In the war year of 1944, as the main battle line ran across Italy, fierce fighting raged around Monte Cassino and at Forma-Francavilla. At that time, the German defense devised a plan to deal a heavy blow to the Allied forces stationed at the supply port of Bari in southern Italy. The goal was to weaken the naval units while simultaneously destroying the fuel depots and hangars at the local airfield. This novel, based on authentic documents from a surviving participant, recounts the joint operation of German and Italian combat swimmers and sabotage specialists.