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Scorpion Down: Sunk by the Soviets, Buried by the Pentagon: The Untold Story of the USS Scorpion
One Navy admiral called it “one of the greatest unsolved sea mysteries of our era.” The U.S. Navy officially describes it an inexplicable accident. For decades, the real story of the disaster eluded journalists, historians, and the family members of the lost crew. But a small handful of Navy and government officials knew the truth: The sinking of the U.S.S. Scorpion on May 22, 1968, was an act of war. In Scorpion Down, military reporter Ed Offley reveals that the true cause of the Scorpion’s sinking was buried by the U.S. government in an attempt to keep the Cold War from turning hot. For five months, the families of the Scorpion crew waited while the Navy searched feverishly for the missing submarine. For the first time, Offley reveals that entire search was cover-up, devised to conceal that fact that the Scorpion had been torpedoed by the Soviets. In this gripping and controversial book, Offley takes the reader inside the shadowy world of the Cold War military, where rival superpowers fought secret battles far below the surface of the sea.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published April 20, 2007
44 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Ed Offley
7 books8 followersEd Offley has been a military reporter for over 30 years in a wide variety of journalism assignments throughout the United States, including newspaper reporting and editorial writing, and online editing and commentary. Since 2006, he has worked full-time as an author focusing on military history topics.
His military reporting career spanned the final decade of the Cold War, including the Reagan administration’s defense buildup of the 1980s and American interventions in Lebanon, Grenada and Panama; the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; the outbreak of mass violence in the Balkans; and major U.S. military interventions in the Middle East including Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
During that time, he covered military operations and exercises in eighteen countries. These included the 1989 American intervention in Panama; the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s historic 1990 visit to the Soviet Union at Vladivostok; the 1991 Operation Desert Storm offensive to liberate Kuwait, and the 1992 U.S. intervention in Somalia. Other assignments have included a major U.S. Navy fleet exercise in the Bering Sea in 1987; the U.S. Air Force’s 1989 mid-winter airdrop of supplies to the South Pole Base Camp, and a reporting trip to the border village of Panmunjom in 1994 during a period of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Throughout his career, Offley practiced hands-on coverage of the military. This included coverage of naval fleet exercises at sea from the central Pacific to the Atlantic and Caribbean. He participated in training maneuvers with the U.S. Army in Alaska, Washington state, southern California and Puerto Rico. He qualified for flight in Navy and Air Force tactical jet aircraft, flying as an observer in a number of warplanes, including the B-52H, A-6E, CF-18, F-5E and EA-6B. He flew with both the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force’s Thunderbirds, logged over 300,000 miles of flight with the Air Mobility Command worldwide, and made over a dozen aircraft carrier landings and takeoffs. He spent four days submerged in the Trident submarine USS Nevada and three days inside an even more cramped M1A1 Abrams tank
His investigative reporting regularly produced headline-generating disclosures. He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in beat reporting in 1996 for articles on a brain-injured former Army soldier who was released from a civilian jail and had his veterans benefits restored as a result of the coverage revealing a faulty Army medical diagnosis of the soldier’s condition. His disclosure of a Top Secret plan to use trained dolphins as security guards at the Bangor Submarine Base triggered a federal lawsuit by animal-rights groups that stopped the program in its tracks. His revelation that retired Navy Warrant Officer John Walker’s espionage for the KGB had allowed Soviet submarines to penetrate American and Canadian coastal waters sparked a parliamentary hearing in Canada.
In addition to his published works, Ed Offley has long worked to improve the quality of military reporting in American journalism. In 2001, his military reporting manual, Pen & Sword: A Journalist’s Guide to Covering the Military (Marion Street Press, Oak Park, IL), received widespread praise by reviewers. The American Journalism Review called the manual “especially valuable” to reporters who found themselves covering military subjects on short notice. He also was a founding director of Military Reporters & Editors Association, a professional group committed to improving the quality of military reporting in the American news media.
A 1969 graduate of the University of Virginia, Ed served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Midway. He and his wife, Karen Conrad, live in Panama City Beach, Fla. They have two adult daughters, Elaine and Andrea.
