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St. Louisan chronicles losses on WWII submarines

Serving aboard an U.S. submarine was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II, with nearly 1 in 5 crew members losing their lives.

CHICAGO - APRIL 23: A German submarine is seen outside the Museum of Science and Industry April 23, 2004 in Chicago, Illinois. The Museum of Science and Industry is lowering its U-505 German submarine to a new underground, climate-controlled exhibit hall designed to preserve the aging submarine. The U-505 is a German World War II Type-IXc Unterseeboot (submarine) that was captured in battle on the high seas by boarding parties from the USS Guadalcanal Task Group 22.3 on June 4, 1944. In 1989, the U-505 was designated a National Historic Landmark. Since 1954 over 24 million visitors have toured the U-505. The U-505 Submarine will be closed until the spring of 2005, when it will re-open in a new exhibit space. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Serving aboard an U.S. submarine was one of the most dangerous assignments in World War II, with nearly 1 in 5 crew members losing their lives.

A suburban St. Louis man is trying to ensure that those men - more than 3,600 sailors - are remembered by publishing a new book.

Paul Wittmer, a submarine veteran who turned 90 last week, spent eight years conducting research at the National Archives in St. Louis, which houses millions of military personnel records.

He compiled biographical information on every submariner lost during WWII. The effort culminated with a six-volume book he hopes to see in every state library.

Wittmer says the stories needed to be captured for history.

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