tropic
1
EYE SPY ISSUE 3 3 , 2005 EYE SPY ISSUE 3 3 , 2005 64 65 DOWNED IN 1952, CIA SPY PLANE GIVES UP ITS SECRETS OPERATION TROPIC fficials at the Pentagon have finally confirmed that human remains uncovered in a remote area of China last year, are those of pilot Robert Snoddy, whose O work for the CIA was kept secret for decades. Scientists at the US Army’s Central Identification Laboratory provided the DNA match. On 29 November 1952, Snoddy and his colleague Norman Schwartz, embarked on a highly dangerous mission over Chinese territory. During the overflight, their C-47 transport plane, owned by Civil Air Transport (CAT), a CIA front company, was shot down. Snoddy and Schwartz were flying CIA agents John T. Downey and Richard G. Fecteau, to rendezvous with a Chinese agent near the North Korean border in the region formerly known as Manchu- ria. Their C-47 came down following a burst of heavy ground fire. Agents Downey and Fecteau survived, but were arrested and detained for over 20 years, until President Nixon admitted they were CIA operatives. Before this, Washington had claimed the men were Army civilians. However, the fate and role of Snoddy and Schwartz was unknown. A tentative enquiry made in 1975 by President Gerald Ford was rebuffed with a short reply - “it is impossible to locate them now.” In 1999, Defense Department officials again spoke with the Chinese about the missing men. A team from the Central Identification Laboratory were given permission to visit the crash site in July 2002. Chinese villagers led US investiga- tors to a remote location where the two flyers had apparently been buried by local tribesmen. The joint POW-MIA Accounting Command, based in Hawaii, excavated an area near the town of Antu in China’s Jilin province. They found only aeroplane wreckage from the twin- engine C-47. In July 2004, determined investigators tried again - and this time they found bones and clothing. “It’s nice to finally bring him home (Robert Snoddy),” said Ruth Boss, who will bury her brother at the cemetery where their mother and father are buried. Boss had received a telephone call from the CIA to confirm that DNA testing of bone fragments had been matched to samples held on file. “Any news is good. The bad had already happened,” Boss said. Unfortunately, Norman Schwartz’s relatives were told that CIA forensic specialists had failed to match his DNA with items recovered at the scene. The Civil Air Transport, performed many dangerous missions on behalf of the CIA in the Far East and southeast Asia. Regarded as ‘contract workers’ - not officers or agents - CAT employees daring was finally recognised by the agency in 1998, when the names of fallen operatives were added to the Book of Honour at CIA headquarters. It was the first time that the CIA acknowl- edged that CAT had a strong connection to US foreign intelligence gathering. The CIA had been intent on destablising the fledgling communist regime on its own soil. Through a well established network of spies and The story of the real Air America begins in 1950, when the CIA decided that it required an air transport capability to conduct covert operations in Asia in support of US policy objectives. In August 1950, the Agency secretly purchased the assets of Civil Air Transport (CAT), an airline that had been started in China after World War II by Gen. Claire L. Chennault and Whiting Willauer. CAT would continue to fly commercial routes throughout Asia, acting in every way as a privately owned commercial airline. At the same time, under the corporate guise of CAT Incorpo- rated, it provided aeroplanes and crews for secret intelligence operations. In the 1950s, the CIA’s air proprietary, as it was known in the lexicon of intelligence, was used for a variety of covert missions. During the Korean War, for example, it made more than 100 hazardous overflights of mainland China, airdropping agents and supplies. Snoddy and his wife Charlotte CAT employees daring was finally recognised by the agency in 1998, when the names of fallen operatives were added to the Book of Honour at CIA headquarters - Langley The secret civilian heroes of the CIA AIR AMERICA AND CAT SECRET HISTORY
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SECRET HISTORY In the 1950s, the CIA’s air proprietary, as it was known in the lexicon of intelligence, was used for a variety of covert missions. During the Korean War, for example, it made more than 100 hazardous overflights of mainland China, airdropping agents and supplies. The CIA had been intent on destablising the fledgling communist regime on its own soil. Through a well established network of spies and Snoddy and his wife Charlotte S P Y ISSUE 3 3 , 2005 E Y E S P Y ISSUE 3 3 , 2005
Transcript of tropic
E Y E S P Y I S S U E 3 3 , 2 0 0 5 E Y E S P Y I S S U E 3 3 , 2 0 0 564 65
DOWNED IN 1952, CIA SPYPLANE GIVES UP ITS SECRETS
OPERATION TROPIC
fficials at the Pentagonhave finally confirmedthat human remainsuncovered in a remotearea of China last year,are those of pilotRobert Snoddy, whoseO
work for the CIA was kept secret fordecades. Scientists at the US Army’sCentral Identification Laboratoryprovided the DNA match.
