Helfen Sie mir! Missing Officers????

[Strider_JD]

Thundering Typhoons!!! One of my officers is Missing.

I returned to port from my very first patrol,pressed esc, selected exit patrol and awarded kudos to my hearty crew. For the courage to serve under my command, Sub-luietenant Herbert Nethge was decorated with the IC 2nd class. Then I exited SHIII.

Ready now for Patrol 2, I used Commander to launch SHIII and loaded save "in port b4 mission 2" and inspected my crew. But wait... the salty old Scheißehaus of a sea dog, Herbert, has done a bunk! What happened? Did my my crew mistreat him or something? Was he swept overboard? Was he not pleased with his IC? His icon is missing even though SH III indicates 5/5 officers. Also the awards did not stick either.

I exited SHIII again and inspected Commander to see if he is there... and he was. I went back into SHIII and tried the save "in port after mission 1" instead. Nope, no Herbie. Then I tried the original save "in port b4 mission 1". Ahhh, there he was, looking fine and dandy.

I exited again and - oh bogit!!! My saves disappeared. Blistering blue barnicles!!! Where did my saves go now. Davy Jones Locker?

Ok, the Q's are:

1) How did all this happen?
2) Could I have gotten Herbert back? (if I didn't lose my saves)
3) How can I prevent all this from happening again?