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God & Spies

Recently Declassified Top Secret Operation

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God & Spies

By: GM Matheny
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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About this listen

Author G. M. Matheny was a US Navy saturation diver on the nuclear submarine USS Halibut involved in Operation Ivy Bells, America's most important (and most dangerous of the Cold War) clandestine operations. If you like good old-fashioned American bravado, espionage, and American history, you will enjoy this book.

God & Spies is a firsthand account of America's greatest intelligence coup.

Operation Ivy Bells was not a onetime intercept of foreign intelligence but an ongoing operation of multiple Soviet military channels! Another reason for the high interest in our operation was the audacious nature in which it was done - with not one person risking his neck but the crews of two US Navy nuclear submarines which rendezvoused in Soviet territorial waters.

"How did I end up as a navy diver, 400 feet down in a frigid Russian sea? After making my dad totally disgusted with me, I set out to make him happy. 'Honor thy father' - I struggled with a decision to serve God. 'Lord, I will give my life to you and serve you if you let me make this dive.' But I had the impression He only wanted to know one thing: 'What if I do not let you? Will you serve me anyway?'"

©2018 GM Matheny (P)2019 Tantor Armed Forces Christianity Espionage Military Special & Elite Forces True Crime Russia
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All in all a very interesting book. This, story follows a divers perspective of a not so well known chapter in US intelligence using the USS Halibut Submarine to tap into a Russian underwater landline. I have read about the exploits of the USS Halibut but this part of its, history comes from one of the divers on its operation.

Its also part evangelical as it tells of this man's connection to God and his beliefs. How he eventually brought his parents to God's side and forgiveness.

I think my only "gripe" was the constant mention of the numbers of the documents he used to explain the story. Uneeded in my opinion.

It's not pushy, but for those that "don't believe", he definitely trys to sway your thoughts.

Overall? An excellent book and well worth the listen.

Cold War and Evangelical.

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