I guess that the first thing that will meet your eyes with this issue of the KTB is the new format. I hope this will allow me to get more information on each page, thereby getting more information to you.
So far, I have not heard back from anyone with an answer to which U-boat used a small anchor for its symbol. Think about it, let me know.
Still have not heard back from out contact at the Archives on the researchers looking into the Uranium carrying U-boat. Will update when we have something further.
I’m not sure if I mentioned, but Ernst Schmidt did explain to us (in answer to a question in earlier KTB newsletter) how several U-boats (like U-5 and U-7 for instance) were able to sink in the same location. Sue to their strict training routine, U-boats were restricted to a small area, perhaps a square mile, for their training. That explains how, if a training accident happened as sometimes did, one U-boat could sink virtually on top of another.
I think some good news is in order here – we are nearly out of the red financially. Partly by the majority of recipients of this KTB newsletter sending in their $12, and partly by weeding out of those who had no intention of sending money and who really got no benefit from this newsletter. Hopefully by the time the newsletter comes out again in October, we will be able to report that we are edging into the black ink.
During this next month, I plan to incorporate SHARKHUNTERS as a not-for-profit corporation. The only use, if you want to call them dues, will be the $12 we are paying to offset the cost of the printing and postage. There will be other benefits however, with the corporation. More on this as details become available.
One of our members, Walter Schweidert, is putting a book together on the 84th voyage of the SS QUEEN MARY when she took some 9,000 American troops down the east coast of the Americas and on to the South Pacific. If any readers of this KTB have any information that Wally could use for his research, please pass it on to us here and we’ll send it to him. Of particular interest is the rumor that Adolph Hitler had offered a quarter of a million (or some such amount) in gold to the U-boat skipper who could sink either of the QUEEN MARY or the QUEEN ELIZABETH. Do any of you former Kriegsmariners know of this? Please let us know. Also of interest would be any facts on Steidert’s U-128 and Poske’s U-504 as they cruised Florida’s coast; as well as Achille’s and U-161 who waited for the QUEEN MARY in the Caribbean.
Dave Simpson in Miami seems to be never ending stream of information and interesting things. You’ll notice on the insert sheet, the Award of the Iron Cross he sent me….look at the signature. We are also beginning to feature a column by Dave, called WHAT’S IT WORTH in which, he as a leading relics dealer, tells what various items of World War II are worth. Some might shock you.
We have also acquired, thanks to Jim Frye, a pair of binoculars that we would like identified by any of you former U-boat men. A drawing of these is on the insert page. We would appreciate any and all thoughts on these binoculars, as we would like to put them in our museum, when it opens, if they are authentic.
Dave Simpson has sent along some interesting items, including an article from the Washington Post of a while back, in which someone raises grabs on to the sensational headline:
DANGER! NAZI TORPEDOES ARE STILL DOWN THERE
I guess you can sell any story if you use the word Nazi in the title. The Washington Post is one of the more sensational papers, so why shouldn’t they grab at this. The article goes on to tell about the possible dangers of unexplained ordinance still on U-352, as she lies in the waters off Cape Hatteras. This article goes on to mention that one souvenir shop in Jacksonville, N.C. displays skulls, finger bones, clavicles, pelvises, femurs, and other bones of men who died in U-352…..what else would one expect from a paper such as the Washington Post.
We are actively pursuing the possibility of diving and salvaging the only World War I U-boat we know about, the UC-97, down in Lake Michigan. Since this boat is in the cold fresh waters of the like she should be in excellent condition. Dave Simpson had approached some people in Miami for the bucks to raise this boat and film it all. However, a snap had cropped up. First, it seems that CBS is really digging for information on this boat all of a sudden, and we think they might have designs on it. But, if they spend all their time looking for UC-97 where it was sunk, they will have a mess of mud at 300 feet of water. The U-boat maintained some neutral buoyancy and drifted for a while before settling where it now sits, a hell of a long way from where it was sunk. Also, Dave’s research has learned that the US Navy had commissioned this U-boat as a US Navy vessel when it was to induce people to invest in American bonds. So if this was commissioned as a Navy vessel, and it seems it was never decommissioned, our Navy still owns it. That’ll cause some problems. We’ll keep you advised.
We are kicking around the idea of an expedition, with metal detectors, to one or more of these former supply bases in the Caribbean. Should be in the summer of 1984 if it comes to life. Anyone have thoughts on this? Do you wish to take part? Have you any thoughts, ideas, questions, suggestions?
DID YOU KNOW (thanks to Oberleutnant Ernst Schmidt) THAT: U-boats (Type II boats), minesweepers, and torpedo boats were transported across Germany on the “Autobahn” from the North Sea and the Baltic to the Black Sea? These Type II U-boats were scuttled on September 10, 1944 off Constanza.
