15 October (Monday) We head for the Marine Ehrenmal (Navy Memorial) and the only Type VII-C boat left in the world, U-995. There we are met by her former Skipper and our dear friend HANS-GEORG HESS (125-LIFE-1985) and his wife Heilwig (a very accomplished tennis player) as well as WOLDEMAR TRIEBEL (197-LIFE-1986) former I.W.O. on U-978; and ERNST GÖTHLING (1225-LIFE-1989) from U-25. We toured U-995, beautifully maintained by the German Navy League, and then we had a special treat - a talk on the brand new 214 Class submarine (image) from one of the top engineers of HDW where these air-independent submarines are designed and built.

This is, without a doubt, the world’s most advanced, technically superior non-nuclear submarine. There will be an in-depth analysis of the 214 Class submarine in KTB #158 next month with all specs but if you have access to the Internet, it is on our website now. Our website address is www.sharkhunters.com.

This submarine runs her diesel engines underwater - way underwater - without the need for outside air. Sorry, we cannot give his name as this was a very special and highly classified lecture but we thank this engineer greatly for his time and his information.

After lunch, we were at the U-Boot-Ehrenmal (submarine Memorial) where SHARKHUNTERS sends about $1,000 each year and so far, have sent more than 14,000 German Marks. It must have come in handy, as the huge bronze eagle atop the Memorial needed to be replaced some months ago at a cost of some 1.2 million German Marks, so our 14,000 went to a worthy cause.

As we were about to begin our Memorial Service, American submarine veteran ERIC MATHEWS (4800-1996) attached two medals to our wreath (photo above). He said that it was his way of thanking the men who left his grandfather on Tahiti at the beginning of the First World War.

“In the end, we are all brothers of the sea.” is the way ERIC put it.

We had our Memorial Service with HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983) giving some words of remembrance for those who did not return, followed by WALDEMAR TRIEBEL (197-LIFE-1986) and KARL WALDECK (6167-LIFE-2000) with more words of friendship across the sea. The wreath was placed on the Honors Pillar and we entered the Honors Chamber. In this curving slash in the ground are bronze tablets with the number of each U-boat lost in the war with the Skipper’s name, whether he was lost or not, followed by the names of everyone who was lost when that U-boat went down. It is a beautiful but very sad place.

16 October (Tuesday) We were at the museum PETER TAMM (5649-LIFE-1998) and it is said that this is the world’s most impressive privately owned naval museum. We must disagree with that statement - we believe that this is the most impressive naval museum in the world of any kind, privately owned or otherwise; it is just awesome! There is room after room full of rare and one-of-a-kind naval artifacts, including the baton of Grossadmiral Karl Dönitz, also that of Grossadmiral Erich Raeder and the batons of two of the crown princes - and that is just one display. If one would spend a week, a month or a year in this museum, there would still be more to see and experience.

PETER TAMM (left) and HARRY COOPER (right) [BILL BENZICK photo]

PETER TAMM himself received us, and we presented him with a US Navy Captain’s uniform of the war years on behalf of ART AYDELOTTE (787-C/LIFE-1988). He is a fine and gracious gentleman, and we are always pleased to visit his museum.

We then went to the grave of Grossadmiral Dönitz where, as always, we placed flowers. This is a beautiful spot with his great stone crucifix and the grave surrounded by tall pine trees. At his feet are two stones, one for each of his sons who were killed in the war. One was only twenty years of age when he was killed on his U-boat - the other killed on his S-boat in the English Channel…….on his 24th birthday.

Our friend H-J von KNEBEL DOBERITZ (681-LIFE-1988) showed us the way, and he planned our lunch at a nearby restaurant. von KNEBEL has been the Aide-de-Camp of Grossadmiral Dönitz, and he was I.W.O. on U-99 under OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-+-1985). The food & service were great, and the fellowship among our SHARKHUNTERS Members was even better.

TAMM Museum

There are so many wonderful items in this fantastic museum; it is difficult to decide which to show here. However, thanks to ERIC MATHEWS (4800-1996) we have this beautiful photo of two priceless pieces of Kriegsmarine history. The item at the top is the Admiralstab (Admiral’s staff) of Grossadmiral Karl Dönitz and the one at the bottom is that of Grossadmiral Erich Raeder. As we have already stated, this is a magnificent museum.

Late afternoon, we checked into our Four-Star hotel in Bremen.

Patrol 2001 in Northern Germany

October 13 and 14
October 15 and 16
October 17, 18, and 19
October 20