Operational Missions

From 1961 to 1974, ROCAF U-2 had flown 220 U-2 operational missions. "Penetrating" flights ended in 1968, but operations continued until U-2 were withdrawn to the US. The following is a partial list of the operations. Any further information is welcome.
1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974

1962
Jan 13 GRC 100 Huai Chen flew the first ever ROCAF U-2 operational mission. He took off at 0700 and entered the mainland via Fujian. The mission completed at 1540.
Feb 23 GRC 102 Gimo Yang flew his first opeartional missioin, taking off at 0655. This is the second ROCAF U-2 operational mission. He landed at Taoyuan AB at 1650.
Mar 17 GRC 104 Mike Hua flew his first operational mission in Article #348, taking off at 0640. This is the third ROCAF U-2 operational mission. The mission was over Southwestern China and Vietnam and Burma border.
Mar 26 GRC 106 Tiger Wang flew his first operational mission, taking off at 0930. This is the fourth ROCAF U-2 operational mission. PLAAF attempted more than thirty intercepts but all failed.
Jun 16 GRC 112  
Jun 20 GRC 113  
Jun 26 GRC 115  
Jun 29 GRC 116  
Jun 30 GRC 117 Mike Hua flew Article #352 over eastern provinces of the mainland. The following airfields were covered: Chia-Hsing, Chiang-Wan, Chu-Hsian, Han-Kou, Hsiang-Tang, Hsu-Chou Southeast, Hsu-Chou Northwest, Hung-Chiao, Lung-Hua, Ming-Chiang North, Nan-Ching/Ta-Chiao-Chang, Pang-Fou, Ta-Chang, Wu-Chang, Wu-Hsi.
Jul 6 GRC 119  
Jul 10 GRC 120  
Jul 28 GRC 123  
Aug 11 GRC 125 Mike Hua flew Article #378 over northeastern provinces and Peking area.
Sep 8 GRC 126 The following airfields were covered: Shui-Kou (Hui-Yang), Kuang-Chou White Cloud, Nan-Hai, Lei-Yang, Hsin-Cheng, Hsing-Ning, Tien-Ho, Lien-Cheng.
Sep 9 GRC 127 Huai Chen (See Losses)
Dec 6 GRC 128 Mike Hua flew Article #355 over northeastern provinces of the mainland and North Korea.
Dec 24 GRC 134 The following airfields were covered: Ching-Chen, Kuei-Yang, Li-Chia-Tsun, Lu-Hsien, Shui-Kou, Tu-Shan, Yang-Tang.
Dec 27 GRC 135 Mike Hua flew Article #355 over North Vietnam and Laos. This mission was aborted due to bad weather over the target area.
Dec 28 GRC 136 Mike Hua flew Article #355 over southeastern provinces of the mainland and Vietnam border. This mission was to make up for the previous one. However, it was very rare for a U-2 pilot to fly missions two days in a row.

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1963
Jan 20 GRC 138  
Mar 28 GRC 144 Tiger Wang took off from K-8, ROK, for a mission over Paotow and Lanchow. The U-2 was tracked by SAM guidance radar. Wang took evasive maneuvers and escaped without harm.
Mar 30 GRC 146 Mike Hua flew Article #355 over Szechwen and nearby area.
Apr 3 GRC 147  
May 9 GRC 150  
May 28 GRC 152  
Jun 3 GRC 153 Mike Hua flew Article #355 over northeastern provinces of the mainland. The U-2 was tracked by SAM guidance radar. Wang took evasive maneuvers and escaped without harm.
Jun 12 GRC 156 Mike Hua flew Article #351 over northwestern provinces of the mainland.
Aug 23 (24?) GRC 169 Terry Lee flew his first operational mission.
Aug 30 GRC 171 Robin Yeh flew his first operational mission.
Sep 25 GRC 176 Terry Lee penetrated the mainland from Wenchow and flew over Chuchow and Wuhang to Xian. The U-2 was tracked by SAM guidance radar. Lee took evasive maneuvers and escaped without harm.
Sep 30 GRC 180 Mike Hua flew 351 over southeastern provinces of the mainland. This was his last U-2 mission.
Oct 8 GRC 182 Terry Lee
Nov 1   Robin Yeh took off at 0723 from Taoyuan for his third and last U-2 mission. He penetrated the mainland from Wenchow. (See Losses)

