10 YEARS AGO in our KTB

In KTB #26 we finished ‘JAPAN’S SECRET WAR’ by ROBERT WILCOX (25-1984) and we saw why there were so few Japanese tried for war crimes compared to Germany, and how Russia got such a head start on atomic bomb development. We announced that the official SHARKHUNTERS emblem (see it on our letterhead and on the front cover of each KTB Magazine) was the suggestion of TOM HATTON (20-1983). We asked the Members to contact their legislators to kill a bill that would make it a crime to dive on wrecks of any kind off the coast of the United States. The sponsors of the bill said that ‘it would be for our own good’. That scares the hell out of me when the government says they are doing something for my own good. JOHN LOFTUS (40-1984) was trying to find information if any U-Boats took stocks or bonds or currency out of Germany at the end of the war. Questions of this nature will be answered by the letter from DON ANGEL ALCAZAR de VELASCO (158-+-1985) and all the documents we will present afterwards. It will open eyes for sure! DON PERRYMAN (56-1984) sent us a note that a huge collection of photographs, taken by Heinrich Hoffmann, had just been discovered in an old trunk in a small town in British Columbia, Canada.

KTB #26 was only 6 pages long. Compare that with today’s computer-set KTB Magazine of 40 pages.

5 YEARS AGO in our KTB

KTB #72 was sort of a trip report on our SHARKHUNTERS historic visit to the Republic of South Africa. We found this to be a beautiful country and not at all like the American press showed it, not even the way the world press showed it. We did have one or two members quit SHARKHUNTERS because we went to South Affica, but we did not shed any tears over their departure.

We reported a message from JAK MALLMANN SHOWELL (73-1984) that said the WW I German boat UC-32 would be blown up by the British Government - they called it a hazard. I should think it would be called a war grave, and a piece of history.

We announced a SHARKHUNTERS 'COFFEE MEETING' to be held at the MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY in Chicago. PROF. MIKE GANNON (101-1985), author of Operation 'DRUMBEAT'and K.K REINHARD HARDEGEN (102-LIFE-1985), the subject of this book, would be with us for a book-signing. We anticipated attendance by perhaps 40 Members-- there were more than 250!

We had decided to put our KTB Magazine in a white envelope to protect it from the automatic machines in the post office that had caused so much damage in the past.

We advertised our 1st SHARKHUNTERS SCUBA Trip. We went in early August to the dive shop owned by TYLL SASS (526-1988) on the island of Roatan off Honduras. We did not have much of an attendance, but we had a great time!

We announced that ADM 'RED' RAMAGE (948-1989) had begun his 'ETERNAL PATROL'. He won his CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL while commanding USS PARCH.

At the time KTB #72 was published, it was 28 pages long and there were Members in 26 countries - today's improved KTB Magazine is 40 pages and there are Members in 59 countries.