5 Years Ago in our KTB

In KTB #61, we reported that Members letters to the Assistant Secretary of the NAVY regarding USS REQUIN DID make a difference! We ran more of the story about ERICH TOPP (118-LIFE-1985), covering the loss of his first boat, U-57. We reminded our readers that USS NEMO was the way the NAVY classed U-505 when she was still a secret in Bermuda. We reported that SHARKHUNTERS Helped the MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY (326-1987) prepare the audiotaped self-guided tour through U-505. We explained why several U-Boats had the OLYMPIC RINGS on the conning tower as part of their emblems.

It was reported that a revered ROYAL NAVY submarine hero, RADM Anthony Miers, winner of the VICTORIA CROSS, had been guilty of shooting German sailors in a dinghy from a sunken merchant ship off Crete in cold blood. There was a side-scan sonar picture of HMS SWORDFISH on the bottom. We ran the story of the Italian submarine CAPPELLINI as told by her Skipper, CAPTAIN WALTER AUCONI (1011-1989).

10 Years Ago in our KTB

In KTB #15 we ‘met’ Members #11 through #15. There was a section for collectors entitled ‘WHAT’S IT WORTH’. There was the always interesting ‘DID YOU KNOW’ column by CHARTER MEMBER OBLT ERNST SCHMIDT (10-1983). There was a short profile on the TYPE VII-C boat and we learned a little of the history of U-81 through U-84.

KTB #15 was typewritten and only four pages long. It would require about one page of today’s computer-set KTB Magazine. If I remember correctly, at the time KTB #15 was published, there were perhaps 30 Members in SHARKHUNTERS. Today, there are more than 4,000 Members in 47 countries.