Rating: 
Summary: Terrific book with astonishing stories!
Review: In this thrilling book, the evolution of American submarine espionage is explored, starting with the diesel submarines of the post World War II era through the present use of nuclear-powered submarines. Presented in a way to evoke suspense, the book contains enough excitement to rank with the best of spy fiction. The authors present true stories collected through pesonal interviews with naval personnel who actually served aboard various espionage submarines as well as from sifting through documents of previously classified information. Not everyone who was approached for an interview was willing to share information, though some naval personnel were glad to finally be able to talk about the stressful situations they encountered in their tense and secret missions. What is revealed about submarine espionage teaches a citizen to be skeptical when learning about it. It seems that the truth is not always what the government or press reveal!A reader need not have any previous knowledge of submarines to enjoy this book. Although there is humor in some of the stories, none of them lose sight of the potential and actual occurences of death by fire, explosion or drowning. Many of the stories are truly astounding, such as the one about an American submarine tapping a communications cable in Soviet waters so close to shore that beachgoers' faces could be clearly seen through a periscope! Reading such stories elicits compassion for the brave naval personnel who spend months submerged deep in salty waters, often in perilous situations, to serve their country. The book shares the feeling that American submarine personnel developed great compassion for their "enemy" because they, too, were fellow submariners.
Rating: 
Summary: About time that this story was told.
Review: As one who served in the submarine Navy through the time period covered by this book, I can testify to a lot the contents. My service covered both the diesel (snorkel) boats and the nuclear ships. The boats that I sailed in were involved in much of this type of operation. The early days of the cold war utilized the diesel powered boats which proved to be very risky just by nature of the limitations of the boat. ie: need to charge batteries, refresh the air and still remain undetected. Living conditions were crude at best and dangerous at the least. Operations in the far northern latitudes were particularly hazardous. Blind Man's Bluff acurately portrays the dangers, hardships and risks undertaken by the submarine navy. Just by nature of the operations there was a necessity for secrecy to the public. The stories are acurate, fasinating and a tribute to the many of my shipmates who lived through these times and a memorial to those of us who didn't survive. Riveting reading. Frank Rumbaugh, TMC (SS) USN (RET)
Rating:
Summary: The story I can't tell.
Review: I'm ambivalent about this book. On one hand, it tells much about submarine SpecOps at the height of the Cold War, on the other hand, it tells much about submarine SpecOps at the height of the Cold War. Confused? Don't be: My ego loves that the story of what we did, how difficult it was, and how well we did it, is being told, but on the other hand, secrets and long-held confidences granted to members of the submarine fleet by our country have been opened up public scrutiny. I'm certain this book was read avidly in the fleet headquarters of the former Sov-block nations. Thus, my ambivalence. Why, then, do I rate this as five stars? Having been a member of SUBDEVGRU ONE, and crewman of the USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687), there is much in this book on which I cannot comment, and there lies the strength of this book: It tells stories that would never otherwise have seen the light of day, outside of the standard "Usta-Fish" brags quietly told between those of us who actually lived the events told in Blind Man's Bluff. Sure, some stories are free to tell, like the wildness at the Horse and Cow, or the antics of Animal Andrews, but many others would have been lost to time. Stories of not just the boats of DEVGRU ONE, but also those of boats tasked ad-hoc, both diesel and nuclear, with intelligence gathering are related, as are confrontations and challenges with the fleet of our one-time foe. Of great interest to me were the chapters dealing with the boats that had engaged in 'research' early in the Cold War, and the unique and harrowing tasks they carried out. While I served with and under crewmen from some of these other boats, much of what they experienced could not be told (for obvious reasons); Blind Man's Bluff cast some of my former shipmates in a new light, and I understand better some of the more cryptic comments they made during our marathon bull sessions. Many, many, more stories are out there, deserving to be told, but will never see the light of day. Let the content Blind Man's Bluff stand in proxy for all the risky gambits, amusing sea stories, and daring exploits that took place in the shadows of the Cold War; it tells of the courage, inventiveness, and dedication of the sailors who went into the deep in our country's name at a time when our eventual victory in the Cold War was still far from certain. Fittingly, what you read in this book is only the tip of the iceberg, and the rest will remain forever submerged. While I will not, cannot, comment on the absolute accuracy of events and timelines of the stories in this book, I will happily admit to having been a shipmate of men like Animal Andrews, to have gotten stupid with my fellows at the Horse and Cow, and to having sailed on some of the most amazing missions any sailor could hope to sail. READ this book: you won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely STUNNING--and TRUE!
Review: As an avid 'techno-thriller' reader, I was drawn to this book mostly because I thought it was fiction...but nope. It reads as one amazing adventure after another, and all are documented and 100% true, which makes them even more incredible. One of the more facinating stories in this great book was the story of one sub in particular that made the wrong move at the wrong time north of Japan and was caught by a Russian naval force that dropped depth charges on it endlessly and wouldn't allow it to surface. Now before the perfection of nuclear subs, the old one's had to surface regularly to 'snorkle' and exchange the bad air which had built up over time with fresh air. At the time this sub was identified, they were due to snorkle, but were kept from doing so for fear the Russians would sink them when they were most vulnerable. These poor sailers were stuck inside a death trap. Either they would be sunk, or they'd die over time due to lack of fresh air. Talk about drama! They say that truth IS stranger than fiction, and in the case of the underwater game of cat & mouse during the cold war, the truth is downright incredible! American sub's sneaking into hostile waters and tapping into underwater communications cables used by Russia, right under their noses! I was totally amazed at what 'really' happened with the use of submarines during the cold war. From having to locate the accidental droping of a 'live' H-Bomb dropped in the Medeterranean before the Russians picked it up to the probable loss of the USS Scorpion and her entire crew, this is a nail-biter of the 1st degree. Truly stunning! It made me wonder about the stories they DIDN'T tell, or COULDN'T. You KNOW that we haven't heard the rest of the story, but I am fervently hoping that one day we will.
