German History Destroyed

There is a major push by today's German Government to destroy anything and everything connected to World War II, no matter what or why. Perhaps they feel that right-wing radicals might use these places as shrines; perhaps there is another reason. I personally feel that the destruction of any history is just plain wrong -- and stupid!

We know the mountain home of Hitler on the Obersalzberg was blown up shortly in 1951 - 1952. It was a beautiful home, but they said it was evil. No - bricks and wood are neither good nor evil-, it was just a beautiful house. They also blew up the remains of Goring's house and Bormann's house on the Obersalzberg. The garage by Hitler's house and many of the bunkers and tunnels that criss-cross through the mountain were destroyed in 1995.

The former Platterbof Hotel was turned over to the US Military after the war and it was used for troop rest and recreation. It was given back to the German Government a couple years ago and the dynamiting of the tunnels immediately began. And now the hotel itself is scheduled for demolition.

The magnificent Berchtesgadnerhof Hotel is the place where American movie star Tyrone Power and his wife, Linda Christian, enjoyed their honeymoon. It was also the place where Field Marshall Kesselring signed the surrender of his forces in 1945. OOPS! Too bad - now this beautiful building must also be demolished. The tunnels are to be sealed off and filled in.

What stories these places could tell - what history could be learned by taking the time to study these places and learn about them. What's to be gained by destroying places of history - whether 'good' or 'bad' history? This type of idiocy goes back to the days before the Pharaohs when a conquering army would topple the statues of the defeated country or at least knock off the noses to deface the statues and humiliate the defeated country.

Isn't this a lot like the book-burning days of the early 1930's?

More Great Discoveries

BUD DANA (245-A/LIFE-1987) and STELLA DANA (2451/2A/LIFE-1987) spent quite a bit of time in Germany over the past several months and what history they uncovered is awesome!

Who knew that there was a Chancellery in Berchdesgaden? Also a tunnel system five stories underground with numerous rooms for living, offices and communications, that leads down the mountain to where Hitler would get off the train? BUD and STELLA found it all, and BUD explored it - and put it on tape. They found other places as well -- they are probably the world's most knowledgeable on the tunnels and bunkers the Germans built during the war years.

Thank God they are putting all this fascinating history on tape!

Lutz Again

As we trace the footsteps of this man, one must wonder how he can manage to do so many things that seemed so counter-productive to his own lifestyle. Let's look at his progression within the German Submariner's Association, known as the VDU.

This is an impressive organization, presided over by our friends Kapitan KURT DIGGINS (3518-1994) and more recently by FK GUNTHER HARTMANN (2230-1992), and filled with honorable members of the U-waffe, many of them also SHARKHUNTERS Members. Lutz eventually became First Vice President and then was editor of Schaltung-Kuste, the really excellent magazine of the VDU. One thing led to another and before long, many members of the VDU were getting upset at the way their magazine was being run. We don't know the specifics, but we were told that he would not accept criticism or suggestions, and had adopted a rather hard and arrogant attitude. I had known him for some years and I have seen this in him in more than one occasion.

Eventually, this led to his downfall as editor of this excellent publication. He 'resigned of his own free will' just before the special meeting of the directors of the VDU which was going to put him out as editors of the magazine anyhow, among other things.

Just a little more evidence how this guy could fall into a rose garden and just find all the thorns. More in KTB #138 next month.

NAS Richmond Museum

Thanks to Chief ANTHONY ATWOOD (5304-1997) we learn that this project is moving forward nicely. Building 25, the former HQ of the Blimp Command, will be turned into this museum. The mission of this museum and these efforts:

To restore an inspiring facility to serve as a tribute to America's veterans, to host educational and historical programs, to conserve the surrounding environment in its natural state and to link past, present and future generations of Americans together through the ideals of patriotism, honor, remembrance and public service.

A great idea, a great project and all with the highest motives. It is too bad that the current German Government cannot remember their patriotic veterans with the same honor and dignity.

Chief ATWOOD, many thanks - keep the newsletters coming.

Beach Hall

The US Naval Institute (1008-1989) has recently renovated its headquarters at Hospital Point, and is being named in honor of Capt. EDWARD L. BEACH (1163-LIFE-1989) and his father, also named E.L. Beach.

As you probably know, Captain BEACH, known as 'Ned', is a very accomplished author. His best-known book, starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster, was later made into a movie, was 'Run Silent, Run Deep!' I've known Capt. BEACH through SHARKRUNTERS for some years, and he was with us for our gathering in 1997 in Key Largo. He is a man of the highest honor and character, and it comes as no surprise that the USNI would so honor him. CONGRATULATIONS!

