In 1970, a Lithuanian sailor named Simas Kudirka defected from his Soviet ship to a US coast guard cutter off Martha's Vineyard, sparking a major Cold War controversy.
The Jump
Simas Kudirka, a Lithuanian sailor, made a daring escape attempt from his Soviet ship to a US Coast Guard cutter in 1970, only to be sent back, sparking a complex and suspenseful Cold War political crisis.