Rating:
Summary: Brotherly Love Beneath The Waves
Review: My oldest brother, who is an avid reader, reviewer, and ex-Navy subber, sent me a copy of this searing book, with a brief note--"for REAL espionage, read more non-fiction!" So, I acquiesced to his well placed gauntlet. "Blind Man's Bluff" was riveting. Stories of secret missions by brave Naval men in diving tombs held me spellbound. One of my favorites was about "Operation Jennifer"--Billionaire Howard Hughes' involvement with Bradley, the CIA, and the digging beneath the waves for the Halibut. Another was the frightful fight for the sunken Scorpio, all hands lost. To this day Russian and American families ask themselves, was the secret submarine war worth the risks? Worth the costs? Authors Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew's years of research has paid off. The indexing is superb for quick looks at certain areas or famous people. The note section is an added plus for chapter information. Included black and white photos put faces to this myriad of heroes and villains. Thank you to my brother, heartfelt salutes to the men and women who protect us. This is an intriguing account of submarine cat and mouse. I appreciate your interest & comments--CDS
Rating: 
Summary: Blind Man's Bluff...Still Groping in The Dark...
Review: Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage was supposed to be a highly revealing expose about the role of the U.S. Submarine Force during the Cold War. Effectively, the story remains untold; the basic problem is that most of the book's pages do not deal with the role of U.S. submarines performing the critical task of monitoring a closed society like that of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The pages actually devoted to accounts of U.S. submarines involved in the difficult work of intelligence collection focus on the "tapping" of Soviet underwater communications cables using the USS HALIBUT. Relatively few pages discuss the more mundane and tedious, yet far more important tasks of "trailing" Soviet submarines and surface ships to record their acoustic signatures. The danger of the everyday data collection missions was great. Indeed the authors do point out the number of submarine "incidents-at-sea" during the Cold War, but those same authors grudgingly allow that intelligence collection missions were of value in keeping the peace. There are interesting discussions of the sinking of the diesel-electric USS COCHINO, the fine art of dealing with Admiral Rickover, the loss of the USS SCORPION, and the attempts to recover the Soviet GOLF Class ballistic missile submarine. These discussions are tangential to the proclaimed subject of the book. The dust jacket to the book proclaims that, "...Now, after six years of research,...." I am sorry to say that the result is disjointed. Some of the material is useful, even informative and perhaps a future effort by the authors will produce a better product. A book dedicated to the subject of the SCORPION's loss would have been a treasure in itself.
Rating:
Summary: Knowing where we've been makes me wonder where we are now
Review: Having spent time in the 'other' Submarine force (FBM's), I never knew this much detail of the 'Fast & Black, never comes back' side...although I knew men from that side, they were never able to talk freely about this. Knowing that the Cold War is effectively over, it does make me wonder how much of our capabilities to current and future foes have been compromised as a result of this book. That being said, this book is a great read, and takes a brief glimpse into the silent, yet marvelous world of the Submarine Service. I would recommend that anyone not a member of this elite force read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Surprising
Review: This book is the story of American submarine espionage during the Cold War, a very classified subject in government archives. Starting in the 1940s, the book carries on into the development of submarine technology for the purpose of Cold War espionage programs, all the way into the end of the Cold War. I myself found that one of my own family members took part in the cable tapping of a Soviet Naval base and I never even knew it until I read the book! Read it, and maybe you'll find one of your own relatives was involved in the ultra secret and somteimes tragic story of American submarine espionage.
Rating:
Summary: This one should make you sit up and take notice!
Review: Do you like book about spies and espionage? Like to read about the Cold War relations between the U.S. And the Russians? Want to find out just how close we came to WWIII? Ever Wonder what the Russians are and were thinking about the US Navy? Want to see life from the submariners point of view? All this and more, much more is included inthis book. Having seen a Documentary on the whole thing I was eager to read and find out what really happened. I finished the entire book in just under 4 hours and I was truly astonished at what I didn't know. The book deleves into the areas kept under lock and key for over 30 years. Secrets so amazing that is will amaze you how close to war we came. There is a deep respect for those who patrol in the "Silent" Navy and how much they have and had put on the line in the defense of this nation. This book was a bestseller and for good reasons. First the book is a true accounting of the actions we and the Soviets took. The book shows that tactics, the attacks, counterattacks and just what it takes to get the edge.
From the days of the USS Holland to the USS Halibut's "special" hatch, to the current USS SeaWolf, there is an abundance of stories for everyone. Overall haveing spent several years in the Navy this book certianly brings back more than a few memories.
Rating:
Summary: Plumbing the depths of fascination
Review: Blind Man's Bluff shows once again that fact is often far more compelling than fiction. The real life stories of courage and audacity presented here are powerful, gripping, and occasionally even moving. No matter how many times you may have seen The Hunt for Red October you won't be prepared for the reality of life under the sea in enemy territory. The book loses some of its heroic qualities as it enters the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton eras, as it leaves personal stories behind for a "bigger picture" view of struggles between the admninstrations and Congress and summits between Reagan and Gorbachev. However, it never loses its sense of awe and wonder at what Americans accomplished through hard work, quality training, and some of that good old-fashioned "American know-how." (We also get some glimpses of what the Soviet counterparts had to endure; similar dangers from the deep with additonal dangers from their own equipment.) This is easily the most intriguing modern history book I've read since Jim Lovell's Lost Moon. No reader will be disappointed.
| 