His military reporting career spanned the final decade of the Cold War, including the Reagan administration’s defense buildup of the 1980s and American interventions in Lebanon, Grenada and Panama; the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; the outbreak of mass violence in the Balkans; and major U.S. military interventions in the Middle East including Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
During that time, he covered military operations and exercises in eighteen countries. These included the 1989 American intervention in Panama; the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s historic 1990 visit to the Soviet Union at Vladivostok; the 1991 Operation Desert Storm offensive to liberate Kuwait, and the 1992 U.S. intervention in Somalia. Other assignments have included a major U.S. Navy fleet exercise in the Bering Sea in 1987; the U.S. Air Force’s 1989 mid-winter airdrop of supplies to the South Pole Base Camp, and a reporting trip to the border village of Panmunjom in 1994 during a period of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Throughout his career, Offley practiced hands-on coverage of the military. This included coverage of naval fleet exercises at sea from the central Pacific to the Atlantic and Caribbean. He participated in training maneuvers with the U.S. Army in Alaska, Washington state, southern California and Puerto Rico. He qualified for flight in Navy and Air Force tactical jet aircraft, flying as an observer in a number of warplanes, including the B-52H, A-6E, CF-18, F-5E and EA-6B. He flew with both the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force’s Thunderbirds, logged over 300,000 miles of flight with the Air Mobility Command worldwide, and made over a dozen aircraft carrier landings and takeoffs. He spent four days submerged in the Trident submarine USS Nevada and three days inside an even more cramped M1A1 Abrams tank
His investigative reporting regularly produced headline-generating disclosures. He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in beat reporting in 1996 for articles on a brain-injured former Army soldier who was released from a civilian jail and had his veterans benefits restored as a result of the coverage revealing a faulty Army medical diagnosis of the soldier’s condition. His disclosure of a Top Secret plan to use trained dolphins as security guards at the Bangor Submarine Base triggered a federal lawsuit by animal-rights groups that stopped the program in its tracks. His revelation that retired Navy Warrant Officer John Walker’s espionage for the KGB had allowed Soviet submarines to penetrate American and Canadian coastal waters sparked a parliamentary hearing in Canada.
In addition to his published works, Ed Offley has long worked to improve the quality of military reporting in American journalism. In 2001, his military reporting manual, Pen & Sword: A Journalist’s Guide to Covering the Military (Marion Street Press, Oak Park, IL), received widespread praise by reviewers. The American Journalism Review called the manual “especially valuable” to reporters who found themselves covering military subjects on short notice. He also was a founding director of Military Reporters & Editors Association, a professional group committed to improving the quality of military reporting in the American news media.
A 1969 graduate of the University of Virginia, Ed served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Midway. He and his wife, Karen Conrad, live in Panama City Beach, Fla. They have two adult daughters, Elaine and Andrea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 17, 2009
Scorpion Down was well written and persuasive. Some parts of the book were a bit dry, but it is for the most part quite readable. It was interesting to learn about submarine operations, the United States Navy, and what happened to the USS Scorpion. The author did a good job at explaining how the Walker spry ring, the USS Peublo, and the Soviet submarine K-219 were all connected and how they influenced the sinking of the USS Scorpion.
April 7, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it after diving on the wreck of the USS Kittiwake, which makes a cameo in the book. Ed Offley spent 25 years researching and writing the book, it's well written, based on factual evidence and a good read. In the interest of full disclosure I bought the book in 2012 and enjoyed it so much, this was the 3rd time I read it.
May 20, 2015
“Everything you have read thus far is documented, verified, and accurate. And almost everything that is a part of the official navy account is a lie.”
Was the nuclear attack submarine USS Scorpion sunk by the Soviets during the bitterest years of the Cold War? Journalist Ed Offley certainly thinks so. In Scorpion Down, Offley offers a compelling and meticulously researched case that the loss of the submarine was no accident and that the truth of the incident was deliberately and systematically concealed by both U.S. and Soviet military and intelligence personnel.
Admittedly, shipwrecks have always fascinated me – as my over-stacked bookshelves can attest – and I sort of expected Offley’s narrative to quench my thirst for a good sea story – but this book hit a bit harder than average nonfiction. This is hardcore journalism, and Offley stacks evidence like a trial lawyer, citing interviews, government documents, and investigative reports, in a Joe Friday-like approach before delivering a convincing, closing argument on the final fate of the Scorpion.
Offley is particularly good at putting the sinking of Scorpion in context as he also details the sinking of the Russian submarine K-129, the seizure of the US-spy ship Pueblo by North Korea in 1968, and the discovery of the KGB-backed Walker spy ring within the Navy. While seemingly divergent and unassociated stories, Offely believably connects-the-dots right back to the Scorpion -- offering motive, means, and culpable accomplices(?). More importantly, these little nuggets are surprisingly wonderful historical treats in their own right -- like little desserts hidden in the main meal.
