by Dan Milton
After signing, Commander Carothers said, “That will be all.” When the Ensign left the room, he opened the sealed envelope. The message was very brief: OPERATION ILIAMNA COMPLETED.
At the same time that Carothers was placing the message into the burn container, thousands of miles to the West, a diplomatic pouch was on its way to Vladivostok via a Russian Embassy courier. The bag contained the electronic boards removed from the US Navy towed sonar unit that Ernie and Jeff had been testing at Lake Iliamna and Lake Clark. They had no knowledge of the removal following completion of the testing. The US Navy crate containing the towed sonar, minus the electronics package, had flown with Ernie and Jeff to Anchorage.
The US Navy’s Intelligence Unit’s plan, with the full support and cooperation of Commander Carothers, was to get the towed sonar electronics into the Russian Navy’s hands. The electronics package designed and developed for this particular mission was a modified version of the previous generation of towed sonar. The US Navy engineers with the help of the sonar contractor also built-in some problems that would show ghost images blended with the real images resulting in almost, but not quite, correct scan data. The hope was that it would put the Russian Navy further behind the US Navy in sonar technology. The plan called for a Russian agent to steal the electronics package and have the Russians believe that the US Navy did not realize the electronics were missing.
To make it appear real to the Russian Navy, Commander Carothers made sure that Ernie and Jeff knew nothing of the planned deception. It was critical for them to believe the testing was real and would be of tremendous benefit to the US Navy.
Commander Carothers had been working for some time with a Russian double agent by the name of Peter Lewis. Though born in Vladivostok, he immigrated with his parents to America when he was young. Since he spoke fluent Russian and English, he became an interpreter for US Army Intelligence during the war. After the war, the GRU brought him in as an agent during the period the US Navy Intelligence Unit also used him. Lewis was not sure where his true loyalties lay. He felt fond of his mother Russia; had a family there. But, he very much liked the American lifestyle.
Lewis’ job was to make the Lake Iliamna and Lake Clark testing effort seem legitimate to Ernie & Jeff; hence the subtle and not so subtle harrassment. Lewis was also, at the end of the testing, to steal the sonar’s electronics package without the test team realizing it.
In an office in the lower reaches of the Soviet Pacific Fleet headquarters in Vladivostok, a senior GRU agent had just received a secure message. It stated that Lewis had succeeded in stealing the electronics package from the latest US Navy towed sonar. The agent also learned that it was on its way via diplomatic pouch to Moscow; a real coup for them. It would, hopefully, be a career booster. The senior GRU agent was already hoping that this would result in a Moscow posting.
It was also double good news because the US Navy apparently did not know the electronics were missing. Lewis had told the senior GRU agent that an accident had happened to the towed sonar following its return to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The Navy had lost it overboard with some other equipment in a storm on its way to a test location in the Puget Sound. It would take some time for the US Navy to retrieve the lost sonar because they did not know the exact location where the equipment went overboard. By that time, the Russian Navy would have caught up with the US Navy’s sonar technology.
When the courier pouch arrived in Moscow, it was flown directly to Vladivostok and delivered to the GRU Senior Agent. He made sure that the package contained the electronic boards with the serial numbers that Peter Lewis had provided. The Senior Agent then personally delivered the package to the Sonar Engineering Director at the facility.
Following the arrival of the electronics package, several planning meetings were held by the Sonar Engineering Director and his staff. They delivered the plan for reverse engineering the sonar unit electronics package to, and signed off by, the Assistant to the Admiral of the Soviet Fleet and the head of the GRU in Vladivostok. The design team then began the reverse engineering effort. At the completion of that effort, the development team then designed and built a prototype. Even with all the bureaucratic red tape, the prototype was ready for testing within two months of the arrival of the stolen electronics. The testing would involve several different departments of the Russian Navy.
