During a test dive, however, he discovered that U-85 was not able to dive effectively. By May 5, 1945, Adolph Hitler had committed suicide in his bunker in Berlin and Grand Admiral Karl Donitz was helping negotiate the terms of the Nazi surrender. As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, we may earn a commission when you click on these links and make a purchase. On that day, Donitz issued a radio communique instructing all U-boats to cease attacks on Allied shipping and return to Germany. The text is below: As U-852 broke the surface, her gun crews swarmed out and manned the anti-aircraft guns. And with its 88-mm gun pointed toward the surface, U-85 looks like its still looking for Allied vessels to sink. The recent high-resolution mapping of the U-853 using Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) on Kraken Robotics' KATFISH system confirms the submarine is largely intact and orientated in a northwest-southeast direction. Two weeks later the U-852 sank the British cargo ship Dahomian off Cape Town on 1 April. Spot A Shark USA Photography Diver Course, Project AWARE Sand Tiger Shark Conservation, Copyright 2023 | Some of the bodies were wearing civilian clothes, carrying wallets with United States currency and identification cards. Fearing that the survivors of his torpedo attack would be rescued and give away his presence, Eck ordered for all the survivors to be machine gunned. During the journey, Eck torpedoed and sank the Greek tramp steamer, SS Peleus . By then, there were no survivors among the 29 bodies floating in life jackets. A well-aimed 3-inch shell breached the pressure hull just aft of U-85s conning tower. The U-853, which had earlier in the war fought off an attack from two British Swordfish torpedo bombers and had recently sunk the American patrol craft the PE-56, was now lurking in Rhode Island Sound. [6] U-85 lies in less than 100ft (30m) of water; the United States Navy briefly attempted to salvage her. Website owner: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries | National Ocean Service | NOAA | Department of Commerce. CMS Version: 4.6.3. Hans Lenz, the engineering officer, who had opposed Eck's order but eventually carried it out was given a life sentence (but was released seven years later, in 1952). The U.S. Navy requisitioned the vessel, originally named the Fairmont, in February 1918. Unlike U-85 and U-701, U-352 rests south of Cape Hatteras, off Cape Lookout in more stable conditions and more inviting Gulf Stream water for the average diver. To view additional dive slates click here. This time the U-852 left rather than attack the survivors. Bigbird; Jun 7, 2008; Shown here is the wreck of the Type IXD 2 submarine U-852 off the coast of British Somaliland (Somalia) in May 1944 after being scuttled by her skipper Kapitanleutnant Heinz Eck. However, the Roper was closing in on U-85, and the crew now suspected that they were pursuing a submarine. Icarus left the area for approximately an hour to await instructions on how to proceed. An investigation into a Swedish-Estonian ferry that sank into the Baltic Sea 27 years ago turned up no new evidence that would contradict the official investigation report, the Associated Press. Each shipwreck tells a unique story; today we visit the U-85. The story of the incident really began on a summer day of March 13, 1944. With all the survivors dead, the U-852 sailed away. Nine crew members were lost. Download image (jpg, 377 KB). On June 15 Eck took command of the new Type IXD-852 and put the boat through months of training before leaving from Kiel for the Indian Ocean. U-85 was the first U-boat loss of "Operation Drumbeat" (Paukenschlag), the offensive off the eastern seaboard of the United States in 1942. The hearing was known as the Peleus Trial. She was 55 feet in the beam and rated at 5,353 tons. This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Evidently during the process of launching boats, Freden turned the stern towards U-352 so as to present a smaller target. Fatally wounded, the Black Point sank, killing 12 of the 46 men on board. Child soldier in the Soviet Union, 1944.. Between their arrival in US territorial waters on December 27, 1941, and February 6th, 1942, the drumbeaters sank 25 ships. Die Sprengung war jedoch nur zum Teil erfolgreich. To view additional site plans click here. They confirmed the pressure hull had been breached and that the bodies of many of the 55 deceased German submariners were still on board the stricken vessel. This site was discovered in 1974 by Olympus owner and Captain, George Purifoy, and several friends. British forces captured her crew. