Operation Holystone: Submarine Spy Missions in Soviet Waters
Operation Holystone denotes Cold War U.S. Navy submarine special intelligence collection against Soviet naval targets—ELINT/SIGINT and acoustic signatures—as described in FAS and Congressional Record open summaries. Seymour Hersh’s May 1975 reporting forced public debate; Ford White House memos hosted by PBS FRONTLINE show Cheney option papers and Attorney General Levi’s advice against prosecuting the leak lest the government confirm the program in court. The Archive documents existence and disclosure politics and refuses invented complete take/hull lists.