Project Razor

 
The China post editorial of February 2nd caught my attention. It seems there is a proposal to create a museum dedicated to a group of Cold War pilots - known as the Black Cat Squadron. These R.O.C. pilots flew 102 reconnaissance missions in U2's over what was North Vietnam, North Korea and Mainland China in the 1960's and 1970's. Five pilots were shot down - 3 died and two were imprisoned for for almost two decades. Another seven men died when their U2's crashed. This from the China Post:

Jointly operated by the United States (U.S.) and the R.O.C, “Project Razor” had U-2 aircraft deployed at what is now a naval aviation base near the Taoyuan airport.
At the time, it was the only deployment of U-2 aircraft to bases not controlled by U.S. forces, and these were the only U-2 aircraft piloted by non-U.S. personnel.
Each of the 102 missions flown by the Taiwan-based pilots had to be authorized at the highest levels of government both in the U.S. and in Taiwan.
In essence, R.O.C pilots took all the risks for the missions, while the U.S. provided the equipment and intelligence for the reconnaissance objects.
Starting in 1961, members of the Black Cat Squadron flew at heights reaching 70,000 feet to snap photographs of strategic locations and troop movements during the height of Cold War tensions.
An ordinary mission would usually require at least eight hours of flying over hostile territory in a fragile plane possessing no defensive weapons that was easily damaged by enemy fire.
The information they collected played a major role in maintaining security in the region.
Information they supplied confirming movements of troops and weapons to the Soviet border also played an important part in convincing Washington that the split between communist powers in Beijing and Moscow was genuine.

And...

The proposed museum would also bestow belated respect and honor to the R.O.C pilots who lost their lives or spent years languishing in mainland Chinese prisons after being shot down on the dangerous missions.

More here.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time that a government "forgot" about its own soldiers.

This is a website that is dedicated to some of these pilots.