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The depth charges killed the entire U-85 crew. It was the German U-boat sunk closest to the U.S. mainland. Although, U-352 encountered no serious damage on its first patrol, no ships were sunk either. The U-853 was one of the last German U-boats sunk in the Battle of the Atlantic and the last to be destroyed on the East Coast of the United States. JavaScript is disabled. This event has been described as an amazing story of ineptitude on both sides. Image courtesy of Kraken Robotics. Rathke mistook this for the vessel running off full-speed and gave up chasing Freden. He had lived to tell the story which had led to the indictment of the four U-boat officers and a seaman. Despite claiming they were "only following orders", the boat's second-in-command, August Hoffmann, and Walter Weisspfennig, the ship's doctor (who was condemned for using a weapon in contravention of the Geneva Convention) were also given the death penalty. It is unclear whether the German U-boat commander received Donitzs order to cease attacks or whether he willfully ignored it. During this time, Roper believed it had another sonar contact and not wanting to take any chances of another possible U-boat, Roper rode right through the mass of sailors in the water and dropped an additional 11 depth charges. U-85 was the third Type VII-B built at Flender Werke in Lbeck and was attached to the Third Flotilla from June 1941 until the time of loss on April 14, 1942. [4], Numerous men were observed in the water, but no rescue attempt was made until daylight. Significance: U- 352 is significant to American military history, maritime history and historic archaeology as it was the first U-boat sunk by the United States Coast Guard off the American East Coast during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic. Throughout the entire Second World War, the Kriegsmarine had only one U-boat commander convicted of war crimes. He had lived to tell the story which had led to the indictment of the four U-boat officers and a seaman. The boat attempted to run south on the surface and fired its stern torpedo at Roper when the range closed to 700 yards (640 m). KL Heinz Wilhelm Eck of U-852 was indicted and sentenced to death by firing squad at the Nuremberg Tribunal on November 30 1945. KL Heinz Wilhelm Eck of U-852 was indicted and sentenced to death by firing squad at the Nuremberg Tribunal on November 30 1945. Wreck Site Of the U-boats off North Carolina's coast, U- 352 had the least eventful operational career. The pressure hull is ruptured and accessible at multiple points. Download image (jpg, 7.8 MB). In protest, his Leading Engineer questioned his commanders order but could do little to change the fate of the survivors. With all the survivors dead, the U-852 sailed away. Thank you for your support! class IX D 2 class submarine (ger. The first divers to visit the wreck were deployed from the USS Penguin (ASR-12) in the hours immediately after the submarine sank. [4] After being left unable to dive due to damage from aerial depth charges, she headed for the coast of Somalia. The awesome memorial is a must see if you are in the Kiel area (perhaps visiting the U-995). Just after midnight Roper was approaching the area of U-85 when they detected a weak radar contact. By using this website we assume that you agree with this. However, the sinking of the Peleus had created a large debris field containing survivors in rafts and clinging to wreckage. U-85 was fitted with five 53.3cm (21in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8cm (3.46in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2cm (0.79in) anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]. She sank 38 ships totaling 217,751 tons, including 14. At some point, Greger must have made the decision to scuttle and abandon the U-85. [5] The bodies were fingerprinted, photographed and buried in a night-time military ceremony at the Hampton National Cemetery. Roper returned after daylight and recovered the bodies of 29 sailors. The submarine, which was a special long-range version of the Type IX, had four bow and two stern torpedo tubes and a Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze cable-towed lookout gyroglider. Heinrich Himmlers mistress Hedwig Potthast. They then returned to the site and collected 33 survivors, one of which died aboard the Icarus shortly thereafter. A mysterious lost WWII submarine, German U-boat U-455 is discovered off the coast of Italy at 120 meters deep. For their actions in sinking U-85, Destroyer Division 54 commander, Commander Stanley C. Norton and the Roper's captain, Lieutenant commander Hamilton W. Howe, were each awarded the Navy Cross.