That's the headline running is many newspapers across the country now, and in most of the civilized world for that matter. Many thanks to those Members who sent clippings and stories.

Whenever something like this becomes hot news, we chuckle a bit and so it is with the I-52 story. Why? Because this 'breaking news' was broken long ago on the pages of our KTB Magazine.

Some years ago, we ran a complete story of the voyage of I-52 from the Far East to Lorient, taken from the pages of a Japanese magazine and translated by FRED CHANG (772-1988). Her code name was FOHRE (Scotch Pine) and after a stay in port at Lorient, she departed for her homeward journey.

Not long after her departure, she met U-530 under OTTO WERMUTH (1344-1990) at sea (Grid Square EG 50) where technological files and other secret items were exchanged. U-530 went one way and I-52 under LCDR Kaneo Uno went another - and sometime late that same night, a US Navy plane (TBM #20 from the carrier USS BOGUE) caught I-52 on the surface and sank her with all hands - and perhaps some treasure - lost. Our indication was that I-52 carried a large amount of silver, but now the press says that it was gold.

Thanks to former spy DAVID WHITE (42-+-1984), we have a complete file on the meeting between I-52 and U-530.

If we remember this history, U-530 surrendered in Argentina some three months AFTER the end of the war - but that will be another 'hot' story in the major media - in another few years.

All this was reported in our KTB Magazine some years ago, but now it is hot new information in the general media. Too bad these 'major' networks and newspapers don't get their information from our KTB first. Would put them years ahead in their reporting.

To all who sent clips; thanks. They've been put in the I-52 file.

I-52 and her GOLD

I-52, now in the news, was not the only I.J.N. submarine carrying gold around the oceans of the world. YOYA KAWAMURA (1739-LIFE-1991) tells us that:

I-29 brought gold to Germany in 1942; and
I-30 brought gold to occupied France in 1944.

As to I-52 and the people planning to send ROV's down deep to the ocean floor - there might be a surprise in store for them.

According to a news release sent by YOYA, the Japanese Embassy in Washington has declared that I-52 itself AND ALL IT CONTAINS is still the property of the Japanese Government.

If my own memory serves me correctly, I believe there is an International agreement that does state that all sunken warships are still the sovereign property of their country. The laws of salvage that apply to sunken merchant ships do not apply to warships; so I wonder if all the hard work of the treasure salvors will pay off for them - or for the Japanese Government. Stay tuned.