caption laterwork branch allegiance awards image_size battles rank image article_title name
allen 1959 pope on trial in jakarta , 28 december flight instructor united states 23px 18px central intelligence agency united states 23px 30px cross 30px chevalier de la légion d'honneur air medal -lrb- 3 -rrb- 30px distinguished flying 300px korean war first indochina war permesta rebellion first lieutenant allen pope.jpg allen lawrence pope
 allen lawrence pope
allen lawrence pope

allen lawrence pope -lrb- born 1928 or ' 29 -rrb- is a retired us military and paramilitary aviator .
he rose to international attention as the subject of a diplomatic dispute between the usa and indonesia after the b-26 aircraft he was piloting in a cia covert op was shot down over ambon in may 1958 during the `` indonesian crisis '' .
pope 's aviation career began with the united states air force , serving with distinction flying bombing missions in the korean war .
he transferred to the cia in 1954 , which he also served with distinction flying transport missions in the first indochina war .
in the permesta rebellion in indonesia in 1958 , pope again flew bombing missions for the cia .
shot down by government forces , he was captured and held under house arrest for just over four years .
in 1960 , an indonesian court condemned him to death , but considerable back-channel negotiations led to his release by president sukarno in 1962 .
pope returned to the usa and subsequently flew cia covert missions in other theaters .
a native of miami , florida , and graduate of the university of florida , pope is now retired and lives in the usa .
in 2005 , france made him a `` chevalier de la légion d'honneur '' for his service in indochina .