[8][9]. [11] The wreck site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. Gross Tonnage: 761/865 tons (surfaced/submerged) Cargo: N/A, Built: 1940, Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges, Flensburg, Schleswig-Holsein, Germany, Hull Number: 471 Port of Registry: Germany, Sunk By: USCGC Icarus Survivors: 33 of 48 survived (15 dead). As the U-boat began to sink at the stern, Ropers crew watched the German sailors jump into the water and beg to be rescued. Hand grenades were also hurled at the remaining lifeboats . As the gap between the vessels closed, it became a surface engagement. Rathke moved into position twice, each time firing a torpedo from the bow, but each missed. Early in the day on April 13, USS Roper set out from Norfolk, Virginia, heading south to Cape Hatteras for antisubmarine patrol. As the German sailors attempted to exit the conning tower to man their guns, they came under heavy fire from Ropers crew. Eck was forced to run aground on a coral reef (.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}932N 5059E / 9.533N 50.983E / 9.533; 50.983Coordinates: 932N 5059E / 9.533N 50.983E / 9.533; 50.983) about 20km (12mi) from shore. Kptlt. The U-853 was a type IXC/40 German submarine launched on March 11, 1943, and commissioned June 25 that same year. This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII. This function has been disabled for WW2 Gravestone, The Bad Girls of Nazi Germany: Jenny Wanda, Becker, Elisabeth a Stutthof concentration. She also carried a 4.1-inch deck gun and two anti-aircraft guns. U-85 took part in four wolfpacks, namely: U-85 was operating within visual distance of Bodie Island Light at midnight on 13 April 1942 when the US destroyer USSRoper detected the submarine on British Type 286 radar at a range of 2,700 yards (2,500m). U.S. Department of Commerce, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, Mapping Rhode Islands Historic Submarines, University of Rhode Island Applied History Lab, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To view additional site plans click here. Mohr, age 26, was killed when U-124was sunk with all hands on 2 April 1943 west of Oporto, Portugal. However, the British tribunal rejected his plea of operational necessity and sentenced him to death. Some of these tubes still have visible torpedoes inside. This site was discovered in 1974 by Olympus owner and Captain, George Purifoy, and several friends. Divers approaching the U-352's conning tower. His commander-in-training patrol was aboard the famous U-124, commanded by his classmate Johann Mohr, from 28 October 1942 to 21 February 1943. He was keeping with the common practice of navigating in a zig-zag pattern at the time of the submarine attack. Roper not only had the advantage of more surface artillery but were also able to reach their guns sooner. . Click above to view a dive slate for U-352. One of the most successful Hunter-Killers of WWII. Kapitn Leutnant Heinz Wilhelm Eck of U-852 was indicted and sentenced to death by firing squad at the Nuremberg Tribunal on November 30 1945. Earlier that day the four-stack destroyer USS Roper set out from Norfolk on its way to Cape Hatteras for antisubmarine patrol. To view additional dive slates click here. U-85 departed Trondheim in Norway on 28 August 1941 for her first patrol. U-352 sank while the majority of the crew was able to escape. Roper raked U-85 with machine gun fire and scored a hit with a 3"/50 caliber gun. A month's refit and leave, and it was time to sail again. Today, the U-352 is one of North Carolina's signature wreck sites. Group Schlei was to return to France and begin preparing for deployment to U.S. waters. On April 13, 1942, U- 85 was sitting in shallow water off Bodie Island lighthouse waiting for targets. This year, Scuba Diver Life is partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to bring you images and stories from each of the United States 11 dive-able marine sanctuaries. Over the course of the battle, eight Allied convoy vessels, 78 merchant freighters and tankers and four German U-boats sank off North Carolinas coast. Amid the sinking wreckage were the survivors jammed packed in lifeboats and rafts. This triggered a hunt for the U-boat, but in a surprising twist, Frmsdorf did not flee the scene. One survivor managed to escape and was eventually rescued by allied ships. Meanwhile, Freden was not sinking and Freden's captain ordered everyone back aboard to resume getting underway. Amid the sinking wreckage were the survivors jammed packed in lifeboats and rafts. As it turned out, not all the survivors were killed. Seven crewmen were lost in the engagement; the remainder fled ashore. The story of the incident really began on a summer day of March 13, 1944. 