Important Missions
The Black Cats were all ROCAF pilots, and their flight training started at Laughlin AFB, Texas, U.S. from 1959[sic]. Totally 30 pilots were selected to receive the U-2 flight training, and 27 of them completed while another 3 didn’t.
The 220th and the last mission was conducted by Chiu Sung-chou (Mike) while Tsai Sheng-hsiung (Mory) was the last ROCAF pilot to complete the U-2 training. Fan Hung-ti (Andy) was the last pilot who flew into the Mainland for a reconnaissance mission, and similar missions were confined to offshore areas without penetration into the Mainland.
Chen Huai-sheng, Lee Nan-ping (Terry), Hwang Rung-pei (Tom), and Chang Hsieh (Billy) were killed in action during the missions, while Chih Yao-hua, Liang Teh-pei, Wang Cheng-wen, Wu Tsai-shi (Charlie), Yu Ching-chang (Mickey), and Huang Chih-sien (Denny) were killed in training flights.
Project Razor
In January 1961, an agreement on “Project Razor” was signed between the ROC and the U.S., and paved the way for a mutual cooperation on high-altitude photo reconnaissance missions over Mainland China and sharing the resultant photo intelligence. According to the agreement, U.S. side provides the platform, and is responsible for maintenance and logistic support while ROC side assigns pilots, and provides the operational base and associated facilities for the Project. All mission plans shall be agreed upon by heads of state of both countries. At the time, originally the mission was approved by President Chiang Kai-shek, and later he delegated Chiang Ching-kuo, Deputy Secretary-general of the National Defense Council, to act on his behalf. After the approval was granted, the mission plan was executed by Major General I Fu-en, DCS/Intel, ROCAF.
In January 1961, the first U-2, #51, was delivered to Taoyuan AFB by a U.S. C-133 Cargomaster. Concerning the time-consuming nature of air transportation, the second U-2, #53, was flown by a U.S. pilot to deliver on-site to Taoyuan, and the model was a U-2C. In 1974, due to a policy of “normalizing relations” with Mainland China held by the U.S. administration, the CIA canceled “Project Razor” on 18th July of the year, all U-2s stationed at Taoyuan AFB were flown back by U.S. side to Hawaii.