So what keeps me from giving this one a full five stars? Well ... the beginning of the book is a bit ponderous. The opening chapter is a heavy soup of naval acronyms and the short history of submarine warfare and the chapter-long tour of the boat – while serviceable – didn’t really pop. The turning point (for me, anyway) was Chapter 6 (when the Scorpion actually bids bon voyage to Norfolk, VA) and the pace hits a more even beat from there. And the pay-off chapters are certainly worth it.
There are, of course, those who disagree with Offley’s findings (and that’s fine), but kudos to him regardless. Though I consider myself pretty well-read, I had never heard of the USS Scorpion before I pulled this book from shelf. Even if his theory is bunk, Offley's book is an important reminder of all the brave men who lost their lives that day. Regardless of the cause, they should never be forgotten.
(And ... If you don’t have the time to read the full book, Offley offers a neat little synopsis of his theories on history.net at http://www.historynet.com/the-uss-sco.... Worth pursuing the comments below the story for opposing viewpoints, opinions of other sailors, and a few very, very poignant notes from the families of some of the Scorpion’s lost crew.)
April 24, 2025
My husband served on a nuclear ballistic submarine.
He was on the SSBN 618. The USS Thomas Jefferson. It was part of the Cold War Submarine fleet "41 For Freedom"
He was aboard, and his boat was on patrol when the alert went out to all the subs on patrol that day in May 1968.
The alert was top secret. A smaller Skipjack Class fast attack sub was down. It was the USS Scorpion.
It was returning from a three month deployment and heading home.
It went down 50 miles south of the Azores. The depths in this area reached as much as 10000 ft. or more. Crush depth. 99 souls perished on that day.
Every crewman at sea on patrol knew they were lost.
There were no other US Fast Attack subs in the area.
The wreckage was found six months later at 10000ft. on the bottom
.
Years later, when my husband talked about it, he said none of the crewmen believed a torpedo malfunctioned within the Scorpion and blew it up.
It could not be proven, but they believed that the enemy, knowing there were no other US Fast attack subs in the area to help protect it, took it down and ran for it.
It was a true Cold War Tragedy.
He was on the SSBN 618. The USS Thomas Jefferson. It was part of the Cold War Submarine fleet "41 For Freedom"
He was aboard, and his boat was on patrol when the alert went out to all the subs on patrol that day in May 1968.
The alert was top secret. A smaller Skipjack Class fast attack sub was down. It was the USS Scorpion.
It was returning from a three month deployment and heading home.
It went down 50 miles south of the Azores. The depths in this area reached as much as 10000 ft. or more. Crush depth. 99 souls perished on that day.
Every crewman at sea on patrol knew they were lost.
There were no other US Fast Attack subs in the area.
The wreckage was found six months later at 10000ft. on the bottom
.
Years later, when my husband talked about it, he said none of the crewmen believed a torpedo malfunctioned within the Scorpion and blew it up.
It could not be proven, but they believed that the enemy, knowing there were no other US Fast attack subs in the area to help protect it, took it down and ran for it.
It was a true Cold War Tragedy.
November 23, 2020
An outstanding piece of Navy, and submarine history.
Definitely add to your reading list.
Definitely add to your reading list.
June 12, 2009
Conspiracy theory drivel at its worst. This book should be fiction not non fiction. The author makes wild leaps worthy of a D level movie rather than a in-depth look at the causes of the sinking of the Scorpion and the ninety-nine men who perished on her. Mr. Offley should be ashamed of this drivel.
April 22, 2023
Seemingly well researched but, a couple of flaws: One, the idea an American sub couldn't break contact with a Soviet sub in 1968 seems a bit far-fetched. 2. That the Walker spy ring giving away Navy communications secrets which lead to the sinking seems a lot like bringing in a random fact and trying to make it fit the scenario the author is after.
My take is a Soviet sub was in the area at the time because of Walker's spying, and the Scorpion dumped a hot run torpedo that circled and blasted into the side of the Scorpion. A Soviet sub deliberately sinking the Scorpion, which is an outright act of war, no.
And, it's possible the hot run torpedo was responsible for a collision between the Scorpion and the trailing Soviet sub, because the Scorpion was maneuvering to avoid the torpedo she just dumped.
