US Interrogator: What specifically did they ask you to identify, certain—?
Powers: Yes, it seemed to me they wanted me to identify some of this stuff, and some of it I couldn’t identify. I told them I didn’t know what it was. I couldn’t have identified it if I’d known what it was before, most of it. Some of it was in bad shape—you could see some of it, instruments banged up, but you could tell what they were.
US Interrogator: Were they interested in parts of it more so than others?
Powers: Well, they wanted to get some photographs of me standing in this area where they had the cameras and special equipment. They seemed to ask more questions about the special equipment than about the regular flight instruments and so forth.
US Interrogator: Was this a closed section of the park or were there others there?
Powers: There were a bunch of people there but they were all associated with KGB and guards and so forth.
US Interrogator: Not the general public?
Powers: No, not the general public. In fact we remained there a little longer, I guess, than they anticipated because when we came outside there was a group of people apparently waiting to get in blocked off out of the way. And they whisked me right into the car and out. I suppose they opened it up to the public then—I don’t remember how long it took or what time this was—I know it was in the morning—I think nine o’clock.
US Interrogator: Frank, was the aircraft, as you evaluated it, in condition generally consistent with what you might expect knowing you didn’t see it go down? Was there anything inconsistent or illogical in what you saw there?
Powers: Well, I don’t know. I know from some of the fighter planes that go down there’s very little left, but they probably go down much faster. It seemed to me to be in a little better shape than—well, it was in much better shape that I had hoped it would be, but I thought there would be a little more damage than it appeared. I was very glad that [much] of this stuff was mashed up so it couldn’t, I don’t believe it could be taken apart—looked like to me, but I guess they could. I was surprised that the—Oh, they showed me a photograph this morning that the tail section—it was from the side that I didn’t see—I only saw the other side—and this photograph looked much more damaged than the one that I remembered seeing of the tail section. In fact, I thought the horizontal stabilizers were on, but in this photograph one was missing. But since I only saw one side—I’m sure one side was on—it must have been.
US Interrogator: All of the stuff you saw at Gorky Park was—the best you could tell—was part of the U-2? Didn’t look like there was anything added?
Powers: Yes, it looked like everything I saw there was part of it.22
Completely shut off from the outside world, and unaware what his family had been told about the incident, the pilot was eager to contact his parents and his wife. Several days after visiting the wreckage, he was allowed to begin writing letters. The first was to his wife.
26 May 1960
My Dearest Barbara,
I want you to know that I love you and miss you very much. I did not realize how much until I found myself in this situation. Not knowing, when, if ever, I will see you again, has made me realize how much you mean to me. I have had plenty of time to think since I have been here and plenty of time to regret past mistakes.
I am sincerely sorry to cause you the suffering you must have had before you found out that I am still alive. I am also sorry to be the cause of any suffering or pain that you may be having because of the situation that I am presently in.
I hope with all my heart that you are well and everything is all right with you. I hope your trip back to the States was a good one. It looks like we will not get to take the boat trip back that we were planning on.
It is very hard to write this letter even though I have been wanting to write ever since I have been here. I don’t know what to say or how to say it.
I have been told that there is a lot of publicity in the U.S. papers about me. I was also told that you had returned to the States and that you are presently with your mother.
Barbara tell me how my mother and father are taking this. Is my mother all right? I was afraid that it might be too much of a shock to her. I am going to write to them as soon as I finish this letter but if my mother is ill they might not let me know like they did once before. I am depending on you for this information.
Well to get back to me, I am getting along as good as can be expected. I get more than I can eat and plenty of sleep. I have also been reading a lot. I have been treated much better than expected. For the first week or so I had no appetite at all but I am doing fine now.
When I had to bail out of the plane I skinned my right shin a little and carried a black left eye for two weeks. A lady doctor treated them both and they are well now.
That was my first experience with a parachute and I hope I will never have another. I could not use the ejection seat because of the G forces and had to climb out. My chute opened immediately how I don’t know, I don’t remember pulling anything. The people here tell me I am lucky to be alive but only time will tell me whether or not I was lucky.
Things happened pretty fast after that. Before dark that night I was in Moscow. I have been in the same cell since then. It gets pretty lonely here by myself but they have given me books to read and it helps to pass the time. I also get to walk in the fresh air every day that it doesn’t rain. One day I even took a sun bath. It has been a little too cold to do that every day.
On May 2nd I was taken on a tour of Moscow which I enjoyed very much. These people are real proud of their Capitol city and it is a beautiful city. Another time I was taken to a park to review the remains of my plane. Those are the only two times I have been out of this building.
Just now a guard asked me if I wanted to walk but I prefer to finish this letter so I said no.
Barbara, I don’t know what is going to happen to me. The investigation and interrogation is still going on. When that is over there will be a trial. I will be tried in accordance with Article 2 of their criminal code for espionage. The article states that the punishment is 7 to 15 years imprisonment and death in some cases. Where I fit in I don’t know. I don’t know when the trial will be or anything. I only know that I don’t like the situation I am in or the situation I have placed you in. I will try my best to make the most of it and I hope you will do the same.
I was told today that I could write letters to you and my parents. That was good news. I was also told that there appeared in one of the U.S. papers a statement that my father had made that he would like to come here and see me. I was told that if the U.S. government would let any of you come that you would be allowed to see me. I would rather you waited until the trial or after so that I could tell you what the results were. But I will leave the decision of when to come up to you.
I did take a walk after all. I just came back from it. It was getting pretty smoky in here and I needed the fresh air. I am still smoking too much. By the way these cigarettes here are pretty good.
I want to assure you Barbara that I am getting along fine. I am being treated very good and as I said before, much better than I expected. You probably have the idea that I had before that the treatment would be bad. Well it isn’t. It isn’t like home but a person can not expect to be treated at home in any prison. I don’t like to be locked up but under the circumstances I don’t expect anything else.
Darling I wish I had good news to give you. I know you worry about me but I don’t know what is going to happen. I will let you know of any new developments if I am allowed to.