Mark Harmon used to star as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the hit drama NCIS.
For 18 years, Mark was the team leader and face of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service on CBS.
Several spin-offs popped up after NCIS became a hit, but Mark was still the face of the franchise.
The fictional world of NCIS may have said goodbye to Mark when he stepped away, but he has some stories to share from the real-life NCIS.
Formally known as the Naval Investigative Service, NCIS is an offshoot of an organization that has been around since the late 1800s (Office of Naval Intelligence).
Some great stories have taken place and are now featured in a new book by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll Jr.
Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll Jr. put out an NCIS book
Ghosts of Honolulu is co-written by NCIS star Mark Harmon and the show’s technical advisor, Leon Carroll Jr.
After being a real-life NCIS agent, Leon has expertise in the area.
And it’s no secret how Mark and Leon crossed paths, which has now led to the release of a book that reveals some interesting history.
The book’s subtitle reads, “A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor,” giving a backdrop for where the stories begin.
The book focuses on Douglas Wada, the first Japanese American Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) agent, and Takeo Yoshikawa, a Japanese spy tasked with gathering information on the United States.
“These are the real stories from those who were there. It’s real and it’s our history,” Mark told PEOPLE.
“On the show we used to use the fact that no one knew who this agency was or what they did as a point of humor, but for those doing this difficult job for real, there was nothing funny about it. To provide these men and women a chance to tell their story, their REAL story, has been both fun and educational for me,” Mark added.
More news from NCIS
Though Mark is no longer a part of the NCIS cast, the show must roll on.
CBS has ordered NCIS Season 21, with episodes scheduled to debut in the fall of 2023.
A Writers Strike is causing production for most scripted shows to shut down, so the new season of NCIS could get postponed.
Some members of the NCIS cast are also ready to go on strike in support of SAG.
To watch older episodes of NCIS, fans can stream them using Paramount+. The streaming service also features episodes from NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, and NCIS: Hawai’i.
NCIS airs Monday at 9/8c on CBS.