“Your grandfather was a spy!” These words sent historian Philip Shackelford on a quest to discover and tell the story of the U.S. Air Force Security Service, a shadowy group conducting surveillance throughout the Cold War. He agreed to join us for the newest From Balloons to Drones podcast.

Listen to it on Spotify, on Soundcloud, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Amidst the news of classified intelligence leaks, it’s a great time to look back at the USAF’s own intelligence agency. From using surveillance aircraft to spy on potential threats to helping fighter pilots shoot down MiGs over the skies of Vietnam, Philip Shackelford takes us through the story of this mysterious organization, as he details in his new book: Rise of the Mavericks, from Naval Institute Press.