You will notice our front cover photo this month is the three officers on the bridge of U-123 on their return safely to their base in France after opening of Operation 'DRUMBEAT' which was the opening of combat on the east coast of the United States.

This was a very unique submarine, but as JOE BURGES (605-A/LIFE-1988) reminded me, that's a redundant term; that ALL Submarines are in fact, quite unique. Okay, he is correct in that - but U-123 is unique among submarines.

All three Skippers won the KNIGHTS CROSS;

In total, U-123 produced five winners of the KNIGHTS CROSS including the only enlisted man in the U-BootWaffe to win this award - RUDOLF MÜHLBAUER (1792-1991)

U-123 sank the first ship in American waters

Still in commission and in operation until 1957, U-123 outlived almost ALL her sister U-Boats. Her third and final Skipper retired from the Federal German Navy with the highest rank of any WWII U-Boat veterans; Horst von Schroeter retired as a VizeAdmiral.

Given all this, we can consider U-123 a very unique submarine. Her story is covered in this issue of our KTB Magazine.

Thanks, Pen - Our New FB Magazine Editor

Remember Pen Harms, wife of NORM HARMS (2215-LIFE-1992)? She formerly type-set our KTB Magazine until we got the new, sophisticated computers and programs we received, thanks to BILL CUSTER (1764-A/LIFE-1991). We then did the layout here. Well, Pen has volunteered to help again - and this will take an additional load off my time so I can do a better job here at HQ.

Pen will be the new Editor of the FB Magazine of EAGLEHUNTERS beginning immediately with FB #5. The format will stay the same, but Pen will be the one who puts it all on paper.

Thanks much Pen, I can use the help.

LETTERS! LETTERS! LETTERS!

Do I owe you a letter? It is a safe bet that I do, as I have in excess of 600 letters to answer. When I began SHARKHUNTERS some years back, it was easy to keep up with publishing a little two-page newsletter and answering two or three letters each week. The flood of mail that pours in here now is something frightening to behold.

If I owe you a letter, I will answer it just as soon as possible, but please be patient. I have been literally working about fourteen hours per day to catch up and we are catching up, but it will take time, so please be patient. Thanks in advance.

RUSSIA! RUSSIA!

If you have not signed up for our historic trip to Russia and the Ukraine by the time this reaches you, you may possibly have just enough time to get on board and join the other 45 or so Members and their guests - if you really hurry! Otherwise, time has run out.

If you are not going with us, there will be a videotape available for our Members on our return.

GERMANY! GERMANY!

Have you signed up for our fantastic trip to Germany yet? Let me give you a little 'push' in the right direction. Some have asked me what is the absolute latest they can send in their deposit. Well, there is no deadline on the calendar - the deadline is when the 48th person sends in their reservation - and that's it! Our bus can only take 48 passengers, so when Reservation #48 arrives here, that is the deadline. Every reservation that comes in after that will be put on a stand-by roster in the possibility someone will cancel.

Get your reservation in PRONTO as we already have 14 on the books. If you are forced to cancel before 15 August, you get a full refund - but if you send your reservation after NUMBER 48, then you must go on a waiting list. Don't wait - sign up now.

SHARKHUNTERS SIGNATURE 200 SERIES COFFEE MUGS

We have had some difficulties in the past, while these mugs were being made for us by a former Member. Delivery schedules were not kept, which resulted in long delays in shipping your SIGNATURE 200 MUG to Members who ordered them. Since then, we have found a better supplier who meets delivery dates, so we will now be able to ship your historical mug right away and with no delay. We plan to offer a new image each month from now on, and will ship promptly. Thanks for your patience.

First Internet Member

When ZEL EATON (55-LIFE-1984) recruited new Member GUDMUNDUR HELGASON (3566-1994), he achieved a first of sorts, with SHARKHUNTERS. He recruited GUDMUNDUR via the INTERNET!