* * *
The day after their arrival in Seattle, Ernie and Jeff drove to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to meet with Commander Carothers. As they sat down in his office, Carothers said, “You both have done a superb job testing the towed sonar. I couldn’t have asked for more. We cataloged, recorded and began analyzing the data you sent. The engineers are very pleased with the quality of the data.”
Ernie said, “Thank you Commander. As you requested, we also provided sonar recorded data, as well as visual observations, to the University Research Team for a particular research area they selected. I have offered to help them analyze the data whenever they are ready.”
“That’s great. Keep me informed. We do what we can to maintain a good working relationship with the University. I may have some additional work for you to help us with this year. The Navy has several projects underway and will start several more this year. I will keep your clearances activated. The Navy classified as secret all the work you did testing the sonar. Do not release any information to anyone other than members of my team.”
“We understand Commander. Both Jeff and I will be attending classes this fall and winter, but we can always make time to work on a project for you.”
Carothers said, “The message you sent, before you left, stated that you would be stopping in Fairbanks. What was that about?”
Ernie told Carothers about the journal detailing the young Russian boy’s journey to Alaska to escape the advancing German Army during the war. Ernie said, “We heard the story from several sources at the Lake including a bush pilot involved in the search for the wreck, the missing boat Captain, and the young boy. The journal, found with the dead body of Captain Boyd, was subsequently sent to the Alaska Historical Society and translated into English. The story intrigued us, so we decided to stop off at Fairbanks on our way back and see the journal for ourselves. We visited with the Alaska Historian at the Historical Society. She was finally able to find the English translation of the journal, and we read it.”
Carothers asked, “What is your interest in the story?”
Ernie said, “I don’t know at this time. It was just one of those impulsive urges to find out more. The journal didn’t help us learn what or where the wreck happened. What it did though, was to give us a feeling for what that young man had gone through and how unfair life can be at times. Who knows? Maybe sometime in the future we might follow up on it!”
“You’ve got my interest now,” chimed in Carothers. “If you decide to do something about it, let me know. In the meantime, enjoy your studies. When I have a project for you, I’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you, Commander.”
Ghost Image
It was a typical rainy Seattle Saturday. Ernie had decided to hibernate. He checked the television log in Saturday’s paper. He thought: I’m glad I stayed up and finished that report last night. There are some good football games today. It’s time to relax for a few hours.
A knock on his apartment door disturbed a great touchdown pass in the game he was watching. Ernie opened the door to find Jeff standing there. His 1958 Triumph TR-3 was parked at the curb next to Ernie’s 1959 Austin Healey 100. Ernie said, “What brings you to this neck of the woods? Come in out of the rain. It’s good to see you.”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about the journal. The more I thought about it, the more I felt we should do something. I’m not sure where to start, but felt I should come over and talk to you.”
“I’m glad you came. Last week I had the same feeling. I sent a letter to both the Iliamna Lodge owner, and the bush pilot, Owen Hammond. I asked if either of them had or could get hold o
f a picture of the boat that sunk with Captain Boyd and the young Russian boy on it. What was his name?”
“As I recall, it was Alexei.”
Ernie continued, “I have not yet received a reply but, hopefully, will receive one in a week or two. Once I have a picture of the boat, I thought we could go to the Puget Sound Coast Guard center to check the registration and learn some details. Maybe even get a description. The name on the boat, according to the journal, was MV-TRAVIS BOYD, named after Captain Boyd’s son who was killed at Pearl Harbor in 1941.”
“In the meantime Jeff, how about watching some football? Grab a soft drink from the fridge. There’s a bag of chips on the table.”
A couple of weeks later, Ernie received a reply from the Iliamna lodge owner with a picture of Captain Boyd’s boat. He had found a photo of the boat on the lodge’s bulletin board with Captain Boyd in the foreground. In the enclosed letter, it stated that the vessel was a Columbia River type fishing boat 37 feet in length; diesel powered, with a mast and boom for loading and unloading cargo.
