Home » An administrative sergeant attempted to sell Soviet officials top-secret intelligence about the SR-71 Blackbird in 1985

An administrative sergeant attempted to sell Soviet officials top-secret intelligence about the SR-71 Blackbird in 1985

by Till Daisd
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SR-71-Taxi

When one of the unit’s administrative sergeants called the Soviet embassy in San Francisco, he proposed they offer him $100,000 in exchange for some important SR-71 documents

What aviation geek doesn’t love speed, new technologies, advanced manufacturing methods, and the mysteries of a secret government program? Many aircraft embody these features, but none come close to the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.

It could fly over Vietnam in eight minutes; its electronic countermeasures were so advanced that they are still in use today on other airplanes and remain top-secret; it had tires filled with nitrogen; and it was made from one of the most expensive metals on earth. And it’s still the world’s fastest plane.

SR-71-Sunset

No other aircraft of its era could match the SR-71 Blackbird’s speed, innovation, or secrecy. The following is an intriguing narrative from pilot Terry Pappas of SR-71 Blackbird, found in his fantastic book SR-71 Blackbird Q&A, which you can get HERE.

‘Sentenced to 25 years of hard labor at Leavenworth, Kansas.

SR-71-Crews
This photo comes from Terry Pappas‘s book SR-71 Blackbird Q&A. Terry said this may be the most members of active harbors assembled at one time during the Blackbird’s entire operational history. Left to right Bernie Smith, Rod Dyckman, Tom Bergam, Larry Brown. Doug Sofer, Randy Shelhorse, Terry Pappas, Bill ORCUTT. Tom VELTRI, Don Watkins, Mac Kendree, Mike Finan, and Greg Crittenden

‘When you try to sell top-secret information in 1985, Leavenworth is where you’re going.

‘One of the administrative sergeants assigned to the unit was in financial distress. He figured that the top-secret information that he had about the SR-71 could be sold. He called the Soviet embassy in San Francisco and proposed they give him $100,000 for several key documents related to the SR-71. The Soviets figured that this guy was deranged so they notified US intelligence. He was caught. He got a one-way ticket to Leavenworth.’

Pappas concludes;

‘Just how secure was the top-secret information? At Beale Air Force Base in California, there was a cipher lock to enter the building. There was another lock to enter the hall where our squadron was, then we had a separate room, there was safes lining the wall. Each of the RSOs and pilots had their own safe, and in it was in a larger safe that had to be unlocked in order to get your safe. What did they keep in there? Their checklist, among other things. Security was paramount around the SR-71 program.’

Check out the Habubrats Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by Terry Pappas

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