10 YEARS AGO in our KTB

In KTB #22, we were looking for anything on U-700. According to our information, the boat had not been built, but someone was trying to tell us that it was and that there was a history of this boat.

We learned from JOHN TAYLOR (19-LIFE-1983) that our KTB Magazines were all being kept in PERMANENT FILE in the National Archives of the United States!

KPLT JOHANN-HEINRICH FEHLER (32-+-1984) sent us photos, diagrams & information on U-234 - how she was modified to carry 560 kilos of Uranium Oxide to Japan for the Japanese Atomic Bomb; and to carry the two Me 262 jet fighters in crates along with the technological data for the Japanese to begin to make these jet fighters.

KTB #22 also carried the notice of the death of K.K. AXEL-OLAF LOEWE (39-+-1984). He was the first Skipper of U-505 and had taken the boat on two successful war patrols, sinking seven of the eight victims of this big TYPE IX-C boat.

KTB #22 was only 6 pages long and done on an old typewriter. The information contained in that entire issue of our KTB would take about one page of today’s computer-typeset KTB Magazine; and Membership dues are only about ten bucks more today than in the days of KTB #22 but there’s a tremendous gain in information.

5 YEARS AGO in our KTB

The most impressive story in KTB #68 was the reported special Christmas present for Gerhard Soppa of the crew of U-805. When that boat surrendered in the US at the end of the war, all crew were taken to P.O.W. camps. One sailor, Gerhard Soppa, forgot his wallet in the boat, which probably saved the wallet from being lost. An American submariner JIM SOULIS (1307-1989) was in charge of a detail to get U-805 squared away for inspection, and found the wallet. Since it was jammed with personal photos and letters from Soppa’s mother etc. JIM asked his Skipper if he could somehow get the wallet to Soppa in P.O.W. camp. The Skipper told him it was not possible, and told JIM to throw the wallet away.

JIM could not bring himself to just toss out all the memories of this man he had never met, so he hung on to the wallet, hoping that some day he would locate Soppa and return the wallet. He tried many times after the war, but it was not all that easy finding a former German U-Boater in the sometimes complicated records.

JIM never gave up hope, and his friend, retired US Navy pilot TOM BUTCHER (1306-1989) was helping him. Although they continued to find nothing on Soppa anywhere they turned, they still tried to locate this man 45 years after the end of the war.

Then TOM’s daughter mentioned she worked with a young man whose father had been a U-Boat officer - OBLT. OTTO GIESE (45-1984), who served on U-405 and later on U-181 put JIM and TOM in contact with us at SHARKHUNTERS.

We published an appeal in KTB #66, asking for information regarding Gerhard Soppa and we explained why.

Very quickly we received a letter from our friend ERNST GöTHLING (1225-1989) telling us that he had read our request and began a search of the U-Bootfahrer still living in Germany - and he found Gerhard Soppa living nearby to him. He phoned Soppa to let him know that his wallet was being returned after all the years.

I called JIM and he quickly sent the wallet here via Registered Mail. It was jammed with photos, letters - and one letter from Soppa’s mother telling him that his brother had been killed in action just before the end of the war.

Without delay, I got the wallet into the mail to ERNST, and he handed it over to Gerhard Soppa - just before Christmas. I am sure he could not have asked for a better Christmas Present.

MERRY CHRISTMAS Gerhard Soppa - and thanks to JIM SOULIS for never giving up; to TOM BUTCHER for all his support and help; to OTTO GIESE for putting these two US Navy men in touch with SHARKHUNTERS; to ERNST GöTHLING for digging into the records to find Soppa.

There were Members in just 24 countries at this time; today they are in 54 countries. The KTB was only 24 pages - and done on an old typewriter. Today it is 36 pages and computer set. The entire KTB #68 would take about 6 pages of today’s KTB Magazine.