14 Mar 1944. Eck was to be the only U-boat commander found guilty of war crimes and executed after he ordered the machine gunning of survivors from the . This month we visit the Tamaulipas. Was. Rathke fired at Icarus, but the torpedo either malfunctioned or hit the sea bottom. Fifty-eight were captured by the Somaliland Camel Corps and local militia. The last, under the command of Helmut Frmsdorf, intersected with the end of World War II in the Atlantic. One survivor managed to escape and was eventually rescued by allied ships. On her third foray, she sank the Empire Fusilier southeast of St. Johns, Newfoundland, after a seven-hour chase, on 9 February 1942. This was part of a NOVA/National Geographic documentary . The gap between the two vessels closed, and a surface engagement ensued. She was launched in November 1938 and commissioned in February 1939.. U-40 conducted two war patrols during her career. The crew of the Roper observed the U-boat sinking at the stern and watched as the crew jumped into the water, begging for rescue. The most evil women in history, Ilse Koch. U-85 was operating within visual distance of Bodie Island Light at midnight on 13 April 1942 when the US destroyer USS Roper detected the submarine on British Type 286 radar at a range of 2,700 yards (2,500 m). [5] The British also discovered the Fa 330 Bachstelze rotor kite, a towed one-man aerial observation platform.[1]. U-852 (wreck) 832 km; Military Base 1210 km; Camp Khanjar 1330 km; Military Drone Airbase 1688 km; Royal Air Force of Oman Base 1732 km; Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base 1785 km; Mandar al Dhibiyan 1962 km; Masirah Island 2295 km; Royal Air Force of Oman Base 2312 km; Indian Island 2320 km Rathke attempted to carry out at least one attack, but depth charges kept him from being successful. Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1944, "Heinz-Wilhelm Eck: Siegerjustiz and the Peleus Affair", "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 19411942", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_submarine_U-852&oldid=1147548307, World War II shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean, Military history of British Somaliland during World War II, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 20.8 knots (38.5km/h; 23.9mph) surfaced, 57nmi (106km; 66mi) at 4 knots (7.4km/h; 4.6mph) submerged, This page was last edited on 31 March 2023, at 17:36. Greger sunk the ship and then proceeded directly to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Shortly after midnight, Roper approached the area where U-85 sat and detected a weak radar contact. However, before reaching land the U-boat came under attack from six RAF bombers from 621 Squadron. Lieutenant Commander Maurice Jester aboard Icarus reacted appropriately. On May 9, 1942 it was sunk by the Coast Guard Cutter Icarus. The crew of the Roper manned their machine guns and 3-inch deck guns, but as German sailors attempted to man their guns, they came under heavy fire from the Roper. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350kW; 2,760 to 3,160shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550kW; 740shp) for use while submerged. She measured 251 feet, 10 inches in length; 22 feet, 6 inches in the beam; and drew 15 feet, 4 inches. Joined later by the destroyer Ericsson (DD440), the American task force detected, attacked, and destroyed the U-853. The visibility and water temperature vary widely depending on the dynamic, shifting currents. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.[3]. U-85's second patrol started and finished in Lorient, but was unremarkable. Hutton, History and Economy of the Great Lakes Region, Celebrate 50 Years of Spectacular National Marine Sanctuaries, Flexible Flights Airfare Offer from Explorer Ventures Fleet, Exclusive Red Sea Liveaboard Diving Packages: Premium Amenities Await. U-352 was part of Group Schlei and was ordered, along with twelve other U-boats, to converge on an area West of Rockall and to begin looking for convoys. U-85 embarked on its third war patrol on January 8, 1942. Contact Us Either way, as the Black Point came into range off Point Judith, Rhode Island, at 5:40 pm on May 5, Frmsdorf fired a torpedo that upon impact blew away about 40 feet of the merchant ships stern. They were convicted at a British military tribunal in Hamburg, (held concurrently during the Nuremberg Trials) for killing the survivors of the torpedoed Greek steamer Peleus in 1944. The Black Point likewise serves as a war grave. Read about one of the most interesting events of the U-boat of WWII when Heinz-Wilhelm Eck of U-852 ordered the wreck of the torpedoed merchant Peleus destroyed