Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Demar on August 31, 2016, 05:08:05 PM
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I'm fascinated by this stuff....
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/21/us/north-carolina-u-boat-wreck/index.html
Underwater pictures of sunk U-576
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/after-a-7-year-search-a-missing-german-u-boat-is-lost-no-longer/2016/08/31/7923a676-6c65-11e6-ba32-5a4bf5aad4fa_story.html
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One of the intriguing things happening over the past few years is that each of these discoveries is being followed by careful examination to verify the identity of the wreck. In several cases, they have found U-boats and other vessels that they thought they'd already found - often in a distant location - and they've had to go back and re-identify the original wreck. Since many of the U-boats were operating independently and seeking targets of opportunity, they often were far from the area where records said they should have been at the time of their sinking.
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A friend of mine used to do historical reconstruction of WWII battles in the pacific. They would go out and identify beached or sunken ships and try to correlate with historical battle reports from both sides. Then try and make sense of what really happened. He and the crew he worked with ended up with several documentary shorts that were bought by networks (natgeo, history, discovery).
He had a heart attack out on one of those searches.
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One of the intriguing things happening over the past few years is that each of these discoveries is being followed by careful examination to verify the identity of the wreck. In several cases, they have found U-boats and other vessels that they thought they'd already found - often in a distant location - and they've had to go back and re-identify the original wreck. Since many of the U-boats were operating independently and seeking targets of opportunity, they often were far from the area where records said they should have been at the time of their sinking.
Without seeing the U-Boat in person but knowing of the wreck (or sinking) several U-Boats have been "identified" only to have divers blunder across the sunken U-Boat off the west coast of England, a victim of a mine. On the other hand, previously unknown fates of U-Boats have been confirmed giving their families some closure.
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This is a good read about the war against the U-Boats. https://www.amazon.com/Black-May-Allies-Defeat-U-Boats/dp/1591143047
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Another one. I haven't read this one yet. https://www.amazon.com/Torpedo-Junction-U-Boat-Americas-Bluejacket/dp/1557503621/ref=pd_cp_0_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X06WY42WDMCPHG0GKD16
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Absolutely fascinating.
I've been haunted by the loss of USS Wahoo, ever since I was a kid reading O'Kanes books.
Just a couple of days ago, I went to Galveston, mostly to tour the USS Cavalla.
Been to the sub in Mobile. Had the pleasure of touring it with an older gentleman who served on a British boat in WWII. He described the sounds and smells, and pointed out the function of the various components. He was also of the view that a US fleet submarine of that era was a luxury Cadilliac compared to what the Brits were fielding.
Need to see the one in Arkansas.
The bravery of these submariners astounds me.
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Father-in-law served on some of the last of the US fleet subs in the 50's. Interesting stories. And, yes, they were like cadillacs compared to the Brit, Japanese and German boats. He was amazed the first time he got to go inside a Brit sub and look around. But, the US torpedo's were horrible. Even into the 50's they had trouble getting reliable shots. At least one sub was documented being killed by one of it's own torpedo's.
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I enjoyed Shadow Divers https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Divers-Adventure-Americans-Everything/dp/0375760989 about the discovery and identification of a U-boat off the New Jersey coast.
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The first enemy man-of-war to be taken by boarding by the USN since the War of 1812 was the U-505. That's a pretty incredible story, which anyone can look up.
The very thought of US sailors boarding a sinking U-boat, diving into the interior with no breathing apparatus, swimming by feel until they found the seacocks, and closed them, that's just unbelievable. Then rigging the electric motors as generators so that they could tow the U-boat with a US carrier, turn the propellors, charge the batteries, and start the diesels ... man.
Lannis
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We've had our own sub mystery, relating to a Japanese multi sub attack on Sydney harbour.
All but one of the subs were accounted for.
The last remaining sub, M-24, was only found in 2006.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/divers-struck-gold-when-they-found-world-war-ii-japanese-submarine-20120528-1zfg5.html (http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/divers-struck-gold-when-they-found-world-war-ii-japanese-submarine-20120528-1zfg5.html)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Sydney_Harbour (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Sydney_Harbour)
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I worked with a WW II US Navy vet who survived the German sub sinking of 2 US Navy oil tankers. :evil: He was a quiet man. :bow:
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I've read extensively about the Nazi U boats in the Atlantic before and during the early era of WW2... Even before the US officially entered the war there were subs off the coast of the US and sinking something like 100's of ships a year....The U boats keep sinking ships, the US produced more ships and material to supply Britain. In all it was thousands of ships sunk..Despite all U boat action the US losses were never more about 6 percent.. acceptable losses for WW2...Merchant seamen was an extremely dangerous job and rarely do they get credit for it...
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The bravery of these submariners astounds me.
Me, too. I can't imagine doing that. The Kid's father in law was a submariner, and he says he'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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If you want a feel of what it was like in a U-boat I suggest:
Movie - Das Boot
Book - Iron Coffin
GuzziJohn
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Did a uboat tour in Germany...and found the exact same on/off lever as my R60/2
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-505
I've been on U-505 in Chicago. Amazing stuff.
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If your a east coast guzzi/sub fan a good trip is out long island.First stop Billy Joel's shop,lots of Guzzis.Then out to the ferry at Orient point to New London Conn. Lots of sub history there.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jc4ZJv/137.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jc4ZJv)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/cC3iBF/135.jpg) (http://ibb.co/cC3iBF)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/ewDiBF/113.jpg) (http://ibb.co/ewDiBF)
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-505
I've been on U-505 in Chicago. Amazing stuff.
