Operation Underworld: How the Mafia and U.S. Government Teamed Up to Win World War II by Matthew Black

Being a LCN history buff, I wanted to learn the full and detailed story around Luciano’s work with Office of Naval Intelligence during WWII. Before reading Mathew Black’s book on the subject, most of what I had read was not much more than innuendo, over-hyped speculation and terse discussion, non of which offered any real references. Black did a great job of going into detail while offering many references to back up this history. Where the references were vague or conflicted, he calls this out in the footnotes and explains his rationale for why he chose a particular assertion or point of view in the main body of the book.

Using such resources as a detailed after-action investigation conducted on behalf of Thomas Dewey, then Governor of New York, who gave Luciano a pardon (and also deported him) at the end of the war — and who also originally put him away when he was NYC DA — Black reveals names, dates and actions of who was involved and even text from wiretaps amongst some of the principals. Here we learn who Luciano met with in prison to help ONI protect the East Coast docks as well as to provide intelligence for the invasion of Sicily.

One of the things I came away with after reading this book was how well connected Luciano was with the NY underworld and how, through trusted friends and associates, he was able to reach out to the right people, to include not only members of his own Borgata, but members of other families and related associates. From these resources, he was able to scour the region for people with the right information to be of value to ONI. At the same time, the NYC naval officers involved were able to exploit this intelligence (as well as the valuable training they got in the process of gathering it) when they went overseas and effectively operationalize it in the invasions of both Sicily and mainland Italy.

The work fully discredits Book, TV and Movies about this episode showing Luciano living in a lap of luxury in prison while he was helping ONI; instead, other than getting to meet his contacts for a half hour or so in private now and then outside the warden’s office, he was treated just like any other prisoner. But Black also makes it clear that non ONI business, i.e. Cosa Nostra business, was also discussed in those same meetings, probably including some ‘hits’. Moreover, the Navy man in charge of Operation Underworld, in dealing with the devil seems to also have been too tempted by some of the ‘gifts’ and ‘benefits’ — before and after his Navy Career — that his LCN friends provided as a way of appreciation.

Lastly, I think this book has a lot to say about such later Intelligence work with LCN, including the CIA assassination plots against Castro and perhaps even JFK assassination: to avoid embarrassment, ONI had all of their records on Operation Underworld burned and shredded. Those who think Oswald was a US Intelligence asset, but could never get any specific data to show it from FOIA requests can appreciate that any such documents alluding to such a relationship would have also been destroyed.

Excellent gift. Full of interesting information. Great price and excellent quality

Bought this for a gift. It was shipped loosely in a box and the front cover came slightly torn from all the movement. Otherwise, looks like a good book to have for that home library collection.

It’s a good book to get some specifics on your history education for the period. It’s written in typical boomer dog food propaganda narrative of good guys vs bad guys. When one side carpet bombs civilians they’re fighting evil and when the other side sinks a cargo ship carrying weapons, they’re evil empire expanding megalomaniacs. If you can get over the authors complete lack of ideological intelligence, it’s pretty good.

I have finished this book and felt compelled to let others enjoy it also. I am a senior and I was growing up knowing of the “mob” and when I read of their help during the war I had to indulge myself in this great book. You will be engrossed with this book and when finished you will be looking for more books with a similar storyline.
Enjoy