National Vigilance Park

National Vigilance Park is a memorial site featuring three reconnaissance aircraft on display, representing different military branches and their intelligence missions during the Cold War. The location is surrounded by eighteen trees that symbolize the various operations and their consequences.

The park was founded in 1997 and commemorates a Soviet fighter that shot down an American aircraft over Armenia in 1958. This event was one of the most dangerous moments in military intelligence gathering during the geopolitical tensions between superpowers.

The park honors pilots and crews who risked their lives during covert surveillance missions through its layout and monuments. The planted trees mark each location where people lost their lives while carrying out these dangerous operations.

The park is currently located on military grounds with restricted access and only open to visitors with proper authorization. Future plans call for it to move next to the National Cryptologic Museum where it will be publicly available.

The aircraft at the park's center was reconstructed from a 1957 plane to match the exact type that crashed in 1958. This reconstruction allows visitors to see the actual model involved in that tragic event.

Location: Maryland

Inception: September 2, 1997

Website: http://nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/vigilance_park

GPS coordinates: 39.11190,-76.77480

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:04