On 29 November 1952, Snoddy and hiscolleague Norman Schwartz, embarkedon a highly dangerous mission overChinese territory. During the overflight,their C-47 transport plane, owned byCivil Air Transport (CAT), a CIA frontcompany, was shot down.
Snoddy and Schwartz were flying CIAagents John T. Downey and Richard G.Fecteau, to rendezvous with a Chineseagent near the North Korean border inthe region formerly known as Manchu-ria. Their C-47 came down following aburst of heavy ground fire.
Agents Downey and Fecteau survived,but were arrested and detained for over20 years, until President Nixon admittedthey were CIA operatives. Before this,Washington had claimed the men wereArmy civilians. However, the fate androle of Snoddy and Schwartz wasunknown. A tentative enquiry made in1975 by President Gerald Ford wasrebuffed with a short reply - “it isimpossible to locate them now.”
In 1999, Defense Department officialsagain spoke with the Chinese about themissing men. A team from the CentralIdentification Laboratory were givenpermission to visit the crash site in July2002. Chinese villagers led US investiga-tors to a remote location where the twoflyers had apparently been buried bylocal tribesmen. The joint POW-MIAAccounting Command, based in Hawaii,excavated an area near the town of Antuin China’s Jilin province. They foundonly aeroplane wreckage from the twin-engine C-47. In July 2004, determinedinvestigators tried again - and this timethey found bones and clothing.
“It’s nice to finally bring him home(Robert Snoddy),” said Ruth Boss, whowill bury her brother at the cemeterywhere their mother and father areburied. Boss had received a telephonecall from the CIA to confirm that DNAtesting of bone fragments had beenmatched to samples held on file. “Anynews is good. The bad had alreadyhappened,” Boss said.
Unfortunately, Norman Schwartz’srelatives were told that CIA forensicspecialists had failed to match his DNAwith items recovered at the scene.
The Civil Air Transport, performedmany dangerous missions on behalf ofthe CIA in the Far East and southeastAsia. Regarded as ‘contract workers’ -not officers or agents - CAT employeesdaring was finally recognised by the
agency in 1998, when the names offallen operatives were added to theBook of Honour at CIA headquarters. Itwas the first time that the CIA acknowl-edged that CAT had a strong connectionto US foreign intelligence gathering.
The CIA had been intent ondestablising the fledgling communistregime on its own soil. Through a wellestablished network of spies and
The story of the real Air
America begins in 1950, when
the CIA decided that it
required an air transport
capability to conduct covert
operations in Asia in support
of US policy objectives. In
August 1950, the Agency
secretly purchased the assets
of Civil Air Transport (CAT),
an airline that had been
started in China after World
War II by Gen. Claire L.
Chennault and Whiting
Willauer. CAT would continue
to fly commercial routes throughout Asia, acting in every way as a privately owned
commercial airline. At the same time, under the corporate guise of CAT Incorpo-
rated, it provided aeroplanes and crews for secret intelligence operations.
In the 1950s, the CIA’s air proprietary, as it was known in the lexicon of intelligence,
was used for a variety of covert missions. During the Korean War, for example, it
made more than 100 hazardous overflights of mainland China, airdropping agents
and supplies.
Snoddy and his wife Charlotte
CAT employees daring was finally
recognised by the agency in 1998,
when the names of fallen operatives
were added to the Book of Honour at
CIA headquarters - Langley
The secret civilian heroes of the CIAAIR AMERICA AND CAT
SECRET HISTORY