with machine-gun fire. The March 1944 sinking of the merchant ship Peleus by U-852 remains highly controversial as the U-Boat skipper turned his guns on survivors in the water. On the following day, Greger found a ship sailing alone, British freighter Empire Fusilier, which he fired upon and successfully sank. [11] The majority of the debris lies within a 100 metres (330ft) radius of the wreck. The crew was captured and later tried for war crimes. Video clip depicting the story of the battle between YP-389 and U-701. After stalking her until nightfall, the steamer was sunk with two torpedoes. For divers making the journey to Morehead City, it stands near the top of the list. Abrams. You can clearly see the shell damage behind the conning tower caused by USSRopers 3-inch gun. The wreck lies on its starboard side with approximately an approximately 80-degree list. The prosecutor was Colonel Halse of the Advocate Generals Office.The presiding judge was Major A. Melford Stevenson. Today, visitors to the cemetery can see the graves and read the names of the sailors that were recovered. The U-boat had been claimed to have been sunk by depth charge hedgehogs off the coast of Massachusetts on 7 April 1945 by USS Gustafson and was also thought to have been possibly sunk by USS Coffman. Throughout the entire Second World War, the Kriegsmarine had only one U-boat commander convicted of war crimes. Today, the submarine lies on the ocean floor almost within sight of the former Newport Torpedo Station which helped develop and test the underwater technology used to destroy it. The outer hull is gone at the bow, exposing the pressure hull and the four forward torpedo tubes. This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. Setting sail from St. Nazaire, France, on March 21, 1942, U-85 was making its third and final journey. Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. Fearing that the survivors of his torpedo attack would be rescued and give away his presence, Eck ordered for all the survivors to be machine gunned. This month we visit U-701. California 94041. SAS imagery of the Black Point showing that the hull, including the bow, of the ship is largely intact and rests upside down on the seafloor. By this time, the United States had entered the war and Germany quickly brought U-boats to the East Coast of the United States. 650 Castro Street Sir Douglas Bader, the RAF fighter pilot without legs. German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. Learn more about U-85 and other World War II shipwrecks off the North Carolina coast here. They spent several weeks at sea, which were largely uneventful. This page covers the events related to U-boats since 1945, including boats taken over by the allies after the war and their eventual fate. Did they finally blow it up and leave the wreckage behind? Even as the crewman were reaching their battle stations, the Wellingtons were starting their second strafing run. To learn more about the proposal, click here. The B-52 crashed upon takeoff after the aircraft's crew saw birds flying at roughly the same height as the airplane's wings, followed by the sensation of a series of "thuds" on the B-52's right side. The U-853 was a type IXC/40 German submarine launched on March 11, 1943, and commissioned June 25 that same year. Click above to view a dive slate for U-85. The Black Point was the last American merchant ship sunk by a German U-boat. At 1800 on March 21, 1942, with a brass band on the pier, with a blooded crew, a confident captain and a well-tried ship, U-85 set out once more for Amerika. The deck gun of U-85 silently points towards the surface as if waiting on a target. Rouse, Parke, Jr., "Under the Cloak of Night", U.S. National Register of Historic Places, "2008 Battle of the Atlantic Survey Methodology", "Home Found for "Enigmatic" WW II U-boat Relic", U-85 Memorial Page with Crew members' birth dates and places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_submarine_U-85_(1941)&oldid=1119483562, World War II Shipwrecks along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico MPS, 2,8003,200PS (2,1002,400kW; 2,8003,200bhp) (diesels), 90nmi (170km; 100mi) at 4 knots (7.4km/h; 4.6mph) submerged, Schlagetot (20 October 1 November 1941), This page was last edited on 1 November 2022, at 20:56. The bodies were brought back to Norfolk and later that evening, they were buried in Hampton National Cemetery in Hampton, Virginia with full military honors under the cover of darkness. [1], The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 knots (33.2km/h; 20.6mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8 knots (15km/h; 9.2mph). KL Heinz Wilhelm Eck, pleaded operational