Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story Of American Submarine Espionage

Acknowledgments

Most of the submariners and intelligence officials who have helped us with this hook have done so only under the condition of anonymity and took great risk in speaking to us. We were surprised at first at just how warm a welcome many gave us, letting us inside their lives and sharing their secrets. Looking hack, we have cone to realize that our book gave them their first opportunity to share what had been, for many of them, at once the best and most harrowing days of their lives. They needed to talk as much as we wanted to shine a light on an extraordinary era that had gone largely unexamined and unheralded.

Some people were able to help us openly, and it is with great pride we name them here. We hired a top Russian military reporter, Alexander Mozgovoy, to interview Russian Navy leaders and submariners to help us understand their side of the story. Joshua Handler, who traveled all over Russia investigating Soviet submarine accidents and their environmental damage, made this possible by introducing us to Mozgovoy, and josh's wife, Sada Aksartova, translated his report. Moz- govoy's son, Vasily, also helped. On the American side, John Craven made us smile with his volumes of maxims and elfin wit, then helped us understand the most daunting technical topics, sharing his vision of the deep and of the men who agreed with him and the men who scoffed. We would also like to thank Rafael C. Benitez and Harris M. "Red" Austin of the USS Cochino for bringing us back in time to the days the submarine wars began. Otis G. Pike, Aaron Donner, and Seymour M. Hersh shared with us what they went through when they tried, twenty years ago, to take the first serious look at the hidden realm of cold war submarine operations. Waldo K. Lyon patiently explained the daunting properties of Arctic ice. There were also a number of people who went out of their way to help us who belong to veterans groups such as the Naval Submarine League, United States Submarine Veterans, Naval Intelligence Professionals, U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers.

Finally we would like to thank Harry Disch of the Scientists Institute for Public Information, who helped us get around the Navy's reluctance to give us an outing on a submarine by including us in a tour of the 6th Fleet that he had arranged for military writers. We would also like to thank Diane Wilderman, whose husband Alvin B. Wilderman, captain of the USS Plunger (SSN-595), was pulled overhoard by severe waves and killed while passing near the Golden Gate Bridge in 1973. She and many other submariners' wives gave us an invaluable understanding of how the families were affected by the risks their men took every time they went out on a submarine.

Even with such assistance, there were times over the past five years that we were nearly overwhelmed by the task of telling four decades of hidden history while trying to navigate a publishing world undergoing its own confused metamorphosis. We could never have done that without Esther Newberg, our agent at ICM. With her behind us, we knew we could focus on what was most important-getting this hook written. We succeeded in wrestling with the silence and secrecy because we knew we could count on her to take on any and all comers on shore. She grew up outside of New London, Connecticut, watching submarines come and go and wondering what they did, and she came to help us find our way through publishers' row in Manhattan. She is one of the strongest, most caring, and best women we know, and we are awfully glad she is on our side. In her office, first Amanda Beesley and then Jack Horner were always there to cheer us on. John De Laney, ICM's attorney, also has been a remarkable ally and a good friend. Helen Shabason, an IC: M film and documentary agent, has also worked tirelessly on our behalf. We would also like to thank Robert Asahina, who early on saw the potential of this project.

It was Esther who first brought us to Peter Osnos, publisher and chief executive of PublicAffairs. Peter created PublicAffairs because he believed that there could be hooks beyond the topic du jour, that journalists and historians deserved to he heard, that there could he and should he "good books about things that matter." We are very proud to he among the first of his offerings. It was Peter who put us in the hands of Geoff Shandler, who, as our editor, proved himself to he a throwback in the best sense of the word. He believes that editors and authors can still work together, that there is more to an editor's job than making deals for manuscripts and watching sales charts. It is that conviction, along with his considerable talent, that helped us through the final hurdles of completing this project. We couldn't have been in better hands. He and Robert Kimzey, PublicAffairs' managing editor, helped give this book its design and flair, and Lisa Kaufman, Mary-Claire Flynn, Erica Brown, Kate Darnton, and Gene Taft also helped enormously.

When a book takes over your life, someone, many someones, have to pick up the slack. All three of us also want to thank the people who stood behind us and for us.

