Sharkhunters in 47 Countries! Member in Malta

When JOHN MERCIECA (3963-1994) joined, the island nation of MALTA became the 47th country with SHARKHUNTERS Members. Welcome aboard to JOHN and MALTA!

Where Are They?

CHRIS WILLS (1935-A/LIFE-1991) has a good question and we do not have the answer - so we ask you, our SHARKHUNTERS Members, who can answer this question?

“At the end of the War, the four major powers (England, Russia, France and the U.S. signed the FOUR-POWER SURRENDER Agreement that stated that all surrendered U-Boats in their custody had to be scrapped or sunk in deep water within two years. Several boats were incorporated into their navies and four were turned over to Norway (U-995 was one of those). Did all four powers live up to the agreement? The Soviet Union also completed the construction of five TYPE XXI boats (U-3538 through U-3542) and some others between U-3543 and U-3695. It is obvious that the Soviets had no intention of destroying these boats after going through the trouble of completing them. Do you know what happened to them?”

Who can give us this answer? As to the others, England kept at least U-570 until 1947 as well as a couple of the WALTHER engine boats, re-named HMS METEOR and HMS EXPLORER. The USA kept U-505, although she was captured during the War not surrendered later - and they kept U-2513 and operated her until 10 July, 1951. The French renamed U-123 as BLAISSON and kept her until 1957 as well as U-766 which they renamed LAUBIE and kept until 17 October, 1961.

What other boats were kept? By what powers? What finally happened to them? Who can help? Thanks in advance.

Why Five Bucks?

Every so often, we are asked why we charge $5 postage on MUG shipments; and if we could lower the cost if more than one MUG is bought. Sorry, but it isn’t us who sets the cost, as you will see.

• the box we use cost about $1;
• PRIORITY MAIL postage is $2.90;
• The label and packing paper costs about 10 cents;
• Add to this the cost of the person packaging each MUG, the insurance against breakage & other intangibles - you see we spend no less than $5 to ship each MUG.

Thought you’d like to know.

The Rainbow Division

One of our Members needs to get in touch with anyone who served with this US ARMY Division, stationed south of Salzburg, Austria in the Spring of 1945.

This is important, so if YOU know anyone who served in the RAINBOW DIVISION at that time, please contact HQ here immediately. In advance, many thanks.

Member Number 4000!

As we prepare to enter our 13th year, SHARKHUNTERS Member Number 4,000 has been added to the group. By the time this issue is in your hands, there will be many more than 4,000 Members - and we are also pleased to remember that there are SHARKHUNTERS Members in 47 countries around the world. Sincere thanks to all who have helped make our SHARKHUNTERS grow into the great organization it is.

Who is Member Number 4,000? You’ll have to wait until we reach his number on the ‘MEETING MEMBERS’ column - but if you can remember back to the old ‘GET SMART’ television show; you will know this Member as SIEGFRIED, the enemy of Agent 86.

Prayers Needed

Two of our SHARKHUNTERS friends are in need of your prayers and good thoughts as we head into 1995.

Mrs. Topp, wife of ERICH TOPP (118-LIFE-1995) is in hospital and recovering from surgery. She is expected to recover, but your prayers certainly can’t hurt and would be most welcome.

VICTOR HAWKINS (1364-A/LIFE-1990) has been in and out of the hospital, and going in again, to have problems removed (we hope there is no cancer) from inside his abdomen. VIC plans to be home just around New Year’s Day, and we hope you all say a prayer for VIC as well.

MEMBERSHIP CONTEST!

Only about ten more days are left in 1994, so let’s see what comes in with the mail in that time. But as we head into the final moments of the 1994 MEMBERSHIP CONTEST, here are the standings.

EVERYONE IS A WINNER!

For every five new Members you recruit, you win ONE MORE YEAR of SHARKHUNTERS Membership - FREE!. The Member who recruits the MOST new Members this year (minimum of 30) will win a LIFE Membership at the ADMIRAL rank. We will send brochures to you, no charge of course, to help you get your share of new Members - just write or call. Pass them out at Militaria shows or gun shows, give them to friends who are interested in this history - YOU CAN WIN!

