15 Years Ago

KTB #24 was almost entirely devoted to the possible designs for our SHARKHUNTERS Emblem. We selected the one shown on page 1 of each issue of our KTB Magazine, our letterhead and all other papers relating to SHARKHUNTERS. Thanks to GREG SCOTT (2102-1991) attorney, SHARKHUNTERS owns the copyright to this emblem worldwide.

We received a copy of the book ‘JAPAN’S SECRET WAR’ by ROBERT WILCOX (25-1984) which told of many of the German U-boats trying to reach Japan with uranium in their cargoes. He mentioned SHARKHUNTERS in his credits as well as JOHN TAYLOR (19-1983) and JIM VIZIGIAN (29-1984). This is a very interesting book and opens a lot of previously closed files. It has recently been re-released. We suggest you read it.

KTB #24 was still only 6 pages long and the dues were still $25. Now our KTB is 40 (sometimes 44) pages and the dues are just $50 per year. The value keeps getting better and better.

10 Years Ago

In KTB #63 we continued the memories of ERICH TOPP (118-LIFE-1985) and in this series, he remembered the reports that his ‘Red Devil Boot’ had been destroyed by the RCN corvette HMCS SACKVILLE and how distraught his family was - until U-552 docked some weeks later. We reported details of the new (at that time) 25,000 ton Soviet submarine, the TYPHOON Class. After the end of the Cold War we naturally learned that these submarines really displaced more like 48,000 tons.

We also read the memories of Italian submarine Skipper WALTER AUCONI (1011-1989) as well as the on-going series ‘U-boat Victories Against Aircraft’. The story of the world’s first commercial submarine, U-DEUTSCHLAND was being told.

Our SHARKHUNTERS were preparing for our ‘Operation SUB-AFRIKA’ which was our tour to South Africa. We actually rode a diesel boat on patrol, flew in an ASW patrol plane and also on board a huge troop-carrying helicopter on that ‘Patrol’.

We also had to laugh over the idiotic plan of (then) Miami Beach Mayor Abe Resnick to sink what he called ‘Hitler’s Yacht’ at the spot where the US Coast Guard turned the steamer SS St. LOUIS back and would not allow her to dock and discharge her passengers. Hitler had no yacht, but this was one of the sailing yachts built for the 1936 Olympics - and there was only a rotting deck and some ribs, and that’s all that was left…..but Abe had it sunk anyhow despite a lot of negative publicity. The problem was, it was sunk on a living coral reef! That got all sorts of Government agencies involved and eventually, Abe had to have the wreckage lifted and sunk in another spot further offshore - costing the tax payers of Miami Beach a ton of money.

KTB #63 was only 20 pages long and done on a typewriter.

5 Years Ago

In KTB #109 the story of U-DEUTSCHLAND continued and there were features on German Secret Weapons of WW II; U-Boat refueling; the US Navy submarines, the I.J.N. submarines and the Royal Navy submarines.

And we were looking for information on the ‘Black’ ships named OURANG MEDAN, TRITON and URUGUAY. There ships were departing the archipelago some 30 kilometers from Vigo and making the run to Argentina & Chile after the end of the War - two years after the end of the war. We know what (who) was the cargo they carried, and we wanted more information on these ships.

There was more from Dr. JUDE STACKPOLE (1334-+-1990) on his theory that a German traitor gave the Triton submarine code to the British. He had proved that the Brits did not break this code but they had it and therefore, someone in the German military either gave it or sold it to the Allies. He felt that is very possibly was Admiral Canaris, who was so anti-Hitler and anti-Nazi that he might do anything to bring Hitler and the Nazis down. He was never able to finalize his research because, one bright and sunny Saturday as he was riding his motorcycle, a car hit and killed him on the highway. His son, an attorney, thought all his father’s papers and work were ‘junk’ and he threw it all in the trash.

There were still efforts to save USS CABOT from the scrapyard.

KTB #109 was 36 pages long and growing in size and scope.