On receiving the picture, Ernie called Jeff. When answered, he said, “I just received a picture of Captain Boyd’s boat. I have the afternoon off—how about you?”
“I just finished my last class for the day. What do you have I mind?”
“If it’s okay, let’s use your car. We’ll run over to the Coast Guard Center and check on the boat’s registration.”
“I can be there in 15 minutes. See you then.”
On arriving at the Coast Guard center, they asked for the person that handles boat registrations and were sent to a counter on the other side of the room. On inquiring about MV-TRAVIS BOYD, they learned that there was no boat registered under that name. They asked if there was any other way to find a registered boat. The clerk said, “If you have the name and address of the owner we could look it up that way.”
Ernie said, “The boat owner is Captain Boyd of Lake Iliamna, Alaska.”
“Let me look it up for you. It will take me a few minutes.”
When the clerk returned, he said, “I found a boat the MV-LOUISA owned by a Lawrence Boyd and registered to him in 1938 with an address in King Salmon, Alaska. That’s the only one I could find registered under the name Boyd in Alaska.”
“Thanks for your help.”
Ernie and Jeff left the Coast Guard center somewhat deflated knowing that LOUISA was not the name they wanted. As they stood by Jeff’s TR-3, Ernie said, “We need to find out if Lawrence Boyd of King Salmon is the same Captain Boyd of Iliamna. Somehow, I didn’t think it was going to be easy. Do you remember anything more in the boy’s journal that talked about the boat name or change of name? Or, gave Captain Boyd’s given name? Or, where he lived previously? Are we dealing with the current boat or one he owned previously?”
Ernie continued, “Owen Hammond knew Captain Boyd well. Let me see is I can reach him by phone and get some clarification.” Ernie headed to a pay phone just down the block from Jeff’s parked car. Ernie was surprised when he finally got connected to Owen via a radio link.
Ernie said, “Owen, how are you?”
“I’m doing fine. I just dropped a fisherman off at Lake Clark when I received your call. What’s up?”
Ernie said, “We need some information on Captain Boyd. Is his given name Lawrence? Did he previously live in King Salmon and own a boat named LOUISA?”
“Yes to all three of your questions. Larry Boyd purchased the LOUISA, a fishing boat, before the war and fished out of King Salmon. He sold the boat just before he took delivery of the TRAVIS BOYD. Does that help?”
“Yes. Thanks, Owen. Take care of yourself.”
Ernie walked back to where Jeff was standing and said, “Let’s head back to my place, and I’ll fill you in on what Owen had to say.”
Back at Ernie’s apartment, Jeff said, “I just remembered that the Captain told Alexei he should name the boat after his departed wife instead of his son.”
“But didn’t he say that he had not yet registered the boat in his son’s name.”
“Yes. That’s right. If he did not record the boat in his son’s name, the builder must have registered it before he sold it to Captain Boyd. If we find out who the builder was, we could find out the boat’s registered name. I seem to remember something in the journal about the vessel being built in Portland and delivered to Bristol Bay where it was picked up by Captain Boyd.”
Ernie belonged to a diving club in Seattle. One of its members worked for a boat builder in the area. He got hold of the member and asked if he could find out who in the Portland area would have designed and constructed a 37 foot Columbia River type fishing boat some 15 years ago. A boat shipped subsequently to Bristol Bay, Alaska. His fellow dive member told Ernie that he would check and let him know.
About two weeks later Ernie got a call with the name and phone number of a Portland boat builder that could help find who built the vessel. Ernie called him and explained what he was trying to find out. Next day he got a call with the name and phone number of the company that built Captain Boyd’s boat. That afternoon Ernie had the registered name. It was MV-HECETA. He was also able to talk the owner into lending him a set of blueprints. With that good news, Ernie called Jeff and filled him in.