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1964
Mar 16Terry Lee
Jun 26Terry Lee
Jul 7Dual mission. Johnny Wang flew his first operational mission from Taoyuan at 0805. Terry Lee took off in 362 from NAS Cubi Point, Philippines at 0825. (See Losses)
Oct 31Jack Chang flew his first operational mission.
Nov ?Johnny Wang
Nov ?Jack Chang aborted this mission whose target would have been Paotow due to ECM problems.
Nov 14Jack Chang
Nov 23Jack Chang
Nov 26Johnny Wang took off at 0200 and entered the mainland from Fujian Province and then flew to Lanchou. At about 0510, PLAAF 2nd Surface-to-Air Guided Missile Battalion fired three SA-2 missiles. Fortunately, they all missed.
Dec 9Pete Wang flew his first operational mission.
Dec 19Johnny Wang took off from K-8 (Kunsan), ROK, but aborted prior to penetration due to a failure of the ECM jammer self-test. Wang landed at Taoyuan and the support crew followed in a USAF C-130. This mission was to have flown Kunsan-Baotou-Lanchow-Taoyuan.
Dec 30Jack Chang

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1965
Jan 8   Johnny Wang flew to Lanchow from Taoyuan.
Jan 10   Jack Chang (See Losses)
Feb 24   Charlie Wu flew his first operational mission.
Feb ?   Charlie Wu flew a roundtrip mission from Takhli, Thailand. He was intercepted south of Kunming, but fortunately was unhurt. This may be the mission flown on Feb 24.
Mar 12 C105C This mission was designed to obtain photographic data on Chines order of battle in South China.
Jul 20   Mickey Yu flew his first operational mission.
Jul 21   Spike Chuang flew his first operational mission.
Jul 31   Terry Liu flew his first operational mission.

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1966
Jul ?Spike Chuang was attacked by SAMs while he was over Kunming, but he was not hurt.

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1967
Jan 17 C027C 385 was flown on this 5-hour-and-1-minute mission. No fighter intercept was sighted by the pilot although scrambles were intiated by the PLA. 52 targets were covered. In particular the Nanhai SA-2 site was photographed.
Mar 28   Andy Fan flew his first operational mission.
May 16   Billy Chang flew his first operational mission.
Jun or Jul ?   Spike Chuang took off from Tikhli, Thailand.
Aug 10   Yenchin Chou flew his first operational mission.
Sep 8   Tom Huang flew his first and only operational mission. He was killed. (See Losses)

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1968
Jan 5 C018C 383 was flown on this 4-hour-and-10-minute mission. No contrails or unfriendly aircraft were sighted. 33 COMIREX targets and 29 bonus targets were covered.
Mar 16 C058C 385 was flown on this 4-hour-and-32-minute mission. Oscar Sierra Mk III activity was noticed and one bogey MiG-21 was sighted although no hostile action was taken. A grand total of 88 targets in China, Vietnam, and Laos were covered.
May ?? C078C This mission was planned to obtain ELINT reconnaissance of the East China coast from Shandong peninsula southward to Swatow. However, the mission aircraft reversed the track at a point about 60 NM east of Shandong peninsula. The mission was rescheduled for June 1 with the new mission number C088C.
Oct 20   Denny Huang flew his first operational mission.
Oct 22 C178C  
Dec 19   David Lee flew his first operational mission.

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1969
Apr 8 C069C Tom Wang took off in U-2R 058 at 0200Z and landed at 0635Z. This was the first operational mission flown with the U-2R and also the first operational mission flown by Wang. This was a photo and ELINT mission covering South Chin Coast. The aircraft was to remain 20 NM off the coast. After the mission, Wang was reprimanded for not adhering to the Green Card instructions and also for not making proper sighting angle changes when he determined that he was off the track.
May 7 C109C Takeoff for this photo and ELINT mission took place at 0130Z and landing at 0748Z. The route was designed to cover the Port Arthur area to a point south of Shanghai. Pilot observed dense contrail while south of Shandong peninsula.
May 16   Billy Chang (See Losses)
May 28   Johnny Shen flew his first operational mission.
Oct 26   Johnny Shen

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1970
Apr 4Johnny Shen
Jul 24Johnny Shen
Oct 21Johnny Shen
Dec 14Johnny Shen

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1971
Feb 24Johnny Shen
Apr 29Johnny Shen
May 26Chu Chien flew his first operational mission.
Jun 15Johnny Shen
Jul 14Johnny Shen
Sep 12
Oct 14Johnny Shen
Nov 16Johnny Shen
Dec 8Johnny Shen

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1972
Jan 12   Johnny Shen
Jan 17   Johnny Shen
Apr 4 C062C Photography mission covering the coasts of Yellow Sea and East China Sea.
Apr 19   Sungchou Chiu flew his first operational mission.
Apr 26   Johnny Shen
Sep 7   Johnny Shen
Oct 5   Johnny Shen

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1973
Jan 31Chen Wei flew his first operational mission.

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1974
Feb 12ChiChiang Yee flew his first operational mission.
Apr 11Mory Tsai flew his first and only operational mission. This mission concludes the entire ROCAF U-2 operations.

Last update: 10/18/03.