15 Years Ago

In KTB #25, we were still reading through ‘JAPAN’S SECRET WAR’ written by ROBERT WILCOX (25-1984), which is a very interesting book. It was released in 1984 then re-released in 1999.

The choice of our official SHARKHUNTERS emblem was about finished. We identified the fish-graph photo that had appeared in KTB #24 as the wreck of UC-97, sunk in Lake Michigan about 20 miles north of Chicago, off Wilmette.

JIM VIZIGIAN (29-1984) was the leading signalman at our sub base when the German U-boats came in after the end of the war, and he was looking for information on the special German U-boats that came in, and he specifically said that these were not U-2513 or U-3008. These boats he saw were different from the two Type XXI boats mentioned here. To this date, he is still looking for that information and would love someone to come forward with it. KTB #25 was six pages long, done on that old manual typewriter.

10 Years Ago

In KTB #64, we continued our coverage of the story by ERICH TOPP (118-LIFE-1985) as well as that of BOB MAHER (221-1986) covering the epoch battle between USS BORIE and U-405 with the loss of boats, the entire German crew and about 1/3 of the American crew. There was also more from Italian submarine Skipper WALTER AUCONI (1011-1989) on those submarines. We reported some thoughts by OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-+-1985) and PETER HANSEN (251-LIFE-1987) on Rahmlow, C.O. of U-570 who surrendered his boat and his entire crew - to a plane! KRETSCHMER said that Rahmlow was actually mentally unbalanced before he ever got command of U-570.

It was reported in KTB #64 that the Soviets were selling many of their old warships - including WHISKEY Class submarines. They went for $200,000 each!

KTB #64 was only 20 pages in length and done on an electric typewriter. This was before the computer age really got rolling.

5 Years Ago

When KTB #110 was published, there were about 4,000 Members in 47 countries - today there are 6,500 Members in 70 countries.

The story of U-DEUTSCHLAND was continued, as was the information on German secret weapons of WW II, battle damage and US submarines and the story of a meeting between WW I German and British veterans, written by KEN HENRY (1468-1990). JOE BURGES (605-A/LIFE-1988) set a new one-year recruiting record by bringing 60 new Members aboard! OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-+-1985) gave us great insight into Günther Prien. There was also more on this bunch of American destroyer veterans in San Francisco who swore that they had sunk a German U-boat off San Francisco harbor - full of gold, then they decided it was really an American submarine they sank in error. Truth was, they sank nothing! But they persist in their goofy story, even now.

Our Intelligence Page had more information on the secret hiding coves in Feuerland (Tierra del Fuego) and elsewhere, where German ships and submarines could hide from ASW ships.

We began the incredible story by DON ANGEL de VELASCO (158-1985) in which he reveals who did - and who did not, escape from the bunker (and other places) in Berlin just before the fall. At the time KTB #110 was published, we thought DON ANGEL had died earlier - but he had gone underground for whatever reason. He is alive today, in a quiet villa in Spain.