Francis Gary Powers, the celebrated aviator and Cold War hero, passed away on August 1st, 1977. He was 47 years old. Born in 1929 to a farming family in rural Virginia, Powers soon found his true calling by enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1950. He flew reconnaissance missions during the Korean War, and was later recruited into the newly formed CIA's U-2 program and trained to be a spy pilot. In 1960, Powers was sent on a top secret mission deep into the Soviet Union, only to be shot down by a surface-to-air missile and captured. The incident became a political sensation and an international embarrassment for the United States, and Powers was held in captivity for over two years before eventually being released in a prisoner exchange. He later wrote his memoirs regarding the incident. Though his iconic mission brought him public recognition and a national award, Powers suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome for the rest of his life. After his release, Powers worked in Los Angeles as an airport fireman and an instructor for the Civil Air Patrol, up until his death in 1977. He will be dearly missed.