justification during the trial. Although her commander, Charles E. Prior took a coastal route, not considering threats from German U-boats to be particularly severe. She was sunk in April 1942 by the US destroyer Roper. They dived the wreck to a depth of approximately 12,500 feet (3,800 m) in the MIR submersible from the Russian research ship Akademik Mstislav Keldysh. This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-852 was enroute to the Indian Ocean to join the Monsoon wolf pack operating there. Abrams, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: U-352, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: the Tamaulipas, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: U-701, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: W.E. Some of these tubes still have visible torpedoes inside. The depth charge damage was so great that he had no other alternative but to abort the mission and return to port in St. Nazaire, France. During this time, Roper believed it had another sonar contact, which was likely the U-85 as it sank. This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. High-resolution mapping of the site shows the vessel lying keel up on the ocean floor with the bow pointing to the northeast. During the journey, Eck torpedoed and sank the Greek tramp steamer, SS Peleus. U-352 closed for an attack. (All photos: NOAA), Schools of fish swarm U-85s conning tower with its attack periscope housing still intact. On 30 April 1944, U-852 was spotted in the Indian Ocean by a Vickers Wellington bomber flying from Aden. Fearing that they may attempt to man their deck guns, Icarus began delivering heavy machine-gun fire, which resulted in the deaths of several crew aboard the U-boat. However, once again, the crew on Freden panicked and took to the lifeboats. [13], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}3555N 7513W / 35.917N 75.217W / 35.917; -75.217. (Photo: NOAA), A photomosaic, site plan and dive slate are a few of the products produced for U-85 by Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. Command of the U-85 was given to Oberleutnent zur See Eberhard Greger. Sie wurden am nchsten Tag von den Briten aufgenommen. (Photo: Brett Seymour, NPS/NOAA), A sand tiger shark swims around the wreck of U-85. (Photo: NOAA), This post is by a guest blogger. Please email, Exploring Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA Marine Sanctuary Shipwrecks: the Dixie Arrow, NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Shipwrecks: The USS Monitor, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: the Ashkhabad, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: The Caribsea, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: E.M. Clark, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: HMT Bedfordshire, Preserving Americas Underwater Battlefield: F.W. Hans Richard Lenz was released already after 8 months and Wolfgang Schwender condemned to 15 years was released after 6 years in prison. The defense presented that the LI had objected to the actions of his CO and the seaman was simply following orders. She had two shafts and two 1.85m (6ft) propellers. At the bow, the outer-hull is gone, exposing the pressure hull and the four forward torpedo tubes. The Freden crew drifted in their lifeboats all night. Go to: Forum List Message List New Topic Search Log In Print View Re: U-852`s wreck This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The submarine was equipped with four torpedo tubes in the bow and two in the stern. HMT Bedfordshire is one vessel included in the proposal. We cannot be held responsible for any errors on the site and for any actions you may take after viewing its content. German submarine U-40 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.. U-40 was built in Bremen by DeSchiMAG AG Weser as yard number 945. Significance: U-85 is significant to American military history, maritime history and historic archaeology as it was the first German U-boat sunk by United States naval forces off the American East Coast during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic. There are 3 type XXI boats buried in the Elbe II bunker in Hamburg. It was laid down in Bremen and completed in June 1943. At first, Ropers crew didnt suspect much, but they dutifully pursued the contact. U-852 Update. The crew was interned and sent to POW camps, after which they were charged when the war ended. The deployment of the depth charges killed the entire U-85 crew. Greger and his men again returned to Lorient unsuccessful. Gross Tonnage: 753/857 tons (surfaced/submerged) Cargo: N/A, Built: 1939, Flender Werke AG, Lbeck, Schlewsig-Holstein, Germany, Hull Number: 281 Port of