COMPUTER FUND

Our COMPUTER FUND began when Dr. WARREN BROWN (265-A-1987) convinced us SHARKHUNTERS needed to use computers to bring our group out of the Stone Age (Paper & Pen actually) and into the Computer Age. DOC even made the first donation to this fund.

We got our first computer. It was an old (by today’s standards) IBM PC XT and it helped make things go a little faster and smoother here at HQ. But we were growing bigger & faster; we needed more.

We got a new IBM 486 computer; then we grew, so we needed another - so we got a second IBM 486. When those two units were paid for, we retired this fund with the sincere thanks to all our Members who helped with their donations.

A year or so ago, it was necessary to add yet another IBM 486 and fortunately, BILL CUSTER (1764-A/LIFE-1991) owns a large computer store, so we got a superb price on this third computer - he threw in many programs and a printer. But we did go into debt again for this unit, and so the COMPUTER FUND was brought back in the hopes that our Members would help defray this expenditure through their generous help. We have also just purchased another, a fourth, computer - this a state-of-the-art PENTIUM and again, BILL CUSTER came through with a super price as well as thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of programs which he loaded - FREE!

Here are some Members who helped with their gifts to the COMPUTER FUND:

KEN FESLER (1457-A-1990) $100
GüNTHER HEINRICH (1945-1991) 100 D-Marks; he was C.O. of U-960
PAT STARK (4159-1995) $35
ADOLPH ZIESENISS (2428-1992) $70
GüNTER DIETRICH (339-L-1989) $50
GüNTHER HOLLDORFF (207-1986) $20 GüNTHER was L.I. in training on U-416
KURT BABERG (270-1987) $100 KURT was Skipper of U-618
H.J. vKNEBEL-DOBERITZ (681-’88) 100 D-Marks I.W.O. on U-99
ADOLF SCHMIDT (1790-1991) 100 D-Marks - Skipper of a FlAK-Boat
JUPP KASSEL (790-1988) $100 U-99 Radioman under KRETSCHMER
YOYA KAWAMURA (1739-LIFE-1991) $100
NORMAN FIELD (4642-1996) $10
LARRY HAGENAH (1232-C/LIFE-1989) $10

Thanks to all these Members and other before, for your help. And thanks in advance to all those who will help in the future.

Little Known Submarine Facts

76. The German supply ship which was boarded by the Royal Navy in Norwegian waters to free nearly 300 British seamen, was the ALTMARK. This raid took place in February 1940, much to the protests.

77. The first contact between the I.J.N. and the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor was at 0343 hours on December 7 when the watch officer (Ens. R. C. McCloy) of the minesweeper USS CONDOR advised Quartermaster B. C. Uttrick that he had sighted a white wave about 100 yards to port of the ship. They identified it as the wake of a submarine periscope, and they contacted the destroyer USS WARD but the submarine escaped further detection.

78. The concept of ‘KAMIKAZE’ was that of Vice Admiral Takijiro Ohnishi. At a staff meeting on 19 October, 1944 he suggested the idea of planes with 500 pound bombs should crash onto the decks of American aircraft carriers.

79. The four German Fleet Commanders in World War II were: Admiral Günther Lutjens, who was lost with BISMARCK; Admiral Hermann Boehm and Admiral Wilhelm Marschall who were both removed from command because of ‘differences’ with Berlin; Admiral Otto Schneewind.

80. 11th most successful USN submarine Skipper was Edward E. Shelby, C.O. of USS SUNFISH (SS 281). Together they sank 14 ships over 5 war patrols.

Interesting stuff, isn’t it? Now, for KTB #122 , do you know:

81. What US Navy officer was so ashamed of his name that he changed it right after World War II?
82. Where were the three US Navy aircraft carriers of the Pacific Fleet when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor?
83. How did the war start in the Philippines?
84. What was the Flagship of the US Pacific Fleet on 7 December, 1941 when the attack took place?
85. Who was the 10th most successful USN submarine C.O.?

Lockwood on US Submarine Actions

“The submarine story in the Pacific has never been told. We operated under such secrecy and anonymity that during the critical years only the barest mention was made of these men of lonely heroism, who fought the war not in the newspaper headlines, but sealed off beneath the sea, in great steel hulls that sometimes became their tombs. We lost fifty-two boats; forty-eight in enemy action; with 374 officers and 3,131 enlisted men. The Japanese claimed they sank 468 American submarines; Tokyo Rose sank one every time she went on the air.”

--Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood

ATTENTION SUB VETS

Please pay particular attention to what VADM Lockwood said about the ’lonely heroes’ of the submarine service. It was necessary to operate under a cloak of secrecy back then to preserve the fighting ability of the submarine force. It is now more than 50 years after the end of the war - it is time to get your memories of those times down on the record so all who come along in later years may know your story, your sacrifices - your contribution to the victory of the US Navy in the Pacific.

