The year is 1971. With Cold War tensions at their peak, the U.S.S. Farnley has been selected to take part in Operation Marathon, the brainchild of ambitious and unscrupulous one-star Admiral Eickhoff, who sees the dangerous experiment as his stepping stone to greater power and national prestige. The World War Two-era destroyer--with her outdated technology, low crew morale, and mentally unstable captain--would be an ideal component of the Admiral's experiment due to her chief characteristic: her expendability.
Failure, however, is not an option for the new Engineering Officer Lee. His enthusiastic faith in the viability of the aged vessel and his dedication to duty with honor puts him at immediate odds with soon-to-retire Chief Petty Officer Ross, while ultimately inspiring his fellow crewmen to help return the Farnley to fighting form. But their dedicated efforts are creating a powerful and unforgiving enemy--and when unexpected catastrophe befalls the Farnley, those manning the old destroyer will suddenly be forced to choose between duty and disobedience, between life and death.
Larry Laswell's The Marathon Watch is a gripping, authentically detailed naval adventure that harkens back to the heyday of the late, great storyteller Tom Clancy. Based in part on the author's actual military experiences, it provides a fascinating inside look at the shadowy intricacies of U.S. Navy politics wrapped around an enthralling story of honor, determination, and grave peril during the dark days of America's Cold War.
Featuring a richly developed cast of officers and crewmen, Laswell's thrilling chronicle transports the reader aboard the aging World War Two-era destroyer, U.S.S. Farnley, into the perilous heart of an ill-conceived experiment. There the frailties of human nature, the ambitions of unscrupulous men, and the terrible vicissitudes of nature will combine to create a disaster at sea that only courage, ingenuity, and a devotion to duty can possibly overcome.