"Sasgen vividly recounts the pulsating drama of the Hellcats." - Naval History In 1945, American sub force commanders believed that if the Japanese merchant fleet was sunk, the enemy would be forced to surrender. The problem: the ships were protected in the Sea of Japan by a barrier of deadly minefields.Here, Peter Sasgen tells the gripping story of Operation Barney, a daunting mission in which nine submarines, nicknamed Hellcats, were tasked with getting through the mines and decimating the enemy fleet. Drawing on original documents and the personal letters of one doomed Hellcat commander, Sasgen crafts a classic naval tale of the heroic submariners and one of World War II's most ambitious and dangerous underwater raids.

THE GREATEST DANGER HIDES IN THE DEPTHS OF DECEIT. In a Murmansk hotel, a U.S. naval officer is found dead along with a young Russian sailor in what is labeled a murder/suicide -- but American navy commander Jake Scott thinks otherwise. Assigned to escort the dead officer's body back to the United States, Scott discovers that his predecessor had uncovered a secret that cost him his life -- and may cost Scott even more. Aided by alluring weapons expert Alexandra Thorne, Jake uncovers a conspiracy of betrayal, terror, and vengeance intended to target a tense summit meeting of the American and Russian presidents. Taking the helm of a Russian sub, Scott must race against the clock -- and face off against an unseen enemy under the waves -- if he hopes to prevent a nuclear strike that could ignite World War III.