[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 91 (Tuesday, July 6, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S7573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING SUE POWERS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, today I rise to remember Sue Powers, a woman 
who devoted her last years to honoring the memory of cold-war veterans, 
and the widow of famed U-2 pilot Gary Powers.
  When the United States salutes its war heroes, those who fought the 
cold war are often overlooked. Sue Powers, who died last month in Las 
Vegas, worked tirelessly to change that, and to preserve this important 
chapter of our history.
  Mrs. Powers served as a volunteer at the Atomic Testing Museum in Las 
Vegas, and was a founding member of the Cold War Museum.
  ``She was as much of a cold-war warrior as her husband and believed 
in him and what he did through the events in the Soviet Union'' said 
Troy Wade, chairman of the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation.
  Mrs. Powers, born Claudia Edwards, grew up in Warrenton, VA., and 
Washington, DC. After graduating from Anacostia High School, she went 
to work for the Central Intellegence Agency as a psychometrist.
  In 1962 she met Francis Gary Powers, a famed U-2 pilot. Two years 
earlier in 1960, Powers had been shot down and taken as a prisoner of 
war while flying his U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union.
  Gary and Sue met just after Gary's return from Russia. He literally 
bumped into her when he walked around a corner near their offices. 
According to their son Gary Jr., there was spilled coffee, which led to 
a cup of coffee, which led to dinner, which led to romance and 
marriage.
  Sue left the CIA and the couple was married in 1963. After their 
marriage they moved to Sun Valley, CA, where Gary worked as a pilot 
first for Lockheed then for KNBC television. They worked together to 
preserve the memories of those people who sacrificed their lives during 
the cold war. Sue was left to carry on their cold-war crusade alone 
after Gary died in a helicopter crash in 1977 while piloting for KNBC.
  After her husband's death Mrs. Powers moved to Los Angeles and 
eventually to Las Vegas. She devoted the rest of her life to preserving 
the legacy of her husband and other heroes of the cold war. She was 
honorary chairwoman of the Silent Heroes of the Cold War National 
Memorial Committee.
  As a citizen of Nevada, Mrs. Powers worked especially hard to 
preserve Nevada cold war history. Her husband was trained at Area 51, a 
military facility in Nevada, and Mrs. Powers was well aware of the many 
other contributions that Nevadans made during the cold war.
  Many Government personnel were trained at Area 51, Nellis Air Force 
Base, or the Naval Air Station in Fallon. Nevada was also crucial to 
the cold-war effort because it was home to intercontinental ballistic 
missiles, fight training centers, nuclear weapons test sites, and 
strategic tactical resources.
  Mrs. Powers appreciated the importance of these contributions and was 
diligent in her efforts to ensure that the Silver State's role in the 
cold war was not forgotten.
  Sue never swayed in her loyalty to cold-war veterans or her 
determination to ensure their sacrifices were not forgotten. For this, 
she herself is a hero. It is only fitting that she will be buried on 
July 13 in Arlington National Cemetery, along with her beloved husband.

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