I've always heard good things about Gary Gentile and his books, though I don't know him personally.
However, I agree that it seemsed like he was being "confrontational" with his statements on this book. I was looking forward to his book but now I have second thoughts on buying it.
Like some others here, I thought the purpose of this book was a new theory of the sinking, but also seems to be used as an "attack" on the Shadow Divers book. I'm sure this book has some embelishments in it, but there are better ways to show his point of view besides the statements he made.
I think the title alone seems to almost show some disgruntlement.
Shadow Divers Exposed. The title tells me that he's trying to use an already existing New York Bestseller book name (that is also being made into a movie) in his title to get more attention. If he has an alternate theory, which I could respect, then he should have entitled it something like "
How the U-869 really sunk".
While it might not have sold as many books, I think that by these statements, that this book could have been better written that would have left him more respected.
On a completely different note, here is a statement that
John Chatterton made Feb 4, 2006 about how the doesn't believe that the USCG and Navy historians are correct in their alternative sinking statements.
(Note this was long before the book was published/released so it's not a statement that Chatterton made to contridict what Gary said in his newly released book. It was made in reference to a discussion about alternate theories on the sinking. I also didn't find any reference on his website to documents he refers to, but he might have taken them down by now)
The USCG Historian's Office and the USN Historical Center are both now claiming that the USCGC Crow and the USS Koiner sunk the U869 on Feb 11, 1945. My opinion is that this account has about as much credibility as their previous version of history, where they had the wreck sunk by USN ships off Gibraltar.
My opinion is based on one question. Where is the fuel oil? Not to mention where is the debris, and remains of the crew? The wreck is virtually blown in two and has a 20 foot opening on the port side that demolished the pressure hull, the fuel bunker, and toppled the conning tower. In 1945, the Koiner came to a complete stop over the site and put a launch in the water specifically to look for evidence. No oil, no debris (like wood decking, paneling, etc), and no human remains. They saw a slight sheen of oil and concluded they had depth charged a wreck. When they sank the U521 the oil slick was 19 miles long, this attack produced nothing?
It makes sense to me that the Crow and Koiner depth charged the already sunken U869. This accounts for the damage to the stern, that appears to have no link to the actual sinking itself.
I think history should be held to a rigorous standard. The military historians involved in this case simply are more interested in credit for their service and themselves. The divers that have taken this story on the road are looking for some notoriety by linking themselves to this now famous wreck. I know them, and I don't think much of them.
I will be posting all the relavant documents that I have in the next month or so on my website johnchatterton.com.
I am a combat veteran. I have the utmost respect for my fellow veterans. The crew of the USS Koiner and the USCGC Crow went to war and did what was asked of them. They are American heroes, regardless of what happened with the U869.
Cheers
John Chatterton