Which would also explain why the Navy was able to find the sub as soon as it did, because the Soviets, most likely, would have let the American navy know.
The book is well written, but, in the end, to be taken with a grain of salt.
My take is a Soviet sub was in the area at the time because of Walker's spying, and the Scorpion dumped a hot run torpedo that circled and blasted into the side of the Scorpion. A Soviet sub deliberately sinking the Scorpion, which is an outright act of war, no.
And, it's possible the hot run torpedo was responsible for a collision between the Scorpion and the trailing Soviet sub, because the Scorpion was maneuvering to avoid the torpedo she just dumped.
Which would also explain why the Navy was able to find the sub as soon as it did, because the Soviets, most likely, would have let the American navy know.
The book is well written, but, in the end, to be taken with a grain of salt.
December 1, 2023
Excellent book but the later chapters seemed to bog down a bit with all the detail. I had never heard of the USS Scorpion before, thus this book was very interesting and well written. Having read about the Glomar Explorer months ago, I found many ties (as did the author). The book also reframed some of what I "knew" about the 1960s-1980s global competition between the US and USSR, specifically in terms of how the submariners engaged one other. Seems like there were far more casualties during the Cold War than I realized. The book also indicated that the USS Scorpion/USS Pueblo incidents were tied to the Walker spy ring... very disturbing, and infuriating. Overall, a great book that provided me more historical information of the activities under the oceans in the 1960s.
September 7, 2022
This is an incredible book. Though the title is a complete spoiler this is the story of how the story of the sinking of the US nuclear submarine Scorpion was uncovered and the incredible secret undersea skirmishes during the Cold War that led to the sinking of both US and Soviet submarines.
It also covers one of the greatest US espionage stories of John Anthony Walker Jr., a United States Navy chief warrant officer and communications specialist, convicted of passing top secret naval documents to the Soviet Union from 1967 to 1985 and sentenced to life in prison for it. The author speculates about the connection between the two incidents.
It also covers one of the greatest US espionage stories of John Anthony Walker Jr., a United States Navy chief warrant officer and communications specialist, convicted of passing top secret naval documents to the Soviet Union from 1967 to 1985 and sentenced to life in prison for it. The author speculates about the connection between the two incidents.
August 18, 2019
It is always interesting to contemplate the level to which people might go in protecting a narrative that serves their own purpose but which is not in line with reality. Faulty torpedo or Russian adversary? Offley has, I think, made a fair, if not airtight, case that Scorpion was torpedoed by a Russian sub. And he did such a great job of telling the story. It so seemed the right balance of history of nuclear subs without all facets of sea warfare, the cat and mouse of undersea gamesmanship without all the baggage of espionage.
March 19, 2019
Excellent account of the secrecy that was pervasive during the Cold War era particularly as it pertained to naval submarines. The author's main focus was on the Scorpion but also mentioned were events related to the K129, K19, and K219. In addition Offley addressed the damage done by the Walker spy ring (though the compromise of Operation Ivy Bell was not specifically discussed). Fascinating stuff regardless of what conclusions one wishes to accept as most probable.
December 10, 2022
Interesting look at the only nuclear sub lost with all hands.
The author argues, fairly convincingly, that the sub was sunk by the Soviet Union and then the story was buried by both the United States and the Solviet Union.
There is detailed information from news sources as well as what has been declassified by the US government. There are still a lot of unanswered questions.
The author argues, fairly convincingly, that the sub was sunk by the Soviet Union and then the story was buried by both the United States and the Solviet Union.
There is detailed information from news sources as well as what has been declassified by the US government. There are still a lot of unanswered questions.
May 28, 2021
To much junk
I did not like all of the too much not needed information that had nothing to do with the boat going missing. After all this story is only one persons opinion. I feel I wasted my money.
I did not like all of the too much not needed information that had nothing to do with the boat going missing. After all this story is only one persons opinion. I feel I wasted my money.
October 30, 2024
For a non-fiction conspiracy book that will capture your attention, look no further. This gem is packed with facts, investigations, and historical context, making it a must-read. I highly recommend Ed Offley's book about the USS Scorpion for a thrilling and informative experience.
September 27, 2025
enjoyable, but long.
