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EnglishWhat Is the Shipwreck Exploration Society Connected to Wreck Diving Magazine?
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The Shipwreck Exploration Society (SES) is a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization created by Wreck Diving Magazine to fund and carry out shipwreck exploration. You can support it by donating, and you can learn about joining its club through the "Latest News" section of wreckdivingmag.com or at Shipwreck Exploration Society.org. The magazine frames this work as a way to honor the men, women, and children who lost their lives in the tragedies it covers.
What the Society Does
Wreck Diving Magazine describes SES as an exploration-funding body rather than a publishing arm. Its stated purpose is to finance and conduct shipwreck exploration projects, with the magazine's editorial team and readership as its base of support.
The Current Project: A WWII B-17
The society's newest project, as described on the site, is to locate a B-17 bomber that crashed off the coast of Germany during World War II. The goal goes beyond finding the aircraft: the magazine states the project aims to bring home the remains of airman Charles Crawford and his pilot so they can be buried with Crawford's parents. That detail matters if you are deciding whether to donate — the appeal is framed around a specific recovery and repatriation outcome, not general research.
How to Get Involved
The site lists two concrete paths, both stated directly in its own text:
- Donate. The magazine asks readers to "help us by donating generously" toward the B-17 project. No donation amounts, processing platform, or tax-deduction instructions are given on the page, so confirm those details with the organization before giving.
- Join the club. To learn more about joining, the site directs readers to the "Latest News" section of wreckdivingmag.com or to Shipwreck Exploration Society.org.
| Action | Where the site points you | What the page states |
|---|---|---|
| Donate to the B-17 project | The magazine's own appeal | Funds go toward locating the crash site and recovering remains |
| Learn about club membership | "Latest News" on wreckdivingmag.com; Shipwreck Exploration Society.org | Details on joining the club |
Why the Magazine Created It
The connection between the publication and the society is editorial as much as organizational. Wreck Diving Magazine says it is "dedicated to the men, women and children who lost their lives in the tragedies contained within our publication and website." SES gives that dedication a operational form: instead of only documenting wrecks, the magazine's team can fund fieldwork — in this case, a search and recovery mission with a named family at the center of it.
That framing also explains the kind of projects to expect. The magazine's coverage leans toward historically significant wrecks with human stories attached — the President Coolidge, SS Pommerania, Truk Lagoon, and the "Dunkirk Schooner" among them — so society projects are likely to follow the same pattern of pairing exploration with historical or memorial purpose.
What to Keep in Mind Before Donating
The page does not state how donations are processed, whether receipts are issued, or how funds are allocated between search, recovery, and administrative costs. If those points matter to you, ask the society directly through the contact channel on its site before contributing. The 501(C)3 designation is stated by the magazine itself; U.S. donors who want a tax deduction should verify the organization's status independently rather than relying on the site's wording alone.