Ad-
visory Committee, plus Bissell,
Gardner, Talbot, Mcneil, Will
son, Gen. Nathan F. Twining,
Air Force chief of staff, and