First I want to thank my parents, Marvin and Sandra Sontag. When I write, I am really speaking to them. I would also like to thank my sisters and their husbands, Lauren Sontag Davitz and Michael Davitz; and Aviva and Yedidiah Ghatan; and my brother and his wife, Avi and Freyda Sontag. They never flagged in their support despite the fact that my work on the book often meant my absence from them and from the offshoots of the Sontag clan: Tova, Josh, Shoshana, Shira, Matt, Ariella, Gabriel and Zachary.

Doreen Weisenhaus of the New York Times encouraged me to find my voice as a writer when I was at the National Law journal and ever since has been my best mentor and a close friend. James Finkelstein, my publisher at the Law journal, never let me forget that there would be life after this book. Along with Deidre Leipziger and Claudia Payne of the New York Times, they have all been unfailing supporters and terrific teachers.

Holly, Bob, Emily and Anya Carter were always there to listen to submarine tales and anything else as were Jon Stewart; Alexis Thomason; Julianne, Greg and Peter Genua; and Joe Gallant. Bethany Birkett and Larry Howard guided me through all of the rough spots with great love and wisdom. Michael Dalby; Lima Kim; Shirley Loci; Mala Felt; Manfred Fulda; Martin Weidner and his sons Chris and Josh; Carlos and Marina Trovar; Mark Peterson; Chris DeMarco; Michael Whitlow; and Joan Yager stepped in whenever they were needed, which was often. I couldn't have gotten through without any of them.

Edgar levins gave endless time and support, fostered my cat all the months I spent on the road doing research, and handled much of the paperwork of running life and a business. Julie Whitney forced me to relax and celebrate as small pieces of this book got finished and kindly ignored all the work that still had to he done.

Tim Sheetz and Gary Leib at AT&T Global Information Solutions kept the laptop computer we used on the road functioning long past its natural life. Barry Sears, a fellow author, and his brother Doug Sears offered reams of advice and crucial help.

There are other people who have been terrific friends and who have picked up the slack wherever and whenever. Some of them are Leah Dilworth, Rick Birkett, Debra Strell, Carol Neal, Carl Allocco, Ruth Stone, Jane and Emily Hall, Jeanie Walsh, James O'Conner, Jodi Lambert, Mike Taranto, Jeremy Lampel, Rob Childs, Rob Wolfson, Larry Vedi- lago, Walt Bogdanich, David Millman, Paula Lovejoy, Brian Hoffman, Judith Spindler, Cara Hogue, Ann Day, Greg (Tauron) Mitchell, Lissie Mitchell, Mike Mullen, Kim Brewer, Randy Cooper, Bruce Harlan Boll, Ernie Foster, Tom Hruby, Josh Mills, Harvey Goldschmid, James M. Milligan, Dominick Oliver], Martin Baskin, Robert From, Richard Klein, Julie Mitnick, Lila Nachtigal, Donald Rubell, Adriana Semnicka, Anna Sposej, Maria and Juayuin Valdez, Gene Andre, the gang at Muffin, and the folks at Marin Management. I would especially like to thank Maggie Hopp and (:he Graham for shooting the author photos for the publisher's catalogue and the hook.

Finally I would like to thank Mary O'Conner Spinner and my grandparents, Sydell and Abraham Bockstein and Harry and Dora Sontag. I wish they could have read this hook. I will miss them forever.

We also would like first and foremost to thank our parents, brothers and sisters and other relatives. Chris's parents, Leon and Helen Drew; his sisters, Cynthia Drew and Laura Bussey; Laura's husband, David, and daughter, Chelsea; and Jane Stevens provided constant love and support. Annette's mother, Maxine S. Lawrence, a gifted researcher in her own right, showed her enormous love and patience-and was always ready to sympathize and offer encouragement. Annette's brothers and sisters and their spouses, Mark and Catherine Lawrence, John and Priscilla Lawrence, Paul and Mary-Elise Lawrence Soniat, and Betsy Lawrence all offered support and encouragement throughout this long process, and one of Annette's aunts, Irma M. Stiegler, cheerfully volunteered to spend days microfilming old news articles for us in a public library. And a note of thanks to my deceased father, John W. Lawrence, who strived for excellence in all things; he set a wonderful example.

Chris also would particularly like to thank top editors at the New York Times Joseph Lelyveld, Bill Keller, John M. Geddes, Allen M. Siegal, Soma Golden Behr, Dean Baguet, Glenn Kramon, Joyce Purnick, Matt Purdy and Stephen Engelberg-for providing the flexibility he needed at crucial moments to help see this project through. Others at the Times- Jeff Gerth, Michael Wines, Steven Erlanger, Philip Shenon, Don Van Natta, Lizette Alvarez, Lora Korbut, Timothy L. O'Brien and Adam Liptak-were helful as well.

