In the early 1970’s the US Government devised a
bold and dangerous mission code named “Ivy Bells”.
Divers from the USS Halibut (SSN 587) scoured the ocean floor
nearly 400 feet beneath the frigid waters of the Sea of Okhotsk,
deep inside Soviet territorial water, for a five-inch cable carrying
secret communications between Soviet military bases.
The divers found the cable and installed a 20 foot long
listening device that recorded all the communications.
Each month a submarine would return
and divers would swap out the tapes.
The operation continued undetected until 1981.
One day a surveillance satellite showed a number of
Soviet warships anchored over the cable.
USS Parche (SSN 683) was quickly sent to recover the pod.
Divers were not able to find the device.
How did the Soviets suddenly detect the tap?
After a long investigation it was determined that an
NSA employee betrayed Operation Ivy Bells to the Soviets.
Ronald Pelton sold the secret for $35,000 and
ended nearly a decade of espionage.
Pelton was sentenced to life in prison.
The original tap device is now on exhibit
at the KGB museum in Moscow.