Happy Birthday

Sharkhunter Members

by Harry Cooper


Members celebrating their birthdays in February include: 1st RODNEY DAVIS (5318-A/LIFE-1997)
2nd JOHN TAYLOR (19-LIFE-1983) Charter Member and an invaluable research help!
6th President RONALD REAGAN (1858-LIFE-1991)
9th BOB PANAZZE (457-1988)
10th MICHAEL deCOLIGNY (3732-1994) “Mickey D” is on the job to serve and protect
10th MARTIN HIGLEY (4608-1996)
15th PAUL J. ADAMS (5520-LIFE-1998)
19th MARC COHEN (166-A/LIFE-1986) Hard-hat diver US Navy veteran – Seabees
20th LARRY KAGAN (5053-1996) Breaker of Traditions
23rd Kplt KURT BABERG (270-1987) Commander of U-618 German Cross in Gold (Photo at right)

Members celebrating their birthdays in March include:

1st PHIL BROWN (2229-2000) Survivor of the “Gilligan’s Island” Budget Tour of Germany
2nd MIKE AMMANN (424-1988) USN Retired
3rd BETH SCHIMOLER (129-A-1985)
3rd DAVID M. BICKFORD (5495-1998)
3rd JACK MYERS (5581-1998)
4th DENNIS DODD (3838-1994)
8th HANS SPYKER (759-1988) U-Bootfahrer
9th MIKE LUEKEN (58-1984)
9th STEVE TOMAN (70-1984)
9th FRANK DIETZ (1583-1990)
13th HEINZ HOCH (222-1986) U-Bootfahrer
13th Rear Admiral EVGENI ALEKSEEV (2549-1992) Main Staff, Russian Navy - Moscow
15th JOSEPH BERKEY (5123-1997) USS WASP (CV-7)
15th HERBERT MATSEN (5683-1998)
17th ANDREW BABAJKO (3506-1994) US Navy sub vet, USS DOGFISH, USS SPIKEFISH & USS THREADFIN
18th Korvettenkapitän REINHARD HARDEGEN (at right) (102-LIFE-1985), Skipper of U-147 and U-123. He sank the first ship in American waters during Operation ‘DRUMBEAT’ and so is known as ‘the Drumbeater’. Decorated with the Knights Cross with Oak Leaf and the U-Boat Combat Badge in Gold with Diamonds, he is the only original ‘DRUMBEAT’ Skipper still living.
18th Sgt. Major KEN ROUSE (1252-1989) US Army (Ret.)
18th Admiral VITALI P. IVANOV, Commandant, Russian Naval Academy (retired)
19th LARRY HAGENAH (1232-C/LIFE-1989)
19th JOE CHRIST (5515-1998)
21st GEORGE E. BROWN (3078-1993)
22nd PETER SAMOLINSKI (985-1989)
25th LEONARD PORTZLINE (1094-1989)
25th ARTHUR A. HUNTLEY (2283-1992) If anyone shows our motto of “Yesterday’s Enemies are Today’s Friends” it is ART. He was a veteran of the destroyer escort USS F. C. DAVIS that was sunk by U-546 under command of PAUL JUST (206-+-1986). U-546 was quickly sunk by other American DE’s, and the war went on. Years later, ART and JUST became friends and for many years, JUST had a trailer home on ART’s property and spent winters with the former enemy, good friends for years.
26th ARTHUR W. READ (2092-1991)
26th Cdr. NORMAN BENEDICT (3797-LIFE-1994)
30th ‘BUD’ DANA (245-A/LIFE-1987) our videographer and world expert on bunkers & tunnels built by the Germans
31st WOLDEMAR TRIEBEL (197-1986) I.W.O. on U-968

Members celebrating their birthdays in April include:

6th Captain HELMUT WITTE (4238-1995) Knight Cross holder and Skipper of U-159 (at right)
7th Major RICHARD SMITH (1213-1989) USA (Ret)
7th JAMES L. M. BERRY (2194-1992) American SubVet
8th DAVID SANDERS (309-1987)
9th CHARLIE RICH (378-1987)
15th WALTER GIBB (395-1985)
17th JOHN KAMMERER (653-LIFE-1987) USN SubVet
18th Vice Admiral VALERI GRISHANOV (2537-1992) Former Commander, Russian Baltic Sea Fleet
19th EDDIE PHILLIPS (220-A/LIFE-1987)
21st MIKE TORRESON (371-1987)
21st THOMAS FLURCHICK (2032-1991)
22nd Fleet Admiral VLADIMIR CHERNAVIN (2240-1992) Last CinC of the Soviet Navy; holder of the 32 Point Brilliant Star; Hero of the Soviet Union.
23rd Colonel WILHELM HÖHN (789-1988) USA (Ret)
26th PETE PETERSEN (1133-A-1989); he rode U-518
26th GASPAR BONGIOVANI (1886-1991)
27th Captain HERMANN HOFFMANN (1365-1990) Skipper of U-172 (at right)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY from our International Family of 6,600 Members in 70 countries – and we wish you MANY MORE!


Back to KTB # 166 Table of Contents
Back to KTB List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 2003 by Harry Cooper, Sharkhunters International, Inc.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com
Join Sharkhunters International, Inc.: PO Box 1539, Hernando, FL 34442, ph: 352-637-2917, fax: 352-637-6289, www.sharkhunters.com