Salt and Steel: Reflections of a Submariner

That's the name of the newest book by Captain BEACH and we hear that it is an autobiography. It will soon be released by the US Naval Institute Press - possibly even timed to coordinate with the dedication of BEACH Hall.

We wish you all the best of luck with this book, Captain BEACH - and please don't forget to send us a copy for our library, inscribed of course.

Submarine HUNLEY

Major LOU MARI (536-1988) sent us a clipping which states that the people who are trying to save the history of this submarine of history are attempting to contact the descendants of the crewmen who were lost aboard this boat. Remember, she sank herself more than once before she attacked and sank the USS HOUSATONIC.

Victims of the first sinking, 29 August 1863, were crew members taken from other ships. Frank Doyle from the CHICORA John Kelly from the CHICORA -1 Michael Came from the CHICORA; Nicholas Davis from the CHICORA Absolm Williams from the PALMETTO STATE.

Victims of the 2nd sinking, 15 October 1863, were civilians from Mobile, Alabama and are buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston. Captain Horace L. Hunley, designer of the submarine, Thomas A. Parks, Robert Brookbank, Joseph Patterson, Charles McHugh-, John Marshall; Henry BeardCharles L. Sprague

Victims of the third sinking, 17 February 1864, were Lt. George E. Dixon, Co. A, 21st Regiment, Alabama, Corp. C. F. Carlson, Co. A, SC German Artillery, F. W Wagner's Company; Arnold Becker - once on the CHICORA; C. Simkins; James A. Wicks; F. Collins, Ridgeway, Miller, White.

All but the two men from Co. A came from the vessel INDIAN CHIEF in Charleston Harbor. This sinking came from the attack which also sank USS HOUSATONIC.

Ford - Slave Labor?

An article sent in by BUD DANA (245-A/ILIFE-1987) states that a class-action lawsuit was filed in US Federal Court on behalf of the laborers of the Ford Werke AG, a German subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company. The suit claims that Ford made 'enormous profits from the slave labor of millions of Europeans forced by the German Government in the war years, to build military transports at the German Ford plant. The suit demands that Ford turn over the profits it allegedly received from their work. The suit claims that senior Ford executives were aware of this situation, which began in 1941. Ford maintains that the plant was under control of the German Government at the time and that they lost their contract with Ford Werke AG just before the United States entered the war.

HARRY'S NOTE - We already know that General Motors, at their Adam Opal Plant in Germany, were turning our vehicles for the Wehrmacht; Standard Oil, Texaco (and others) were supplying the German and Japanese war machines with fuel - the list goes on and on. Profit was the key that wound up the war efforts of many international companies. There were no 'good guys' - there were no 'bad guys',-- only massive profits.

Watch Where You Walk

In another clipping sent by BUD DANA, we see that US Army munitions experts from the Corps of Engineers, are sweeping the North Beach off Fort Pierce, Florida looking for anti-tank mines and rockets that may have been left behind during World War 11. This area had been used for training the Underwater Demolitions Teams (UDT's) which were the forerunner of the crack US Navy SEALs. Fort Pierce was the birthplace of the US Navy UDT as well as the US Army's Special Forces. The Army stopped their efforts almost as soon as they began in the war years. It was many years later the Special Forces (Green Berets) came back to life.

Another North Korean Submarine Sunk

FRANK RACZ (1471-1990) informs us that North Korea has lost another submarine in battle action with South Korea. He tells us that South Korean naval ships fought a gun battle with a suspected North Korean submarine and sank it off the southern coast of South Korea.

It was a small boat, probably ten tons, and it was spotted just before 2400 hours as it approached the port city of Yosu, about 200 miles south of Seoul. Once detected, the tiny submarine fled southeast with a host of South Korean ships and planes in hot pursuit for nearly six hours.

The submarine was finally trapped about 60 miles off the coast and it began firing at the South Korean Navy ships.

HARRY's NOTE: Isn't that International Waters?

There was a brief gun battle with the predictable outcome - the sub was sunk. According to the South Korean Defense Ministry, the body of one of the submarine's crewman was recovered in a wetsuit.

