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@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ The combination of his economic and administrative skills, his connections to th
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Bissell's most technically significant achievement was managing the development of the Lockheed U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft from 1954 onward. Working with Lockheed's Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works division at a secret facility ([[Area 51]] at Groom Lake, Nevada), Bissell managed the program from concept to operational deployment in approximately eighteen months. The U-2 conducted its first operational overflight of the Soviet Union in June 1956.
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By 1960, the U-2 program had produced invaluable intelligence on Soviet nuclear and missile programs, bomber deployments, and military-industrial infrastructure. The program was ended as a Soviet overflight tool when Gary Powers was shot down over Sverdlovsk on May 1, 1960. The diplomatic crisis that followed - Eisenhower first denied then admitted U.S. responsibility, collapsing the Paris Summit - was a direct consequence of the program Bissell had managed.[^1]
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By 1960, the U-2 program had produced invaluable intelligence on Soviet nuclear and missile programs, bomber deployments, and military-industrial infrastructure. The program was ended as a Soviet overflight tool when [[Francis Gary Powers|Gary Powers]] was shot down over Sverdlovsk on May 1, 1960. The diplomatic crisis that followed - [[Dwight Eisenhower|Eisenhower]] first denied then admitted U.S. responsibility, collapsing the Paris Summit - was a direct consequence of the program Bissell had managed.[^1]
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### Bay of Pigs
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As DDP, Bissell organized and directed the plan for a [[Cuba|Cuba]]n exile invasion of Cuba designed to overthrow [[Fidel Castro]]. The plan evolved from a relatively modest guerrilla-infiltration program into an amphibious landing operation similar to the 1954 Guatemala coup, which had overthrown Jacobo Arbenz with a paramilitary force. President Kennedy approved the operation but insisted on removing air strikes intended to destroy Castro's air force on the ground before the landing.
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As DDP, Bissell organized and directed the plan for a [[Cuba|Cuba]]n exile invasion of Cuba designed to overthrow [[Fidel Castro]]. The plan evolved from a relatively modest guerrilla-infiltration program into an amphibious landing operation similar to the [[Operation PBSUCCESS|1954 Guatemala coup]], which had overthrown [[Jacobo Arbenz]] with a paramilitary force. President Kennedy approved the operation but insisted on removing air strikes intended to destroy Castro's air force on the ground before the landing.
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The Bay of Pigs invasion of April 17-19, 1961 was a catastrophic failure. Castro's surviving air force destroyed supply ships and sank the brigade's reserve ammunition. The expected popular uprising did not materialize. Within seventy-two hours the 1,400-man exile brigade was captured. The CIA's intelligence assessment that Castro was deeply unpopular and that the invasion would trigger internal resistance had been wrong.
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### ZR/RIFLE Authorization
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Before his resignation, Bissell had authorized the development of ZR/RIFLE under [[William Harvey]]. The Church Committee established that Bissell had directed Harvey to develop an executive action (assassination) capability and had managed the early relationship with organized crime figures recruited for the anti-Castro plots. Like Helms, Bissell did not fully disclose the assassination programs to the Warren Commission.[^1]
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Before his resignation, Bissell had authorized the development of ZR/RIFLE under [[William Harvey]]. The [[Church Committee]] established that Bissell had directed Harvey to develop an executive action (assassination) capability and had managed the early relationship with organized crime figures recruited for the anti-Castro plots. Like Helms, Bissell did not fully disclose the assassination programs to the [[Warren Commission]].[^1]
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### Later Career
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