Project Azorian
By:
- Norman Polmar
- Michael White
Amazon Link: HERE

I was recommended this book after I posted a brief article on the special mission submarine USS Halibut (USS Halibut). As someone who craves knowledge on the curious world of special purpose submarines I was not disappointed.

The book is a level-headed analysis of this much covered but still poorly understood topic. It is immediately clear that the authors and their assembled panel of experts have uncovered new and highly reliable primary sources which clarify many aspects, both technical and historical. I am particularly interested in USS Halibut but this comment goes equally or more so for the other parts of the story. There is s significant portion of debunking going on also, so well worth reading if you have already digested other books on the subject.

Project Azorian provides the history of the much mistold story of the CIA led effort to raise the soviet ballistic missile submarine K-129 which sunk while on patrol in the North Pacific in 1968. Due to a multitude of fascinating technological advantages the USAF (correct, not a typo!) and USN pinpointed the location of lost submarine when the Soviets where looking in the wrong place. The k-129 sunk in deep water, much deeper than divers can go. Ordinarily it would be lost forever but the USN had just obtained the means to find it without letting the Soviets know what they were up to. That was where one of my favorite boats, USS Halibut, came in. Having found and photographed the wreck, raising it seemed impossible. It was certainly far beyond the depths of anything which had been done before. But developments in the offshore oil industry presented a glimmer of hope. Plans were made to covertly raise half of the stricken submarine from right under the Soviet's noses. The mission took four years and involved building a massive special purpose lift ship called the Hughes Glomar Explorer. In 1974 a portion of the submarine was raised. The media has widely propagated the erroneous operation name Operation Jennifer - forget that, it should be called Project Azorian from now on!

The illustrations and photos are unparalleled on the subject. Truly outstanding and really help tell the story.

Of course the core documents behind the story remain classified in parts or in full, so this is not a final answer to the biggest questions of the mysterious disappearance and only slightly less mysterious recovery operation. But this book undoubtedly clarifies the most of any book on the topic and puts into perspective the unknowns, enabling the reader to make both educated and sensible guesses fleshing full in the blanks. For the time being, almost fifty years after the event, this is by far the most complete book. I cannot recommend it enough.