Enjoyed the read and thank the author for a large amount of time invested in his research. I was looking for something with less tangential information. Keep in mind my opinion is just that. Others may have found this to be exactly what they wanted
Enjoyed the read and thank the author for a large amount of time invested in his research. I was looking for something with less tangential information. Keep in mind my opinion is just that. Others may have found this to be exactly what they wanted
March 28, 2021
Interesting book, but I don’t buy into his cover up theory.
April 12, 2021
While I enjoyed this story overall, there were parts that dragged although I understood the need to tell those parts for a complete picture. Such a fascinating piece of history.
June 28, 2021
Great account about the controversial relationship between the USA and Russian militaries during the Cold War.j
July 21, 2021
Sometimes too technical for me; not easy to follow.
December 3, 2007
I'm a sucker for submarine stories. Moreover, a story that involves espionage, submarines, Navy cover-ups and more is usually something that will be right up my alley. And to some extent that is true with this book. The thread of the story itself is fascinating.
Problem is, a lot of the text in the book seems designed to stretch the book length. Several pages of narrative description on the process of lighting a reactor when the reactor had nothing to do with the story seems a bit much. Describing the number, weight and depth of the explosive charges used to mimic the sinking of the boat seems a bit much. Basically I was reminded of a term paper I wrote in high school where I listed every ship in the task forces that fought at Midway. Nice word count material, but wholly immaterial to the paper.
Anyway, the book needed editing, not just in word count but also in the story flow. Several times it would heat up and be left at a chapter end, only to resume at a different point in time. Sort of maddening really.
Still, if you are a submarine buff, it is worth reading if only to put into context other submarine legends of the cold war.
Problem is, a lot of the text in the book seems designed to stretch the book length. Several pages of narrative description on the process of lighting a reactor when the reactor had nothing to do with the story seems a bit much. Describing the number, weight and depth of the explosive charges used to mimic the sinking of the boat seems a bit much. Basically I was reminded of a term paper I wrote in high school where I listed every ship in the task forces that fought at Midway. Nice word count material, but wholly immaterial to the paper.
Anyway, the book needed editing, not just in word count but also in the story flow. Several times it would heat up and be left at a chapter end, only to resume at a different point in time. Sort of maddening really.
Still, if you are a submarine buff, it is worth reading if only to put into context other submarine legends of the cold war.
April 5, 2009
Conspiracy theories are interesting, and this book is no different. It's the authors belief, and he makes an impressive case in supporting this belief, that the loss of the USN Scorpion in 1968 was a result of a torpedo attack by a Soviet submarine. The "official" Government position is that the loss of the sub was a result of an unknown accident, and as might be expected, many if not most of the official records remain classified. While lack of government candor isn't anything new (think about the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, Nixon's Watergate coverup, the Iran-Contra scandal during the Reagan years, and a likelihood of yet to be released Bush era disclosures) it's still difficult to believe that the U.S. would knowingly tolerate the loss of a nuclear submarine, along with the 99 officers and sailors, due to an unprovoked attack by another naval force, and not react. And if it did truly occur as the author states, it's hard to believe that no leak from U.S. or Soviet individuals or documents have ever surfaced. Nonetheless, the author makes many interesting points, although he does wander off course on occasion with additional and seemingly unrelated information.
January 12, 2016
When I started reading 'Scorpion Down', I had no inclination that I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. First, I have the commend the author for his dedication and perseverance in completing the book. The Scorpion sank in the Atlantic in 1968 and the author researched the book off and on for over 25 years.
I don't want to give away any of the spoilers in the book, but you will be shocked at how the events unfold and how the sinking of the Scorpion can be traced to other famous spy events that you have probably heard of such as the John Walker espionage case and the capture of the USS Pueblo and its crew off the coast of North Korea in 1968. However, I will say that the author provides a compelling case that the sinking of the Scorpion was not caused by an accident and that there was indeed an elaborate cover-up by the US Navy.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in naval or Cold War history (or the other subjects mentioned above). Several times while reading the book, I found myself in complete disbelief as to what I was reading. I am sure that this book will leave you guessing what happened until the very end.
I don't want to give away any of the spoilers in the book, but you will be shocked at how the events unfold and how the sinking of the Scorpion can be traced to other famous spy events that you have probably heard of such as the John Walker espionage case and the capture of the USS Pueblo and its crew off the coast of North Korea in 1968. However, I will say that the author provides a compelling case that the sinking of the Scorpion was not caused by an accident and that there was indeed an elaborate cover-up by the US Navy.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in naval or Cold War history (or the other subjects mentioned above). Several times while reading the book, I found myself in complete disbelief as to what I was reading. I am sure that this book will leave you guessing what happened until the very end.