Chris and Sherry first got interested in submarine spying when Chris coordinated the reporting on a series of articles for the Chicago Tribune that began to peel away the secrecy surrounding these missions. That series was published jointly in January 1991 by the Tribune and its sister paper, the Newport News Daily Press, which had ample interest in the subject given its proximity to Newport News ship building, one of the country's largest submarine construction yards. Michael L. Millenson, then a Tribune reporter, and Robert Becker, then the Washington correspondent of the Daily Press and now a Tribune reporter, also devoted themselves to the project, and Jill Olmsted, Ruth Lopez, Mary Ann Akers, and Linda Harrigan handled some of the research. Nicholas M. Horrock, then the Tribune's assistant managing editor for Washington news, and Jack W. Davis Jr., the president and publisher of the Daily Press, oversaw the effort, both as wonderful friends and two of America's finest teachers of investigative reporting. Jack and his wife, Mimi, have since opened their home, as well as the library and photography archives of the Daily Press, to us in the long process of giving birth to this book. Will Corbin, the editor of the Daily Press, also graciously helped.

Several other friends took us in off the road or otherwise helped out: Curt and Sharon Hearn, Leonard and Rhoda Dreyfus, Richard E Hoefer, Annie Tin, Cindy Lerner and her sons Elliot and Austin, Eric and Gaby Shilakis, Jeff and Sarah Kestner, Terry Atlas, Peter and Kate Goelz, Mimi Read, Charlie Burke, and George Wallace. Robert Becker and his wife, Karen Heller, remained steadfast in their encouragement, as did Michael Tackett and Julie Carey, Husein and Carol Jafferjee, Mike Kar- ras and Kathy Macor, Don and Meryl McCusker, Brian and Eileen Machler, James T. High Jr., and Jeffrey T. Werner, who has no peer in his enthusiasm for learning every last fact about the submarine force.

All three of us also would like to thank several military and political analysts who were always ready to help: William. M. Arkin, Bruce G. Blair, Richard J. Boyle, Dr. Michael Gold-Biss, Chuck Hansen, Hans M. Kristensen, Barry M. Posen, Jeffrey Richelson, Richard Russell, and Zong-Yee Willson Yang.

To all the people at the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C., who gave us their interest, support and professional expertise we express much gratitude: Kathleen Lloyd, Operational Archives Division; Bernard E Cavalcante, Operational Archives Division; John C. Reilly Jr., Ships' History Branch and the members of his staff; the staff of the library at the Naval Historical Center. We also thank the library staff at the Submarine Force Library & Museum at Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut, and Arlyn Danielson and Aldona Sendzikas of the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park in Honolulu. For all their help in providing access to the extensive holdings of the Naval Institute, particularly their superb oral histories, we would like to thank Paul Stillwell and Linda O'Doughda. Sue Lemmon, Mare Island historian, was invaluable in saving historical materials when that naval base was shut down amid all the recent base closings. We owe special gratitude to Kathy Vinson and the staff of the Defense Visual Information Center and to Bill Tiernan of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.

For help in checking various submarine subjects, we would like to thank Rhonda Coleman, the Vallejo Times-Herald; Alex S. Weinbaum III, John M. Pfeffer, The Free Library of Philadelphia; Wendy Sheanin, San Francisco Chronicle; Stephen Johnson of the Houston Chronicle; Dorothy Marsden, Tom Lucy, The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum; Axel Graumann, National Climatic Data Center, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; T. J. Tucker, Naval Safety Center, Norfolk, Virginia; Dennis Filgren, The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library; Michelle Dzyak, Penn State University; the staff of the Martha Washington Library in Fairfax County, Virginia; and the staff of the Research Correspondence Division of the National Geographic Society.

We also owe a special debt to some of the wonderful men we met along the way who helped us ensure that this history got told before it was lost forever. Among them were several fine submarine and intelligence officers who died over the last several years, such as Bernard A. "Chick" Clarey, Frederick J. "Fritz" Harlfinger II, Roy S. Benson, Levering Smith, Ray S. Cline, and scientist Waldo K. Lyon. We feel very fortunate that we got to hear their stories.