An original German beer stein belonging to famed CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers c. 1957.

The vintage 9 x 6'' white ceramic beer stein has a lacquered finish and gold trim. It reads "Turkey Trotters" and has a painted scene of a path leading to an outhouse on the front. The stein has a pointed metal lid, decorated with arabesques, topped by a small metal airplane. The lid also has a thumb latch by which it can be raised and lowered. The back has a tiny circular crest depicting a cuckoo clock, with the words around it reading, "The World's Biggest Cuckoo Clock WIESBADEN". This indicates the stein was made in Wiesbaden, Germany, a town that was famous for having the world's largest cuckoo clock. On the bottom of the stein is printed "handgemalt," which means it was painted by hand.

This German drinking staple was given out to the crew and pilots that were stationed with Powers during his time flying in Turkey, for the CIA's U-2 program. This stein is a keepsake of the time Powers spent flying reconnaissance missions, and gives a glimpse of the more jovial side of his personality. This souvenir dates back to just a few years before Powers' 1960 U2 inccident.

Francis Gary Powers was a distinguished pilot for the CIA's U-2 program during the height of the Cold War. Powers was arrested after his spy plane was shot down while flying a high-risk reconnaissance mission over Soviet airspace. To learn more about Powers' astounding story of survival, please visit www.guernseys.com

These items provided directly by Mr. Powers' son, expert public speaker on the U-2 Incident and Cold War History, Francis Gary Powers Jr.

Great Condition.