Ditto...way back in '66. Don't remember much. It sure was cramped.
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Or even read "The Boat" by Lothar Gunther Buchiem.
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Me, too. I can't imagine doing that. The Kid's father in law was a submariner, and he says he'd do it again in a heartbeat.
The food was supposed to be the best in the services. At least at the start of the voyage. I guess that if it's gonna be your time, might as well have belly full of good food??
Tom
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My father's eldest brother (by the same mother, but that's another story) born ca 1905 was a sailor in the merchant fleet when WWII broke out. He'd work on transport ships out of the US and was torpedoed twice. I believe at least once after leaving the Mexican Gulf heading for Europe, maybe that indicates oil transport?
Anyway one of those times it took a long time before the survivors were rescued. They had life boats but apparently ran out of of drinking water and shade was what did many of them in, going crazy and succumbing. He was a marked man.
There was hell being in those subs, and it was hell being their prey, too.
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I wish these "experts" would get their facts straight
From the Article
It’s in 721 feet of water, well below the “crush depth,” where the enormous pressure would collapse its inner hull, NOAA experts said.
From the specs
Test depth 750 feet
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I wish these "experts" would get their facts straight
From the Article
It�s in 721 feet of water, well below the �crush depth,� where the enormous pressure would collapse its inner hull, NOAA experts said.
From the specs
Test depth 750 feet
I was a machinist mate on USS 525.Diesel/electric propulsion, one of the last wwII era subs. I worked both the engine rooms and on the bridge operating the trim manifold. I do not know what the "crush depth" was but I did witness on dives as "shallow" as 300 feet, piping failures, valves failing and spewing water into the hull. Like any vessel, surface or otherwise, a leak is a problem and may prove fatal.
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Quote from Tom H:
The food was supposed to be the best in the services. At least at the start of the voyage
In the book Da Boot it is mentioned that no matter how good the food was it always tasted like diesel fuel was mixed in due to fumes.
GliderJohn
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Quote from Tom H:
In the book Da Boot it is mentioned that no matter how good the food was it always tasted like diesel fuel was mixed in due to fumes.
GliderJohn
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Sub life aint too sweet. I spent a bit of time in the Caribbean off Cuba and up to the Philly shipyard.. Your inside a long narrow steel tube, just below your floor is a huge bank of old batteries constantly being charged from the enormous Loud roaring fume leaking diesel engines linked to generators. The outside water temperature was 85 degrees and no air conditioning. The "showers" were filled with molding food supplies and never used. You "hot racked" with two other hot sweaty engine men and slept in a pool of shared filth and sweat. A continuous "tribal" warfare between engine "types" and the clean "Bridge only" , types was present. The food was "you're own your own with moldy bread and rancid cold cuts. All this on a good day! I do not miss those "good old days"!
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Sounds like what my father-in-law would talk about. He was on Sablefish, Piper and two others I don't remember. His way of teaching noobs about the boat strength (or lack thereof) was to tie a string across the boat when on the surface. Once they got down to 200/300 ft the string was sagging a LOT.
His memory was that everyone craved salads and fresh greens for a month after they got back.
The newer nuke boats are better, but, they are under water for much longer periods of time and fresh foods only last so long. Existing on canned and frozen food is not that great.
He used to think I was crazy for being in tanks. I thought he was crazy being in subs. FYI, he was 6'4 and 210lb. Never figured out how he could stand to be in those little things.
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Those WW2 German boats could go deep. I feel for those guys. I had the privilege of serving on the SSN 675 and the SSN 691 when I was a member in good standing of Uncle Sugars Canoe and drinking club. Can't help but have deep respect for those who went before me, regardless of who or when they served. Oh, the food? The cooks did the best they could with what they had and in a lot of instances they worked many mighty miracles. But it was all institutional food. Mystery meat, Horsecock, Dynamited chicken, brown battery acid for coffee, sock soup. Popcorn and bug juice for breakfast because we are tracking and don't want to break contact so we just have one small meal a day and we can stay out an extra 30 days and when we run out of TP then we start tearing into the op manuels. Our food was better than on surface ships, but hands down the best food in any service is Air Force chow. When I went in I was 5'11" and 145lbs. when I got out I was 5'10" and 150lbs. I don't know.
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I have always been fascinated by sub life. I never served, so I have no experience to add, but I have the up most respect for those who took on life in those tubes.
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A good freind of mine served in the S and T class nukes in the Royal Navy - he said Thursday was always "Steak Day" and that cheered them all up. At least they were not out on such long patrols as the boomers...so the food lasted better. Apparently the new Astute boats are "luxury" for attack subs.
Another freind (yeah I'm in Plymouth its a Navy town) served in the diesels and he said his wife made him shower in the GARAGE before he was allowed in the house due to the smell......
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I do apologize for my bad memory on the food in the subs. I just seem to remember that they had some of the better food to keep them happy in the face of danger. As in not canned poor tasting food but fresh, until they ran out of fresh. The next I thought was the surface ships, again to keep them happy.
Used to know history stuff better, must be CRS catching up with me.
Tom
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Yes , USAF chow was the best
Dusty