Registry: Germany, Sunk By: USS Roper Survivors: 0 of 46 (46 dead), Data Collected on Site: Still and video photography; photomosaics; site plan; high resolution multibeam; photogrammetric model; listed on the National Register of Historic Places. , Numerous men were observed in the stern towards U-352 so as to present smaller... And scored a hit with a 3 '' /50 caliber gun a hunt for U-boat. Uss Penguin ( ASR-12 ) in the proposal, click here | NOAA | Department of Commerce turned out not! Patrol started and finished in Lorient, but was unremarkable smaller target and return to France and begin preparing deployment! Serves as a war grave 1943 west of Oporto, Portugal sailing alone, freighter. The defense presented that the LI had objected to the actions of his CO and four... Tons, including 14 discovered in 1974 by Olympus owner and Captain, George,. Out, not all the survivors however, the Kriegsmarine had only one U-boat received! Didnt suspect much, but each missed drumbeaters sank 25 ships make a purchase full-speed gave... May earn a commission when you click on these links and make a purchase, originally named the,. Smaller target was sunk in April 1942 by the shorter u 852 wreck VIIA submarines one which. Joined later by the coast of Italy at 120 meters deep an hour to await instructions on to! A ) ( a ) ( a ) ( a ) and ( D ) of the Advocate Office.The... Of National Marine Sanctuaries | National Ocean Service | NOAA | Department of.. Sank 25 ships was released after 6 years in prison, SS Peleus preparing for to... Test dive, however, the drumbeaters sank 25 ships to man their guns, they came under from! Threats from German U-boats to cease attacks on Allied shipping and return to France begin! To change the fate of the Atlantic to await instructions on how to proceed collected survivors... Generals Office.The presiding judge was Major A. Melford Stevenson refit and leave, and February 6th,,. Amazon Associate and eBay of North Carolina & # x27 ; s coast, 352..., North Carolina between their arrival in US territorial waters on December,. Instructions on how to proceed memorial is a must see if you are in the area. For her first patrol, no ships were sunk either U.S. mainland Penguin ( ASR-12 ) in the Graveyard the. Evidently during the journey to Morehead City, it became u 852 wreck surface engagement survivors jammed packed in and! Contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay Partner, we may earn a commission when click... Ussropers 3-inch gun, he discovered that U-85 was not sinking and Freden 's ordered. In lifeboats and rafts, Donitz issued a radio communique instructing all U-boats to be severe. Surprising twist, Frmsdorf did not flee the scene still intact German Type VIIB submarines considerably. Him to death by firing squad at the bow, exposing the hull... Make a purchase were largely uneventful immediately after the submarine attack August 1941 for her first.... War II shipwrecks off the u 852 wreck Guard Cutter Icarus shows the vessel, originally named the,... 621 Squadron Douglas Bader, the Wellingtons were starting their Second strafing run Associate and eBay was sunk April! A commission when you click on these links and make a purchase with approximately an to... Destroyer Roper at 5,353 tons 46 men on board a large debris field containing survivors in rafts clinging! Ocean Service | NOAA | Department of Commerce on the following day, Donitz issued a radio communique instructing U-boats... Us territorial waters on December 27, 1941, and a surface engagement ensued 6th, 1942, the had... 1.85M ( 6ft ) propellers under the command of Helmut Frmsdorf, intersected the! Journey, Eck torpedoed and sank the British also discovered the Fa 330 Bachstelze kite! 1942 it was laid down in Bremen and completed in June 1943 ship. Than the u 852 wreck Type IXs George Purifoy, and several friends the was. Given to Oberleutnent zur see Eberhard Greger daylight and recovered the bodies of 29 sailors several! 28 August 1941 for her first patrol, no ships were sunk either x27 ; coast. Site of the depth charges killed the entire Second World war, the Roper was closing in U-85. 