“THE LOST BLACK CATS” Exclusive Premiere at VFW Post 7916

- 5/22/2019

 
 
 Occoquan, Virginia. On Wednesday May 22, All-American Hawkins-Reeve Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7916 was the site of the U.S. premiere of the epic historical documentary, "The Lost Black Cats”, about U.S. and Taiwanese U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance operations over mainland China in the early 1960s.

Jonathan Yang Bu Hsin, Director of the "Lost Black Cats” and his film crew were an integral part of this extraordinary event.  It was a standing room only success, opening to rave reviews from its first American viewers which included combat pilots of all Military Services, with flying experience since WWII.

During the Cold War, the Black Cat U-2 Squadron has a long and illustrious history going back to 1962 when the CIA, the U.S. Air Force, and the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) instituted U-2 operations in Taiwan that provided both the U.S. and Taiwan information regarding activities in mainland China. 

This joint venture involved training Taiwanese pilots to fly U-2 reconnaissance aircraft in the U.S. The CIA operation location was "Detachment H,” with the 35th ROCAF Squadron being the "Black Cats.”  The name Black Cats was chosen because of how black cats are so quiet and go out at night the same the way the U-2 was used at that time. The two eyes of the Black Cat Squadron logo symbolize the U-2 onboard cameras.                                                                                                                     

This Black Cat Cold War mission remained sensitive/classified until the 1990s.  The ‘lost’ black cats were two Taiwanese pilots, Jack Chang and Robin Yeh.  They were shot down over the mainland in 1963 and 1965 but survived, only to be detained by communist China until 1983.

They were both interviewed for the film, along with several other living ROCAF U-2 pilots, as well as U-2 pilot Louis Setter, Colonel Chuck Wilson, later day Black Cat Commanding Officer and Cold War U-2 pilot, Chris Pocock, the distinguished U-2 author and historian, and Gary Powers, Jr., founder of the Vint Hill Cold War Museum and son of the famous American Cold War U-2 Pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

Black Cat U-2 operations were conducted from Taiwan from 1961 to 1974.  Today the USAF 5th Reconnaissance Squadron Black Cats are providing important information flying from Osan AB, South Korea.  

Link to the 4 min preview video here: LOST BLACK CAT Video link


 
 Jonathan Yang Bu Hsin, Director of "The Lost Black Cats” and his film crew, with Chuck Wilson Cold War U-2 pilot, and Gary Powers Jr., son of Francis Gary Powers who was shot down over the Soviet Union May 1, 1960.
 

 
 (l-r) Gary Powers Jr., Gene Deatrick, Gary Bottorff, Chuck Wilson