WORLD ALMANAC

We have just learned that our SHARKHUNTERS KTB Magazine is listed in the WORLD ALMANAC. Some months ago, we learned that HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983) is listed in the reference books ‘WHO’S WHO IN AMERICA’ and also in ‘WHO’S WHO OF AMERICAN BUSINESS LEADERS’. As you read in the PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, the BBC considers SHARKHUNTERS to be the MOST AUTHORITATIVE and MOST RESPECTED source on the history of German U-Boats. I guess we are covering the globe fairly well.

DONATED TO THE NAVY

FINALLY! We received our shipment of the newly-released book of conning tower emblems and hat badges written by GEORG HÖGEL (240-1987). It is a magnificent book; far improved from the first printing which itself, was an outstanding work.

At the suggestion of HELEN FARRELL (1133-1989), a copy was donated by SHARKHUNTERS to the Special Collections Branch of the US Naval Library at the Washington Navy Yard. We are proud of the great relationship we have with the United States Navy, and this donation is our way to show our appreciation.

Can You Spare Eleven Million?

I think everyone knows that U-505 resides at the MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY (326-1987) in Chicago and has since it was hauled across Lake Shore Drive on Friday 2 September 1954. I remember that date very well, as it was my 15th birthday and we were stuck in traffic on Lake Shore Drive.

The MUSEUM plans to raise eleven million dollars for a total re-building project on U-505, and they plan to have the money raised within two years. This is for a three-step plan.

First: U-505 will be moved from behind the MUSEUM where she now sits to a place of prominence in front;
Second: U-505 will be completely repaired and restored;
Third: A plexiglass dome will be erected to cover U-505 and keep her out of the elements.

As you might expect - this will cost a lot of money; about eleven million dollars. The MUSEUM, through new Member TOM CHRISTOFFERSON, is going ahead full steam with plans to raise this money and as you might imagine, SHARKHUNTERS will be a major part of this effort. More information later.

Up To SHARKHUNTERS Standards

Our Russian partner OLGA ABRAMOVA (4995-1996) recently entered an equestrian event in Russia. She sent a FAX saying: “I am proud to let you know that we lived up to the standards of SHARKHUNTERS Member and received First Place award and certificate.” We are proud of OLGA’s accomplishment too. She is a good partner, a hard worker - and a perfectionist. Well done!

Our Network - WORKS!

For some time we had been trying to locate the last crewmember of one of the ‘BLACK’ U-Boats that took high-ranking people out of Europe towards the end of World War II and even afterwards. We knew what town he lived in, but could never get an address. Our S.E.I.G. Agent Vm 5786 found him! Using some influence as a retired postal employee, he got the directions from the local postmaster and went to the home of this veteran.

We had also lost GREGORY DOUGLAS (4253-1995), author of the book on Gestapo Chief Heinrich Müller but two of our Members (who will remain nameless) helped us regain contact.

U-53 Victims Found!

An expedition led by CAPTAIN ERIK TAKAKJIAN (825-1988) on 1 and 2 June 1996, found and dove three ships sunk by the German U-53. These were the first ships EVER sunk by a German U-Boat off the American coast. They were sunk south of Nantucket Island on 8 October 1916.

Two of the wrecks are presumed to be the British freighters WEST POINT and STRATHDENE, and they rest in 250 feet of water. The third ship was identified as the Dutch freighter BLOOMERSDIJK which is in shallower water.

Divers on the expedition were Paul Gracek, Hank Garvin, Brian Skerry and ERIC TAKAKJIAN. Follow up expeditions are planned for further explorations.

Tanker Just Found

The 440 foot tanker MONTEBELLO was sunk by the I.J.N. submarine I-21 under Matsumura on 24 December 1941, just weeks after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. She was carrying 75,346 barrels of crude oil, bound for Vancoucer, Canada and went down in about 900 feet of water 170 miles south of San Francisco.

A team of researchers recently found the lost tanker and with the use of a small submersible, two members of the team went down to film the wreck. They reported that the ship sits upright and is home to a myriad of sea creatures, but is covered with fishing lines and nets. Environmentalists are concerned for the marine life in the area if the crude on board should somehow escape. There is no practical way for the oil to be removed from that depth.

MONTEBELLO was owned by the Union Oil Company of California; she was built in 1921 and was steam powered. She departed Port San Luis (California) on 23 December and just a few hours later, a lookout spotted the submarine four miles off Cambria, California. They were hit by a torpedo in the Number 2 hold and began sinking. The crew abandoned ship and all were saved.

LUNG PROBLEMS?

More and more these days, we are hearing from submarine sailors who are suffering severe lung problems. They are asking if there are others in this same situation. They are wondering if those long hours of breathing the normal foul air in a submarine might have anything to do with this problem; or if the hours of breathing air that was loaded with battery acid could cause this too.

ATROCITIES?

A few months ago, we received copies of clippings and translation from YOYA KAWAMURA (1739-LIFE-1991) of an article that appeared in various Japanese newspapers. Basically, the articles quote the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto as saying that he was a young man on a beach just two days before the end of the war when he saw a ship sunk by an American submarine close to the shore. He said that every effort was made (by locals) to save the crew, but some drowned and some of the others were machine-gunned by the American submarine.

YOYA says that he finds this kind of talk from the Japanese Prime Minister at this point in time ‘pretty irresponsible’ especially when the Japanese media is on an ‘all-out campaign’ to condemn crimes committed by U.S. servicemen which in his opinion, YOYA says is detrimental to U.S. - Japanese relations.

We have checked and the only possible sinking the Prime Minister could have witnessed was the sinking of the 873 ton cargo ship KAIHO MARU which was sunk by USS TORSK under Lewellen close on the shore of Honshu. Anyone who rode TORSK at the end of the war; do you remember this sinking? Please let us know.

SUBMARINES on POSTAGE STAMPS

GREGG CARRUBBA (2732-1993) sent us a nice postage stamp from Estonia which portrays their submarine LEMBIT on it. He says that many countries make postage stamps that honor submarine sailors of that country.

GREGG is correct; many countries do issue stamps honoring their submariners - but not the US Postal Service. We had an original painting done, which we made into prints, depicting the only time that American troops set foot on the Home Islands of Japan in World War II and that was when USS BARB (SS 220) under GENE FLUCKEY (2169-1992) sent eight men ashore to blow up tracks for a troop train. The demolitions man on this mission was ‘SWISH’ SAUNDERS (3092-1993) who won two SILVER STARS in World War II.

I wrote to the Postmaster General and suggested that this painting of USS BARB offshore and the train exploding be used as a US postage stamp. He sent it to some other executive in charge of new stamp designs or something like that, and he said that they would not be using this design - and he left me with the impression that they were not going to be making any postage stamp with an American submarine on it. Makes one wonder where their hearts are up there in Washington DC, doesn’t it?

NORTH KOREAN SUBMARINE

By now, everyone knows of this news story. One question kept bothering - how did all those guys coming ashore get so shot up? It seems there was a force waiting for them; doesn’t it seem that way to you? I know the story they told in the papers; that a taxi driver saw the submarine and alerted authorities. That makes a nice story.