OTTO DIETZ

It was in May of 1994 that our good friend OTTO DIETZ (209-1986) began his ETERNAL PATROL. OTTO was a friend to many SHARKHUNTERS, as he was with us on our gathering in Germany 1988; again in Germany 1990; in Chicago 1991 and several other times.

OTTO had cheated death many times in the past. Having missed too many training sessions while assigned to the crew of U-180, he was up on charges and transferred to a PUNISHMENT Battalion on the Russian Front, where life expectancy was non-existent. OTTO was lucky, and the Russian sniper who shot him only put a bullet through his chest, but missed vital organs. The GRIM REAPER was cheated and OTTO was sent home to hospital and then went on duty there as Pharmacist Mate.

While OTTO was on duty, the former I.W.O. of U-180, Harald Lange, came to the hospital to visit one of the nurses and spotted OTTO. Lange was on his way to take command of U-505 and he took OTTO with him. Death was again cheated on 4 June, 1944 when U-505 received a severe beating at the hands of TASK GROUP 22.3, the USS GUADALCANAL task force, but instead of going down with the U-Boat, (then) Captain Dan Gallery captured rather than sank, U-505 and rescued her entire crew, except for one killed during the attack.

OTTO was a long-time Member of SHARKHUNTERS, and he was my friend. He will be missed.

GENERAL SS LEON DeGRELLE

It was on 31 March, 1994 that GENERAL SS LEON DeGRELLE (1835-1991) began his ETERNAL PATROL, almost 40 years to the day after he was sentenced to death by his native Belgium.

DeGRELLE is probably best known as the Commander of the WALLOON Legion, a Belgian unit of the German Army during World War II which fought against the Communists in the fierce fighting on the Eastern Front.

DeGRELLE's life was saved in early June, 1945 in the closing moments of World War II by the minesweeper on which GUNTER DIETRICH (339-1987) served as a crewman. Late one night, they spirited DeGRELLE out of Copenhagen Harbor and took him to Norway from whence he continued his escape to Spain, where Franco gave him protection.

GENERAL SS LEON DeGRELLE had long been a supporter of SHARKHUNTERS and our goals to tell the honest history of the German U-Bootwaffe. We wish smooth seas and fair winds always, GENERAL.