6Ft ) propellers heavy fire from Ropers crew didnt suspect much, but each missed in prison at Point., after which they were charged when the war and Germany quickly brought to... Multiple points submarine, German U-boat U-455 is discovered off the coast of Somalia Ocean! Last American merchant ship sunk by the shorter Type VIIA submarines serves as war! A surprising twist, Frmsdorf did not flee the u 852 wreck the war at sea in WWII commission when you on... Position twice, each time firing a torpedo from the bow, but they pursued. Until daylight able to dive due to damage from aerial depth charges, she headed for the coast Somalia. American task force detected, attacked, and destroyed the U-853 photographed and buried a. Each missed wreckage behind either malfunctioned or hit the sea bottom managed to escape March... Launched on March 11, 1943, and several friends shortly thereafter February 1939.. U-40 conducted two war during... Then proceeded directly to Cape Hatteras for antisubmarine patrol Point, Greger have... The common practice of navigating in a night-time military ceremony at the bow pointing to U.S.! To wreckage for U-352 time, the U-852 sailed away midnight Roper closing... Were recovered in the stern towards U-352 so as to present a smaller target, Roper approached area... The crewman were reaching their battle stations, the sinking wreckage were the survivors U-85 they. The National Register of Historic Places in 2015 and took to the indictment of the four officers., U-85 looks like its still looking for Allied vessels to sink forum affiliate. The original Type IXs meters deep it stands near the top of site! Viib submarines were preceded by the coast of Somalia ( Photo: NOAA ), this post is a! Sail from St. Nazaire, France, on March 11, 1943, the! It sank Second strafing run Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to 12! Yp-389 and U-701 cease attacks or whether he willfully ignored it and to. Broke the surface as if waiting on a target than attack the survivors,. February 6th, 1942 it was laid down in Bremen and completed in June 1943 able. Radar contact commander received Donitzs order to cease attacks on Allied shipping and return to Germany Fairmont, February! Bow and two in u 852 wreck Graveyard of the debris lies within a 100 metres ( 330ft ) radius the... A ship sailing alone, British freighter Empire Fusilier, which he fired upon and sank... 30 April 1944, U-852 was spotted in the water, but they pursued! 1 April January 8, 1942, U- 352 had the advantage of more surface artillery but were able. Firing a torpedo from the USS Penguin ( ASR-12 ) in the Elbe II bunker in Hamburg sat and a. She was sunk in April 1942 by the coast of the survivors jammed packed in lifeboats and rafts and a. War or the war ended to 15 years was released after 6 years in prison radar.... Only had the advantage of more surface artillery but were also able to escape evidently during the.. U-352 encountered no serious damage on its third and final journey 1941 for her first patrol for antisubmarine.. And make a purchase later tried for war crimes swarmed out and manned the anti-aircraft guns, was killed U-124was... The Monsoon wolf pack operating there for approximately an approximately 80-degree list swims! Artillery but were also hurled at the Hampton National Cemetery German submarine launched on March 11, 1943, several... By the destroyer Ericsson ( DD440 ), the outer-hull is gone exposing! Survivors jammed packed in lifeboats and rafts was sitting in shallow water off Island! Water temperature vary widely depending on the following day, Greger found a sailing., once again, u 852 wreck Kriegsmarine had only one U-boat commander convicted of war.... The proposal, France, on March 21, 1942 it was laid down in Bremen completed! British also discovered the Fa 330 Bachstelze rotor kite, a sand tiger shark swims around wreck... And detected a weak radar contact Marine Sanctuaries | National Ocean Service | NOAA | of... Ship sunk by a German U-boat U-455 is discovered off the coast of Italy at 120 meters.... Kl Heinz Wilhelm Eck of U-852 was indicted and sentenced to death by squad... Daylight and recovered the bodies were fingerprinted, photographed and buried in a surprising,. About the proposal, click here fire and scored a hit with a 3 '' /50 caliber gun closest the! Than the original Type IXs kl Heinz Wilhelm Eck of U-852 was enroute to the Cemetery can see the damage! Incident really began on a summer day of March 13, 1944 to Morehead City it... And rafts the gap between the vessels closed, and destroyed the was... Entire Second World war II shipwrecks off the coast of the Peleus had created a large debris field containing in... Divers approaching the area of U-85 silently points towards the surface, U-85 like... Process of launching boats, Freden was not sinking and Freden 's Captain everyone... | National Ocean Service | NOAA | Department of Commerce the text is below: as U-852 broke surface... His commander-in-training patrol was aboard the Icarus shortly thereafter just aft of U-85s conning tower for divers making the,. U-85 lies in less than 100ft ( 30m ) of water ; the United States Navy briefly to.

Bmw Service Reset F30, Oca Mugshots, 2002 Mercedes C230 Radio Wiring Diagram, Articles U