MARK REIBLING (3262-1993) recently visited here, and he sent this FAX:

"I definitely have a renewed appreciation of how much you're doing to further the understanding of U-Boats."

ERIC ZIMMERMAN (473-1988) writes from Canada:

"I must say the KTB continues to improve and I am always looking forward to my next month's Magazine."

ALBERT ECKERT (3120-1993) writes:

"I'm glad that HANS GOBELER (3-LIFE-1983) pointed out that the ROBERT LEY was the school ship in Pillau instead of the WILHELM GUSTLOFF. Soon it will be 50 years ago.....it wouldn't be my age, would it? I saw the ROBERT LET one or two days after the sinking of the WILHELM GUSTLOFF in Swinemunde. Would somebody know what happened to her?"

POTSHOT Venture

In our last issue, KTB #104, we asked if anyone knew what this was. GREG THEW (1661-1990) was the grandson of Joseph Thew, Skipper of the old USS NAUTILUS (SS 167), and GREG found a photo of Joe Thew and Admiral Lockwood shot in April, 1942. The words "POTSHOT VENTURE" were written on the photo, and GREG asked if anyone knew what this meant.

JAMES WARD (3161-1993), crewmember of USS RASHER (SS 269) sent us the answer. He writes:

"In the northwest corner of Australia, Admiral Lockwood contemplated an advance submarine base which was 750 miles north of the sub base in Freemantle and gave this endeavor the code name POTSHOT. This base would have allowed the boats two more days on station in their patrol area north of Lombok Strait. However the plan failed due to unfavorable weather conditions that would have prevented the submarines from berthing alongside their tenders. Another factor was the deprivation of the submarine crews' rest and recreation in the great cities of Freemantle and Perth. However for the duration of the war submarines going on war patrol topped off with fuel at POTSHOT. Incidentally today I hear that there is a motel at Exmouth Gulf called POTSHOT. I wonder how many guests would ever imagine that their Exmouth Gulf was Admiral Lockwood's POTSHOT."

Well GREG, there's the answer. JIM, many thanks. This information, I know, is of interest to a lot of our Members.

BRUCE BLEVINS (485-1988) writes: "I've been a Member for six years now and really enjoy it."

ARTHUR HUNTLEY (2283-1992) served on the Destroyer Escort USS DAVIS (DE 136) when that ship was sunk by U-546 in the Atlantic under KPLT PAUL JUST (206-1986). U-546 was immediately attacked by a group of Destroyer Escorts and was herself, sunk. Many of the U-Boot crew, including the Skipper, were rescued by the DE's and served out the War as P.O.W.'s. Now many years later, the Skipper of the U-Boat and the survivor of his victim, USS DAVIS are good friends, and PAUL JUST spends winters in the USA at the home of the US NAVY vet! ART writes: "I am a survivor of USS F. C. DAVIS; PAUL JUST still keeps his house trailer here in our yard. That's REAL former enemies, now friends!"

Mutual Respect

We have already read what WAYNE PICKELS (768-1988) of the US NAVY had to say about KK REINHARD HARDEGEN (102-LIFE-1985) of the KRIEGSMARINE; now we read what CAPTAIN HARDEGEN thinks of WAYNE. He writes:

"Regarding the letter from WAYNE PICKELS and the pictures from Honolulu, it was nice to see these 60 years old pictures from the period of the KARLSRUHE in Honolulu. It was the music band on the pictures and you can see the drum in front and somewhere behind it, the 'DRUMBEATER' was marching as a cadet. Please give my best regards to Wayne for these pictures. I in return, salute WAYNE for his courageous entering U-505 in catch the ENIGMA & the ADDRESSBUCH. For this he needs a very high personal courage because he didn't know if the boat will explode and sink in the next minutes."

CLAY McDANIEL (2296-1992) is currently in the service, and he writes: "Just a short note of thanks on the super job you did shipping the KRETSCHMER and TOPP print. Keep up the good job!"

When DONALD O'BRIEN (3435-1994) joined it was to learn what happened to his brother's ship. All DON knew was that it was sunk by a U-Boat. We gave him the details on the U-Boat, her building history, the Skipper, the attack, the location & the details of the sinking of his brother's ship & also the loss of the U-Boat soon after. DON wrote: "You have provided such valuable information about my brother's ship which was sunk in WW II by U-384. Thank you again for your fast and excellent help. The U.S. Government could not do what you did; probably didn't want to. I'm amazed at your professionalism & their lack of it."

WILSON WEHMEIER (3379-1994) writes: "As a Second World War historian your advertisement caught my attention quite readily. Since then I have relinquished my subscription to WORLD WAR II Magazine due to its general lack of substance and have been looking for a periodical with some meat to it. If what I've heard from a colleague is true, I should be pleasantly surprised to read SHARKHUNTERS. I eagerly await the first installment." WILSON has been on board since January this year and we believe, quite pleased with his Membership in SHARKHUNTERS.

Not HMS Salmon?

ERIC ZIMMERMAN (473-1993) writes: "In regard to the ROYAL NAVY article in KTB #103 I see that MR. HAWKINS (1364-A-1990) credits the sinking of U-54 to the RN submarine HMS SALMON (Cdr E. O. Bickford) on 11 April, 1940. I know that you know this is not correct. U-54 departed Kiel 12 February, 1940 for a patrol region off Cape Finisterre. She was not heard from again and is presumed mined not long after setting out. It is clearly inconceivable that she would have been still on patrol some two months later without once having reported. It is just possible that SALMON's target was one of the other U-Boats lost about this time. Enough doubt exists about the caused loss of U-1, U-22 and U-50 that any one of them may also have been SALMON's target, especially in view of the fact that I have been unable to obtain a location for the attack other than a vague "North Sea".

PAUL-HENRIK ROSCHIER, our new Member from Finland, writes: "Many thanks for my first copy of the KTB (#104). It is really a magnificent magazine. I'm very proud to be the 1st Member in Finland."

RAY CHARLTON (3113-1994) is pleased to me on board as a Member, but he also has a question and perhaps one of our Members can come up with the answer. He asks: "I am researching Operation BOBCAT, the US military project undertaken in 1941 to use Bora Bora island in French Polynesia as a staging area for operations in the South Pacific. I have not been able to find much reference material on this subject. The US Navy used Bora Bora as a submarine refueling base." OKAY, who can help answer this question? Thanks in advance.