JOE BURGES (605-A-1988) 58 (ties the old record!)
LOU HOUSE (2243-A/LIFE-1992) 12
EMILIE CALDWELL-STEWART (2480-1992) 9
J. C. RUCKS (338-1987) 8
PETER STANFORD (1761-1991) 5
RADM EUGENE FLUCKEY (2169-C-1991) 5
SKIP ASAY (898-1991) 4
JIM SUTTNER (2309-C-1992) 4

JACK GOODIER (127-1990) 3
WILLIAM WOLFE (976-1989) 3
YOYA KAWAMURA (1739-life-1991) 3
NORMAN E. HARMS (2215-A-1992) 3
RALPH TAYLOR (3342-1994) 3

MARC COHEN (166-A/LIFE-1986) 2
BUD DANA (245-A/LIFE-1987) 2
ERNST ZÜNDEL (956-1989) 2
JAY FIONDELLA (1072-1989) 2
DON GLASSER/DESA (1150-1994) 2
J. P. MASSEY (1748-C/LIFE-1991) 2
JOHN HANKINS (1979-1991) 2
CHIEF JIM WATSON (2028-1991) 2
LEROY KOETZ (2954-C-1993) 2

KIRK KREUTZIG (2-1993) 1
RADM ERICH TOPP (118-LIFE-1985) 1
HARRY CULLEN (289-1987) 1
V. E. BAUER-TAPIA (408-1987) 1
DAVID MICHAELS (583-1988) 1
ROBERT KOSKO (708-1994) 1
Oblt. HERMANN HOFFMANN (1365-1990) 1
SITRIC O’SRUITEAN (1378-1990) 1
FRED FAETH (1456-1990) 1
HANS SCHMIDT (1721-1990) 1
WALLY MYERS (1633-1990) 1
STEVE SHOCK (2213-A/LIFE-1992) 1
LOU vander STREET (2246-A/LIFE-1992) 1
WAYNE JENEVEIN (2416-C-1992) 1
ALFRED FRIEDRICH (2468-1992) 1
BLAYNE WEIDENER (2558-1992) 1
RICHARD HENRICK (2568-1992) 1
ED UDITIS (2772-1993) 1
STEVE FLETCHER (3002-1993) 1
ADAM FIEGL (3042-1993) 1
MIKE WEBER (3239-1993) 1
HUBERT MAXEY (3453-1994) 1
TIM KIZOREK (3457-1994) 1
DAVID MAXWELL (3482-1994) 1
PETER CHELEMEDOS (3619-1994) 1
CHARLES WOLF (3707-1994) 1

By the time you read this, the 1994 Membership CONTEST will be history and we will be starting on our 1995 CONTEST. Same rules apply - you win one additional FREE year of Membership for every FIVE new Members you sign up. What is the GRAND PRIZE? Have to wait for KTB #110 next month to find that out.

Will JOE BURGES (605-A-1988) bring in just one more new Member in the next ten days to surpass the record of 58 new Members set by LOU HOUSE (2243-A/LIFE-1992)? You will read that in KTB #110 next month.

Will anyone surpass the overall record set by HOUSE of 111 Members (plus the 12 so far this year = 123 total)? Nope, not this year but who knows - next year will be even better.

Remember, EVERYONE is a winner if you just recruit FIVE new Members in 1995. GOOD LUCK!

Computer Fund

Our COMPUTER FUND was initiated by DR. WARREN BROWN (265-A-1987) when SHARKHUNTERS needed our very first computer. DOC BROWN made the first donation to this fund. We got our computer and that allowed our SHARKHUNTERS to grow so well. It made things go a lot smoother here in the office as well. Once this computer was paid off, the COMPUTER FUND was retired, but the names of all who were so kind to donate were placed on a computer file and a special scroll will be placed near it.

About two years ago, we needed a bigger, more powerful computer and so, rather than bring our COMPUTER FUND back to life, I just paid for the new IBM 286 out of my own pocket. It really made work go smoothly.

But, as with everything else, we needed a more powerful computer, so we bought a new IBM 486 recently & in KTB #104, it was announced that we were bringing our COMPUTER FUND back to life, & asked our Members if they would help again, so we could retire the debt we incurred, which was in excess of $3,500.

