Phantom Watch

Phantom Watch is a Cold War naval thriller grounded in the daily reality of life aboard a U.S. Navy warship. Two young men join the crew of the fictional frigate USS Buidhe (FF-1039). Mike carries the weight of a multi-generational Navy family and the ideals of service. David arrives with a far more dangerous purpose; he has been carefully prepared since childhood as a sleeper agent for the Soviet Union. As the ship deploys into the Mediterranean and the broader contest of the Cold War, the crew faces the relentless demands of anti-submarine warfare, the constant pressure of technological superiority, and the hidden dangers that move inside the lifelines of the ship itself. What begins as routine operations becomes a high-stakes contest of loyalty, deception, espionage, and survival. Written with the authenticity of a veteran who served during the era, Phantom Watch blends the tension of classic espionage with the lived experience of the deck-plate sailor.

The novel includes a foreword by MCPON John Hagan USN (Ret.), 8th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy who served along side the author and Admiral David B. Robinson aboard the USS R.K. Turner (CG-20). Also included are detailed appendices on ships, aircraft, equipment, ranks, Navy acronyms, and terminology that will reward readers, whether familiar with naval life, or not. This is not a story of admirals and grand strategy alone. It is the story of the men who stood the watches, ran the systems, and lived the mission every day.