Thanks ZEL; and this is a great idea for other Members who are on any portion of the INFORMATION HIGHWAY. Bring some new Members aboard that way. Thanks in advance.

Computer Fund

Our COMPUTER FUND was initiated by DR. WARREN BROWN(265-A-1987)when SHARKHUNTERS needed our very first computer - and DOC BROWN made the first donation to this fund. We got our 1st computer, which helped SHARKHUNTERS begin to grow, and made things easier and faster here at HQ.

When that computer was paid off, we retired the COMPUTER FUND, but the names of all who were so kind to donate were placed on a computer file - and that old computer is still going strong. It is going strong, but it is old and technology has flown past this old IBM-PC and so it was necessary to resurrect our COMPUTER FUND to pay off the debt we incurred to buy not one, not two - but three top of the line IBM 486 computers.

We were most fortunate that our friend BILL CUSTER (1764-A/LIFE-1991), owner of a large computer store, gave us tremendous prices AND donated a lot of software. But super prices notwithstanding, we have a debt to the bank that financed these purchases and we ask your assistance to help retire that debt.

We hope that YOU will send a donation for our COMPUTER FUND. All who do so will have their names placed on a computer file and when our new COMPUTER CENTER is opened, a scroll with the names of all who helped with this vital work will be displayed in that area. Here are more of the great Members who have helped the COMPUTER FUND with their gifts:

KPLT HANS HILBIG (186-LIFE-1986), Skipper of U-1230 that placed two agents ashore in Maine;
ALFRED RICHERT (3744-1994);
MAJOR HANS ESKEN (1601-1990) Luftwaffe Navigator;
WAYNE JENEVEIN (2416-A-1992);
ART AYDELOTTE (787-1988) WW II USN combat veteran;
PAUL-HENRICK ROSCHIER (3443-1994) our first Member in the country of Finland;
GÜNTHER HOLLDORFF (207-1986) Engineering Officer trainee on U-416 toward the end of the War;
CHUCK MYLES (1068-1989);
K.K. REINHARD HARDEGEN (102-LIFE-1985)CO of U-123, winner KNIGHTS CROSS with OAK LEAF CLUSTER, only surviving Skipper of OPERATION DRUMBEAT;
FRANK TAGEN (341-1993);
H. J. von KNEBEL DOEBERITZ (681-1988), aide to Admiral Karl Dönitz, then I.W.O. on U-99 under OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-LIFE-1985);
KPLT PAUL JUST (206-1986) Skipper of U-546

Thanks to these Members, our debt dropped from $2,793.53 to $2,413.53 - a drop of $380! Thanks to ALL our Members who have helped with this critical fund over the years - and we hope YOU will help this month. Thanks in advance.

WRITERS NEEDED

In this issue and in many past issues of our KTB Magazine, you've read great stories - historically accurate stories, of the combat that took place during World War II.

These stories are interesting to research and to write, and we sincerely thank our Members who have taken the time to do an article or two for our KTB Magazine.

We will be happy to accept and publish your stories here in our KTB Magazine. All we ask is ACCURACY in your research and in your writing. Leave out any politics and propaganda; we want the facts. As you know, our KTB Magazine and all the stories published in it are preserved in the archives of many nations and of many navies. I hope you'll put your story there, too.

ATTENTION VETERANS - No matter what branch of service, no matter for what country - we need YOUR own memories of your time in WW II. No matter where you served, no matter what was your participation - we want to preserve your story for all time. Please sit in front of an audio tape recorder and tell your story- or type it out; write it in longhand; chisel it in stone; any way that is easy for you, please tell your story - don't take it with you when you depart on your ETERNAL PATROL.

Project Jennifer and Project Azorian

Anyone have any information on these two operations? LEO REMIGER (4176-1995) posed some interesting questions about the above. Who can help with information? Thanks.

Sharkhuunters in 48 Countries

When JOHN BESANTE (4233-1995) came aboard, the country of OMAN became the 48th country in which we find SHARKHUNTERS Members.