Francis Gary Powers, Jr. and Jeopardy!
The Final Jeopardy! clue on 2/27/2024 was about Military History and a craft deployed in 1955 that made headlines in May 1960. Jeopardy! might be surprised to learn the identity of one avid Jeopardy! fan who watched the episode. It was Francis Gary Powers, Jr. (Gary), son of the CIA pilot who was at the center of the May 1960 headlines. A longtime Jeopardy! lover, Gary even has an early childhood memory of seeing a clue about his father during the Art Fleming era, and, of course, has seen numerous such clues during the Alex Trebek era.
Gary lost his father in 1977 at the tender age of 12. By age 10, however, he was aware of his father’s role in Cold War history. Father and son talked about it on occasion. By college, Gary was also aware of the many false reports and conspiracy theories floating around. He decided to dig deep into the matter to learn the truth about his father and the U-2 incident. In June 1998, the CIA and USAF hosted a declassification program at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC, leading to the CIA U-2 program being designated a “Military” operation. Gary was in attendance and he presented new information he had to the USAF Military Records Review Board. It was due to his research that the Review Board determined that Francis Gary Powers, Sr. was eligible for an update to his service records and that he deserved to be awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, a Prisoner of War Medal and a National Defense Service Medal. These medals were awarded posthumously on May 1, 2000, the 40th anniversary of the U-2 Incident. Gary is deservedly proud of this accomplishment.
Imagine his surprise when, while watching Jeopardy! one night in 2000, the Final Jeopardy! clue was: “40 years after a famous incident, he was awarded a DFC, POW Medal & Natl. Defense Service Medal posthumously.” Gary turned to his wife and said, “Wow, I am responsible for a Final Jeopardy question.” They laughed as they wondered if he could add that to his resume. This was in Brad Rutter’s first game. All the contestants responded correctly.
Gary is the author of several books: “Letters from a Soviet Prison” (2017), containing his father’s diary and letters while imprisoned by the Soviets; “Spy Pilot” (2019) and “Enemy Territory” (2022), which go a long way in dispelling myths and correcting misinformation about the U-2 Incident. In the above video, Gary explains why he is committed to Cold War education. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. The Events calendar on his website is already booked through February 2025 with lectures, Washington D.C. spy tours and an April 2024 Cold War Espionage Tour of Europe!
Gary co-founded the Cold War Museum in 1996 to have a place where Cold War history could be preserved so that current and future generations could learn about this era and to honor the people who, like his own father, put their lives in danger to serve our country. Gary also was a consultant on the 2015 Steven Spielberg film, “Bridge of Spies” about James Donovan who negotiated the 1962 spy exchange between his father and KGB spy Rudolph Abel. Additional honors bestowed upon Francis Gary Powers Sr. include the CIA Intelligence Star for Valor awarded in 1965, when Powers was alive; the CIA Director’s Medal for Extreme Fidelity and Courage in 2000; and the USAF Silver Star in 2012.
More Jeopardy! clues on Francis Gary Powers and the U-2 Incident on Page 2
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When I arrived in Peshawar in 1964, the 2nd U2 was still parked next to the runway.