HARRY's NOTE - While this statement may very well be true and the crewman was in a wetsuit, perhaps this was merely a propaganda story. Remember when USS ROPER sank U-85 in April 1942 off the American east coast. This was the first U-Boat to be sunk, and there was such a frenzy to finally sink a U-Boat that ROPER ran back through the 42 crewmen swimming in the water several times and dropped depth charges in their midst. Those who were not chopped to death by the propellers were killed by the depth charges. The Skipper of ROPER said that he thought there might have been another U-Boat there (*in 85 feet of water?) but the Navy later issued a statement that 28 of the 45 man crew were recovered wearing civilian clothes and carrying forged papers and thousands of dollars each in counterfeit American money. This false report only appeared one time, but it points out that the folks writing the reports can slant them any way they see fit. Always read government reports with both eyes wide open - and still be skeptical.

They also stated that North Korea uses sub to insert or recover spies and agents along the long coastline of South Korea. The South Koreans have detected many North Korean subs off their coastline over the past few years.

A Submarine in Every Garage?

According to IN DEPTH, the publication of the AUSTRALIAN SUBMARINE VETERANS (5155-1997), there have been more than 250 submersibles built worldwide since the late 1950's.

HARRY's NOTE - How many Members know that a very famous U-Boat Skipper builds such submarines? Among his many other endeavors, HERBERT WERNER (18-C-1983) owns a company that builds submersibles for non-military applications. These range from the bathyscaph TRIESTE of the US Navy to modern 48 passenger carrying tourist submarines - more than 6,000,000 people have 'taken a dive' in these tourist submarines since they were first used in 1985. Obviously there will not be a submarine in every garage, but the concept of mass-producing submersibles for use by the military, exploration and tourism is catching on greatly.

Kangaroo Express

Is the title of a book about USS GROWLER and her service out of Australia. After her historic collision with the Japanese ship during which her Skipper, Howard Gilmore, gave that very famous order 'Take Her Down' while he was still on the bridge, GROWLER was taken to Brisbane for a new bow.

She departed on 13 May 1943 with her new bow -- and two kangaroos painted on her bows and thus she became known as the Kangaroo Express. The book is written to 'keep the memory of GROWLER alive' said one of the veterans who helped get the book published.

Thanks to IN DEPTH (5155-1997) for this information.

Cavalla In Bad Shape

This was written by a fellow named Neal Stevens and sent by RICK SAVEL (3423-1994). It reads:

"I took my wife out to Galveston for Mother's Day, a nice day on the beach, enjoying the sun and safe beaches along the seawall. We drove around and decided to take a ride on the ferry. As the ferry rounded Pelican Island, we could see CAVALLA in Seawolf Park.

As we drew closer it became apparent that something was strikingly different about the old boat. On her starboard side there were huge sections of the superstructure missing. Even from the ferry I could make out the main induction and deck supports. Was this the beginning of the end? Olga and I drove around to Seawolf Park.

Tony, the attendant, informed us that repairs were beginning. The walkway was collapsing and wasn't considered safe for the public. How extensive will the repairs be? He didn't know for sure, but he surmised the sub would be closed to the public for a year or longer.

Juliet is Here

Thanks to many of our local Florida Members who gave us the 'head's up' on the Russian JULIET class submarine currently in St. Petersburg (Florida) that is open to tourists. One of the tour guides for this boat telephoned here and asked for information on SHARKHUNTERS and is planning to come aboard as a Member.

Systematisch Waffen Sammeln

Is the title of a new book written by GUNTHER HOLLDORFF (207-1985), an established authority on collecting antique firearms. The book is sort of a guidebook on the collecting of firearms of the years 1765 to 1865. When I was in his home some years ago, he showed his collection of antique pistols - it is be utiful! His is a beautiful collection. Vielen Dank for the book, GUNTHER.

Australian Upgrading

We see from the AUSTRALIAN SUBMARINE ASSOCIATION (5155-1997) that there is a program to upgrade and modernize the high frequency communications systems of the Australian Defence Force ashore; at sea in the RAN ships, and in the air with the Navy and Air Force aircraft. They are also working on their AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) initial design activity contract of the RAAF to enable them to select such a system for the defence of Australia. These and other projects are being handled by Boeing Australia Ltd. There are about 80 people working in their new Brisbane HQ with more scheduled to come on board as they expand and eventually take over all 14 floors of their new budding.

In Queensland, Boeing employs about 140 people at RAAF Amberley Air Base to upgrade their F/Rf-111 Strike Aircraft from analog to digital, which will enable them to operate well into the next century. There are another dozen workers in Osborne at the Australian Submarine Corporation working on the Combat Systems in the new COLLINS Class and HMAS STIRLING.