March 12, 2009
A very detailed account, researched over years, of the circumstances leading up to and following the sinking of the Scorpion. It is loaded with information gathered over the years following the incident, which is all good, but for some readers it may seem like too much detail. The research finally leads to the author’s plausible conclusion about the loss of the Scorpion, although the incident is still cloaked in secrecy by the lack of information revealed by the United States military and the Soviet Union.
It doesn’t read like a spy novel, but more like a report filed on the sinking. If you enjoy reading about the Cold War you may find it worth while. I’m interested in reading someone else’s account to see if the conclusion has a little different spin.
It doesn’t read like a spy novel, but more like a report filed on the sinking. If you enjoy reading about the Cold War you may find it worth while. I’m interested in reading someone else’s account to see if the conclusion has a little different spin.
May 22, 2015
Interesting Read!
This is a good book predicated on ideas regarding the demise of the Scorpion that have circulated for years. I grew up as in the submarine community of the 1960's and 70's, as my father was a, "Bubblehead," from 1957 to 1979, and the ideas presented in this book have been one of the 3 or 4 serious considerations about what might have happened. With this in mind, I read the book hoping the author would present a smoking gun to prove his this theory, but it never emerged. Still, this book is an interesting read regarding life in the Secret Service during the height of the Cold War.
This is a good book predicated on ideas regarding the demise of the Scorpion that have circulated for years. I grew up as in the submarine community of the 1960's and 70's, as my father was a, "Bubblehead," from 1957 to 1979, and the ideas presented in this book have been one of the 3 or 4 serious considerations about what might have happened. With this in mind, I read the book hoping the author would present a smoking gun to prove his this theory, but it never emerged. Still, this book is an interesting read regarding life in the Secret Service during the height of the Cold War.
February 17, 2011
The sinking of the nuke sub Scorpion is one of the great mysteries of submarine lore. Here the author suggests it was sunk by the Soviets during the Cold War and then covered up by both sides to avoid hot war. Interesting theory, but absent a bunch of declassifications and/or people willing to speak on the record ... let's just say it'll be a while before we know, if ever. Silent Steel is a good companion book for this one.
February 7, 2008
One of our subs got sunk by Russian forces and we covered it up to possibly cover up the fact we sank one of theirs and avoid nuclear war.
The 5 stars is if you like history, specifically Cold War history. The author did AMAZING research and also stumbled into some random encounters that revealed things to him. Well written and interesting! I had never heard of this. The Cold War was nuts. I just think the subject was fascinating. If you can't read a bunch of dates and history, this won't be for you.
The 5 stars is if you like history, specifically Cold War history. The author did AMAZING research and also stumbled into some random encounters that revealed things to him. Well written and interesting! I had never heard of this. The Cold War was nuts. I just think the subject was fascinating. If you can't read a bunch of dates and history, this won't be for you.
October 28, 2014
Although there was some interesting information in this book, overall I wasn't pleased with it. Should anyone be surprised that Navy chose to cover up Cold War incidents and protect their secrets? Offley does, of course. There were so many things about his presentation that irked me. Too much of the author present. Repetition. Here we have a possibly riveting story made boring. I tremble to think what his reporting is like. No doubt he worked hard on this, but perhaps he needed a better editor.
December 8, 2014
Covered this as a book on tape. Incredible story but badly read and way too much boring cross-referencing.
Sometimes it sounded like a lawyer making a case in court rather than a gripping story about this "non-incident" of the sinking of a US nuclear submarine in May, 1968. The scary part is the Navy's cover-up of this incident, even 40 years after the fact.
Sometimes it sounded like a lawyer making a case in court rather than a gripping story about this "non-incident" of the sinking of a US nuclear submarine in May, 1968. The scary part is the Navy's cover-up of this incident, even 40 years after the fact.
March 11, 2008
The author had a very interesting theory about what happened and I think he argued it well. Despite the fact I found his conclusion unlikely, I loved reading about all the events surrounding the loss of Scorpion.
September 8, 2008
This book describes how aggressive, U.S.-Soviet submarine tactics likely led to deaths on both sides. The respective governments used extreme secrecy to try and avoid the Cold War from becoming a hot one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews