It is the Fall of 1985, and the Cold War is at its peak. American Thresher Class nuclear powered attack submarine USS GATO (SSN 615) - the Black Cat - is on a scheduled 72 Day Run to "WESTLANT" - its last deployment before its badly needed upcoming second major overhaul.

Come along as the mighty mighty warship GATO, and her intrepid "594 Tough" crew consisting of 110 officers and enlisted men, battle both their Soviet adversaries and their own ship's design quirks and maintenance demons to return home victorious with a treasure trove of vital National Security intelligence data, collected while protecting America from a Soviet submarine-launched nuclear-tipped ballistic missile attack.

As characterized in the Prologue Section Header, "We Go on Demand." Despite plenty of "everything," nothing could deter GATO from the mission. Nothing; despite "everything."

Along the way, learn how a submariner's greatest joy is simply to be underway, submerged, bending both their ship and the sea to their will as each individual submariner becomes an integral part of the most complex machine ever conceived. Then, coming home victorious, the submariner's greatest sense of satisfaction is achieved simply through the sting of that first breath of fresh air topside.

The intrepid men and women who go down to the sea in these ships are America's greatest treasure. Cherish their gift of Freedom to the rest of us; respect it; never, ever, trivialize it.

Admiral Jonathan Greenert, USN(Ret), 30^th Chief of Naval Operations and himself a former nuclear powered attack submarine Captain (USS HONOLULU (SSN 718)), " 69 Day Run is the fascinating and unique journey of a nuclear submarine crew on patrol at the height of the Cold War. Bartlett's first-hand account is captivating and corroborates the contention that it was our Submarine Force that won the Cold War. His ability to clearly describe the complex operating concepts of these technical marvels is brilliant. An inspiring story of sacrifice, innovation, resilience and camaraderie."