I know you have heard this before, but please put your memories down for history. Talk into a tape recorder; type it out; hand-write it on a pad of paper - but please do not take your memories with you when you depart on your ‘Eternal Patrol’. Don’t you owe it to your boat, to your shipmates and to your heritage? Thanks very much in advance.

We Need Your Help to CATCH A THIEF

I think that all who know anything about the U-BootWaffe and the war at sea, know that on 4 June, 1944 the task group headed by the aircraft carrier USS GUADALCANAL, with her destroyer escorts USS POLK, USS FLAHERTY, USS JENKS, USS CHATELAIN and USS PILLSBURY captured U-505. HELLCAT fighters from the carrier fired their machine guns into the water above the boat, so the escorts could cruise above her and drop depth charges. The boat had to surface if anyone was to have any hope of escape, so the entire crew abandoned ship. One of the last to leave the boat ‘pulled the plug’ by removing the cap from the sea-strainer, to let water rush in and sink the boat. He foolishly left the cap right near the opening, so when the US Navy guys rushed aboard, ZENON LUKOSIUS (1500-1990) found it right away and replaced it, stopping the incoming water and saving the boat.

U-505 eventually ended up in Chicago, where she is beautifully maintained at the MUSEUM of SCIENCE & INDUSTRY. One of the really important parts of this display is the actual cap of the sea strainer that ‘LUKE’ put back in place to save the boat. It is secured in its place by a locking steel cable and is there for all to see and in the historical place where it belonged.

I guess I should have used past tense when referring to the cap from the sea strainer - because some son-of-a-bi%$h stole it! Some months ago, the steel cable was cut (or otherwise opened) and the cap to the sea strainer was stolen. The Museum has made a replica, which they have in place so the visitor can see what it should have looked like; would have looked like if this low-life had not stolen this piece of history.

There are two reasons for this announcement.

The first is to ask all collectors to be on the lookout for anyone trying to sell this sea strainer cap and if approached, please contact us here at SHARKHUNTERS HQ right away so we can get the authorities onto the trail immediately;

The second reason for this announcement is to make this cap so ‘hot’ that the thief cannot sell it, making it worthless to him.

Anyone helping to find this artifact may be assured of complete privacy and secrecy. Their name will not get out of here, unless you request it be given out. We want the cap returned to the Museum; and we want the thief to pay for the crime. Anyone with knowledge of this, please let us know. Thanks in advance.

FLUCKEY Hall

On 10 July this year, there will be a dedication to mark the opening of the new SubGru 7 building at Yokosuka, Japan and it will be dedicated to the most highly decorated American submariner ever in history - RADM EUGENE FLUCKEY (2169-C-1992). He was the most successful (tonnage) US Navy submarine Skipper in history; won the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL of HONOR, four NAVY CROSSES and a whole mess of other medals.

RADM FLUCKEY was here at our HQ, and I think it is safe to say that he is one of the finest men I have ever had the privilege of meeting. During the war, he was an absolute tiger and gave the I.J.N. total hell - but that is what you do in a war. As a person, he is a decent, unassuming man of quiet dignity.

He was probably the greatest American submarine Skipper in the history of the SILENT SERVICE, he is a very patriotic American, and he is a fine man. The US Navy chose well when they decided to name this HQ building for RADM FLUCKEY.

They Call Him MR. JONES

2 July, 1996 was the day that CDR. STEVE JONES (2183-1992) USN became MR. STEVE JONES. After twenty years of dedicated service to the US Navy, STEVE retired. In his words, “There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must grow up and stop playing with toys.”

The ‘toys’ he referred to are the boomer boats of the United States Navy. It was an outstanding ceremony, full of the proper pageantry and ceremony that befits the US Navy. Even STEVE’s daughters took an active part in the retirement - his oldest daughter Sarah sang the NATIONAL ANTHEM with LCDR Glover; his youngest daughter Emily sang ‘AMAZING GRACE’ and his middle daughter Rebecca told the story of the tradition of the Bos’n pipe. STEVE was indeed, a proud father.

After all the speeches, awards, commendations etc. it was STEVE’s turn to speak. Those who know him, know that STEVE is an outgoing guy with a quick wit and a great sense of humor. All these showed in his remarks - until he got to the part where he was going to say goodbye to the US Navy. It was an emotional time for STEVE and without question, it was the hardest day of his twenty years in the US Navy.

STEVE is a great guy, and he departed the US Navy with great dignity and class. Best of luck from our 5,000 Members of SHARKHUNTERS in 59 countries.

SHARKHUNTERS Members in attendance included:

CDR STEVEN JONES (2183-1992) Well, it stands to reason STEVE had to be there. After all, it was his retirement.
RADM CHARLES BEERS (4290-1995) It is his base and his Sub Group, and he was the one throwing the party.
HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1993) Pres., SHARKHUNTERS
BILL BALL (1891-LIFE-1991) US Navy veteran
GUDMUNDUR HELGASSON (3566-1994) came from Iceland
MAJOR CINDY WINGFIELD (4694-1996) US Army Reserve
Hannes Thorsteinson, also from Iceland