A few weeks later Ernie went to see Commander Carothers. Ernie brought Carothers up to date on what he had been doing at the University. Carothers let Ernie know that his staff was very pleased with the analysis of the data he and Jeff had gathered last summer. Ernie filled Carothers in on what he had finally found out about the registration of Captain Boyd’s boat. “Commander I have a request. Would you be able to get a copy of the Coast Guard search report for the MV-HECETA; the original registered name for the boat? The report would be at the Coast Guard Station in King Salmon?”
“I have some good buddies in the Coast Guard. I’ll give them a call. You sound like you are pursuing the wreck and what happened.”
“You’re right Commander. Something about it is eating away at me. I can’t seem to shake it. I appreciate your help.”
“No problem. Ernie, keep me informed.”
A short time after arriving back at his apartment, the phone rang. Ernie picked it up on the third ring.
Owen Hammond asked, “Ernie, is that you?”
“Yes it is.”
“This is Owen. Do I assume correctly? Your request for a picture of Captain Boyd’s boat was because you had some interest in locating the wreck and what happened to Alexei?”
Ernie responded, “You guessed right. Something inside me is driving the desire to find out more!” He then brought Owen up to date on what he had found out.
Owen said, “I was in Anchorage a couple of weeks ago dropping off a client and ran into Pamela Potan in the commercial aircraft terminal section of the airport. She had just flown the CEO of the company she works for to Anchorage for a series of meetings. I mentioned to her that you were looking into the wreck. She got real excited. She asked if you could keep her comprised of what is happening. Please keep me in the loop as well. When an effort does get underway we both would like to be part of it.”
“As Pam and I talked further about Alexei, I could see the tears forming in her eyes. I am not sure if I told you this. She was the one that Alexei flew with from Vladivostok to Anchorage. It was in an old B-25 she was ferrying back to the US. I think Alexei became the younger brother she never had.”
“I recall reading something in the journal about that leg of his journey.”
“Journal! What Journal?”
“I was referring to Alexei’s journal. The one found with the body of Captain Boyd. Jeff and I learned that it was at the Historical Society in Fairbanks, so we stopped there on our way home to Seattle. When we spoke to the state Historian before we left Anchorage, she was not sure she could find it. But, when we arrived, she had found an English translation and allowed us to read it. After reading about all that Alexei went through, I became very interested in him and his journey. I just could
n’t let things end the way they apparently did.”
Owen closed with, “Remember to keep us informed.”
“Will do.”
In early spring, Ernie received a call from the University Research Team supervisor he met on Porcupine Island asking if he could come over and help them with some analysis of the sonar data Ernie had provided them. They were going to concentrate some of next summer’s research on the 10 mile long stretch that Ernie and Jeff had surveyed for them—both visual and acoustic.
Ernie said, “I am free for most of the day tomorrow. I could be over about 11:00am.”
“That would be great. I’ll meet you in the lobby of the Marine Biology Building at 11:00.”
Ernie helped match up the sea sled visual information with the recorded data from the towed sonar. In cases where there was a uniquely identifiable structure to the underwater terrain, Jeff had Ernie stop so he could take 35mm slides of the underwater terrain. It was the detailed matching of the slide to the sonar data that had Ernie a little perplexed. In every case, the match was close but not quite right. The personal observation data was not accurate enough to show the differences. Ernie reminded himself to let Commander Carothers know of the consistent differences in the recorded data the next time he spoke with him. For next summer’s use by the University Research Team, the data would be accurate enough for their purposes, and they were very pleased to have it.
The underwater profile of that 10 mile stretch would allow the Marine Biologists to correlate where the female sockeye salmon made their spawning nests. In other words, what was it in the terrain makeup that made a perfect place for a female to build her nest?
A few weeks later, Ernie got a call from Commander Carothers. “Ernie, I just received a copy of the search report from the Coast Guard. I can send it over to you.”
“Thanks Commander. That would be fine. I’m glad you called. I just finished helping the supervisor of the University Research Team analyze the sonar data we provided them last summer. For each of the sites where we actually took underwater photos and tried to correlate to the sonar data, I found...”
