The Allies came into possession of an Fa 330 in May 1944 when they captured the U-852 intact. Apparently, bombers forced U-852 to beach on the coastline during a naval battle. Rathke mistook this for the vessel running off full-speed and gave up chasing Freden. At some point, Greger must have made the decision to scuttle and abandon the U-85. The crew was interned and sent to POW camps, after which they were charged when the war ended. Although her commander, Charles E. Prior took a coastal route, not considering threats from German U-boats to be particularly severe. 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. U-352 sank while the majority of the crew was able to escape. U-85s captain must have decided to scuttle and abandon the ship. U-852 Update. However, the wreck site is likely the U-boat most frequently dived by recreational divers. U-85s attempt to shake Roper failed. Amid the sinking wreckage were the survivors jammed packed in lifeboats and rafts. German Type IXD2 submarines were considerably larger than the original Type IXs. To view other Outer Banks Maritime Heritage Trail videos, click here. [5] The British also discovered the Fa 330 Bachstelze rotor kite, a towed one-man aerial observation platform.[1]. [5] The bodies were fingerprinted, photographed and buried in a night-time military ceremony at the Hampton National Cemetery. The wreck lies on its starboard side with approximately an approximately 80-degree list. At the bow, the outer-hull is gone, exposing the pressure hull and the four forward torpedo tubes. He sent out five depth charges from the Y-gun, which damaged U-352 so badly they decided to play dead and lay still on the bottom, hoping to go unnoticed. [4] More recent investigation by sport divers has raised questions about Navy reports on the wreck.[7]. Rathke spotted Icarus, a 165-foot USCG Cutter, on antisubmarine patrol off Cape Lookout. This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. In early 1944, the Kriegsmarine dispatched U-852 on a top-secret mission to disrupt the Allies' Far East war effort by attacking sea lanes in the Indian Ocean. 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. The boat had a complement of fifty-five.[3]. Roper not only had the advantage of more surface artillery but were also able to reach their guns sooner. During this time, Roper believed it had another sonar contact, which was likely the U-85 as it sank. 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. 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 They did this while the rest of the crew remained below decks. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment . In fact, he was still in Rhode Island Sound when the U.S. frigate Moberly (PF-63) and destroyer escorts Amick (DE168) and Atherton (DE-168) commenced the hunt for the submarine 90 minutes after the Black Point sank. 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. She sank 38 ships totaling 217,751 tons, including 14. Standing atop the bridge of the U-boat, the crew of the U-852 meticulously hunted and machine gunned the survivors. Wreck Site Of the U-boats off North Carolina's coast, U- 352 had the least eventful operational career. Nachdem man erkannt hatte, dass U 852 mit Bordmitteln nicht zu reparieren war, befahl Eck, das Boot aufzugeben und zu zerstren. The U.S. Navy requisitioned the vessel, originally named the Fairmont, in February 1918. Kptlt. She measured 251 feet, 10 inches in length; 22 feet, 6 inches in the beam; and drew 15 feet, 4 inches. British forces captured her crew. Sir Douglas Bader, the RAF fighter pilot without legs. U-85 embarked on its third war patrol on January 8, 1942. The information listed on this site is to be used as a reference and is only our opinion/suggestion. On 30 November 1945, Eck, Hoffmann and Weisspfennig were executed by naval firing squad.[6]. This month well visit the Ashkhabad. U-85 departed Trondheim in Norway on 28 August 1941 for her first patrol. Another man, the sub's machinist mate, had his leg severed and died later that night aboard Icarus. On her third foray, she sank the Empire Fusilier southeast of St. Johns, Newfoundland, after a seven-hour chase, on 9 February 1942. This month we visit the U-85. At first, Ropers crew didnt suspect much, but they dutifully pursued the contact. The visibility and water temperature vary widely depending on the dynamic, shifting currents. If you have any questions please contact us. Two other officers of U-852, the 2WO and the doctor were also indicted and shot. Download image (jpg, 270 KB). On May 9, U-352 began the engagement that would end in its demise. The wreck lies on its starboard side with approximately an 80 list. 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. The drumbeat of the U-boats had grown louder through February and March. The U-852 was itself sunk on May 3 1944 by British aircraft off the coast of Somalia. CMS Version: 4.6.3. U-85 conducted four war patrols with the flotilla, and sank three ships, totalling 15,060gross register tons(GRT). One survivor managed to escape and was eventually rescued by allied ships. Short video about the wreck of the German U-boat, U-85 sunk off North Carolina during World War Two. The first divers to visit the wreck were deployed from the USS Penguin (ASR-12) in the hours immediately after the submarine sank. After completing his training in 1937 he spent five years on minesweepers, commanding one from 1939. On April 13, 1942, U- 85 was sitting in shallow water off Bodie Island lighthouse waiting for targets. 