We also upgraded our IBM 286 to make it a modern, powerful & fast IBM 486 but this was done as a donation by BILL CUSTER (1764-A/LIFE-1991), owner of a chain of computer stores.

Here are some more of the great Members who have helped the SHARKHUNTERS COMPUTER FUND with their gifts:

WALDEMAR TRIEBEL (197-LIFE-1986) I.W.O. on U-968;
Researcher SHIELA BREVOGEL (1676-1990)
CHUCK PITYK (1999-1991)
ART JACOBSON (2154-1992)
LUFTWAFFE AA Gunner KARL SIPPEL (841-1988)
HARRY CULLEN (289-1987)
MICHAEL BROZSKE (3741-1994)
ART JACOBSON (2154-1992)
RAYMOND NOWACK (1903-1991)
JOSEPH CORLISS (991-C-1993)
BUD VEATH (1711-1990) VET OF USCGC INGHAM
ANDREW THURSON (3349-1993)
D. KING (3868-1994)
Minesweeper crewman GüNTER DIETRICH (339-1987)

To all our SHARKHUNTERS Members who help with this important fund, we say MANY THANKS!
Donations in Germany may be made in D-Marks to our German bank as listed on page 2. Vielen dank!

Having a Raffle?

For any groups having door prizes, raffles etc. to help raise money, SHARKHUNTERS will be glad to help. We will donate one or two Memberships for your group’s fund raiser, raffle, door prize etc. Contact HQ for details.

Be An Angel

SHARKHUNTERS ANGELS are a very special group of Members. They have something they want to go to our SHARKHUNTERS Research Center to help preserve the history of the U-BoofWaffe, of the US Navy Silent Service, or any of the other submarine services - the War at Sea itself.....but not until they begin their ETERNAL PATROL.

A very special plaque with the names of our Sharkhunters Angels will be placed in our Research Center and their names will also appear here in each issue of our KTB Magazine.

If you have something you wish to give to our Sharkhunters Research Center after your death, please place a statement to that effect in your will. It will come here in your name for all researchers of this period of history to use in honest study.

Members may leave anything they think will help, whether it would be an artifact of the War at Sea; perhaps some books to help our library grow; or anything at all that will help - even cash is welcome.

Sustaining Members

SUSTAINING MEMBERS are those who, through their monthly or annual pledges, help with the routine bills, such as the SHARKHUNTERS telephone bill, which usually runs in the area of $300 each month. They help SHARKHUNTERS grow and continue to tell the honest story of the U-BootWaffe and all the submarine navies of World War II. We hope YOU help.

We need YOU to join this special group. Your name in each issue will remain in the archives of many countries, because our KTB Magazine is kept in PERMANENT archival files in these countries; including the NATIONAL ARCHIVES of the UNITED STATES, the GERMAN U-BOOT MEMORIAL, BRAZILIAN NAVY ARCHIVES, the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, the ITALIAN SUBMARINE ARCHIVES, the RUSSIAN NAVY ARCHIVES and many more.

YOUR MONTHLY KTB MAGAZINE WILL COME TO YOU BY FIRST CLASS MAIL - YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR MAGAZINE A WEEK OR SO SOONER!

It is easy to join this special group - just pledge any amount you will send each month or each year, and you are immediately added to this list of outstanding Members who help us grow. Will YOU help? Thanks!

Just for comparison, when this SUSTAINING FUND was created by C. D. HESLER (832-A/LIFE-1988) in 1988, there were only 800 Members in SHARKHUNTERS.....and we thought that was a lot.

Today, just six years later, there are MORE THAN 4,000 Members! So you can see how the expenses have expanded more than FIVE FOLD. I hope we can count on YOU for this critical assistance. In advance, many thanks.

CHUCK HESLER (832-A/LIFE-1988)
A.J. TARANTINO (1496-1990)
ANTHONY GALAZ (959-1989)
BILL LUND (610-1988)
R. M. CLARE (1571-1990)
OLAF ‘BUD’ VEATH (1711-1990)
ART AYDELOTTE (787-1988)
NORMAN E. HARMS (2215-A-1992)
RICHARD FORTUNE (1960-1991)
ART JACOBSON (2154-1992)
BILL CUSTER (1764-A/LIFE-1991)

Sail on in peace with a fair wind at your back.....