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Hello and welcome to SpyCast from the Secret Files of the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

I'm Peter Ernest, the Executive Director of the Museum. I served for some 36 years in the

Central Intelligence Agency largely as what is called an operations officer or a case officer.

Every month will be bringing you interesting talks with visitors,

with authors, with others who have something to do with the world of intelligence

and espionage. Intelligence and Espionage.

My guest today is Admiral Mack Showers, often called Mack.

Mack Showers is a Navy man. His career was spent in the US Navy. He in fact joined the Navy in

1941. So he was through World War II and later was also involved in Vietnam. And then when he left the Navy in

1972 after 31 years he went on to serve 12 years in CIA in a variety of positions both involving counterintelligence

but also senior budgetary positions.

But I think for our conversation today, I think it would be fascinating to take us back to those years of World War II, which you personally experienced.

And so many of our young folks today, many of whom are listeners,

World War II is long enough ago that they don't remember the highlights as well as we do

and the significant turning points.

Perhaps one of the major turning points of World War II was the Battle of Midway.

Could you just perhaps summarize that?

What was the significance of the Battle of Midway?

And what was your personal recollection of that?

Well, that's...

Those are very good questions, Peter, and the Battle of Midway was really my introduction

...