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. California 94041. Download image (jpg, 377 KB). U-852 was proceeding to the Indian Ocean to join the Monsun wolfpack when its commander committed an act that made it infamous. With orders to patrol off the coast of the United States, the U-boat reached New Jersey and, on April 10, found its first target. Rathke moved into position twice, each time firing a torpedo from the bow, but each missed. Sprague of Boston. The survivors were taken to Charleston, South Carolina, as prisoners of war. Roper then quickly left for fear of another boat in the area, but returned after daylight and recovered the bodies of 29 sailors. You can clearly see the shell damage behind the conning tower caused by USSRopers 3-inch gun. Image showing the location of the main wreckage of the Black Point relative to a smaller section of the ship's stern, approximately 1,800 feet south. It was the German U-boat sunk closest to the U.S. mainland. U-85 Type VIIB U-boat by NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary on Sketchfab. The defense presented that the LI had objected to the actions of his CO and the seaman was simply following orders. KL Heinz Wilhelm Eck, pleaded operational justification during the trial. One of the most controversial incidents of the war, she was also the first ship to be sunk in the war. The prosecutor was Colonel Halse of the Advocate Generals Office. The U-853 was a type IXC/40 German submarine launched on March 11, 1943, and commissioned June 25 that same year. From January to the end of August 1942, German U-boats attacked more than 285 vessels in North American waters. On May 5 (or possibly the early morning of May 6), all 55 submariners aboard U-853 were entombed in their . A British boarding party examined the wrecked U-boat and retrieved Eck's Kriegstagebuch ("War Diary"), which proved crucial in constructing the Allied case against him and his men. Child soldier in the Soviet Union, 1944.. Image courtesy of the U.S. History and Heritage Command. 59 Besatzungsmitglieder, darunter der Kommandant, konnten sich an den Strand retten. The defense presented that the LI had objected to the actions of his CO and the seaman was simply following orders. On that day, Donitz issued a radio communique instructing all U-boats to cease attacks on Allied shipping and return to Germany. The forward torpedo loading hatch, battery hatch, and forward personnel hatch are all clearly visible, as is the conning tower, the aft gun mount, and several of the submarines compressed air flasks. 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. Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. (Photo: Brett Seymour, NPS/NOAA), A sand tiger shark swims around the wreck of U-85. The Freden crew drifted in their lifeboats all night. Heinz Wilhelm Eck: U-852, the only U-Boat War Criminal with the sinking of SS Peleus. This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Greger's attack resulted in a devastating counterattack as the Canadian escorts HMCS Skeena and HMCS Alberni delivered a very accurate depth charge assault that Greger narrowly escaped. This very interesting page explains the controversial order of 1 May, 1943 to stay up and fight the aircraft attacking the U-boats. The outer hull is gone at the bow, exposing the pressure hull and the four forward torpedo tubes. Today, the U-352 is one of North Carolina's signature wreck sites. One survivor managed to escape and was eventually rescued by allied ships. Synthetic Aperture Sonar imagery of the German U-853, showing that the submarine is largely intact. Icarus left the area for approximately an hour to await instructions on how to proceed. Download image (jpg, 7.8 MB). 14 Mar 1944. 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. The awesome memorial is a must see if you are in the Kiel area (perhaps visiting the U-995). This month we visit the W.E. Meanwhile, Freden was not sinking and Freden's captain ordered everyone back aboard to resume getting underway. There are tidbits of useful info for us in locating the wreck, such as the sand, the ladder to climb the cliffs, the destruction of large bow and stern sections and the (hopefully exaggerated) 200m to the shore line (100m measured on google maps for . The visibility and water temperature vary greatly depending upon the dynamic, shifting currents. The German commander said he carried out the attack because there might have been communications equipment on the survivors rafts and the Laconia Order forbade him from helping the crews of sunk enemy ships. At the end of February, the vessel retuned empty handed to St. Nazaire. 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 . 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 awesome memorial is a must see if you are in the Kiel area (perhaps visiting the U-995). This year, Scuba Diver Life and NOAA are partnering to profile 12 different ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Its a truly haunting image.. As the crew of U-352 prepared to scuttle, several began emerging from the conning tower preparing to jump overboard. However, the British tribunal rejected his plea of operational necessity and sentenced him to death. However, before reaching land the U-boat came under attack from six RAF bombers from 621 Squadron. Between their arrival in US territorial waters on December 27, 1941, and February 6th, 1942, the drumbeaters sank 25 ships. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. Early in the day on April 13, USS Roper set out from Norfolk, Virginia, heading south to Cape Hatteras for antisubmarine patrol. Wolfgang Schwender, an enlisted engineer, who said he only shot at debris not survivors - until being replaced by the reluctant Lenz - received 15 years (but was paroled six years later, in 1951). 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