WHAT’S IT WORTH (thanks to Dave Simpson):
Remains of torpedo analog computer from U-352……………$50.00
Kriegsmarine officer’s dagger with hangers
And engraved blade………………………...300.00
Kriegsmarine officer’s bouillon metallic thread
Breast eagle patch…………………………..25.00
Now on to the U-boat facts.
The Type I U-boat was a seagoing boat, based on the Turkish “GUR”. These boats had a bad reputation for their inability to hold trim, and there were stories of them just deciding to dive without any effort from the crew, and it took a lot to bring them back to the surface. Other times, they would surface like a stick that had been held under water and shoot right to the surface, not always at a good time. Only two of these ill handling boats were ever built. If you saw the movie “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK” you’ll remember that the U-boat that intercepted the tramp steamer that our hero and the girl were escaping on was U-26. The only problem however, was that the U-boat that so proudly wore U-26 on its conning tower was a Type VII-C, not a Type I. But what the hell, we can get away with anything in the movies, right?
Displacement: 862/983 tons
Dimensions: 237 ½ x 20 ¼ x 14 feet
Power: Twin-shaft diesel/electric motors 2,800/1,000 BHP/SHP
Speed: 18/8 ½ knots
Fuel capacity: 96 tons
Range: 6,700/78 miles @ 12/4 knots
Torpedoes: 4 forward tubes (21 inch)
2 stern tubes (21 inch)
Guns: One 4.1 inch deck gun
One 20mm A.A. gun (planned, but not installed)
Crew: 43
We have the binoculars in good condition with the original neck strap, as well as the case in good condition. The strap on the case was replaced with a new one.
Immediately below is something I thought you mind fid of interest. It comes to us from Dave Simpson in Miami Beach. In case you don’t read German, it is the award of the Iron Cross, First Class, to me and signed by Adolph Hitler. I think it is an interesting item, don’t you?
U-24 Type II-B Built by Deutsche Werke (Kiel), launched September 24, 196. Another of the ill fated Black Sea boats, U-24 was scuttled or blown up by her own crew under command of Oberleutnant Dieter Lenzmann. She sank off the Turkish coast, off Constanza, but the Russian salvaged U-24. Her fate is unknown, but it is safe to assume that she fell to the cutting torch somewhere in the early 1960’s. Former famous commanders include: Hulman who went to U-97; Dietrich Borchert who went to U-566; Rodler vonRoithberg who went to U-71 and U-989; and Hennig who went to U-533. U-24 sank one British ship and 5 Soviet ships.
U-25 Type I-A Built by AG Weser (Bremen), launched February 14, 1936. The first of the two Type I U-boats, U-25 was featured in the October 16, 1939 LIFE Magazine, as U-25 was sinking a ship. The officers and men of U-25 didn’t make it too long after the publication was on the stands. U-25 struck a mine North of Terschelling (lat/long positions on file) and went down, killing among others, her commander – Kapitaenleutnant Heinz Beduhn. Former famous commanders include: Michel, who went to U-54 and then U-boat staff. U-25 sank 1 French ship; 3 British; 2 Norwegian; 1 Swedish; and 1 Danish ship. U-25 was sunk August 3, 1940.
U-26 Type I-A Built by AG Weser (Bremen), launched March 14, 1936. The other of the Type I U-boats, and supposedly featured in the film RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, this boat came to an end at the hands of HMS GLADIOLUS and RAAF Squadron 10. The boat went down SW of Bishops Rock (lat/long positions on file) on July 3, 1940 and the commander Kapitaenleutnant Heinz Scheringer was taken prisoner. Former famous commanders include: Hartman who went to U-37 and U-`98 (he was the first captain of U-26); and Schomburg who went to Kriegsmarine staff. U-26 sunk two British ships; 1 Dutch; 2 Greek; 1 Norwegian ship and damaged 2 British.
U-27 Type VII-A Built by AG Weser (Bremen), launched June 24, 1936. This was the first of the real Great Grey Sharks, the Type VII boats. U-27 was featured in the October 2, 1939 issue of LIFE Magazine , as U-27 was stopping the freighter WACOSTA. The men and officers of the U-boat never got to see the photos, as the boat was sunk before that issue of LIFE went to press. Her date with destiny was September 20, 1939. The captain (he was the second commander of U-27) Kapitaenleutnant Johannes Franz, was taken prisoner. Other famous commanders of U-27 include Iboeken who went on to U-178, and then became Chief of the Second U-flot at Saltzwedel. U-27 sunk 2 British ships.
U-28 Type VII-A Built by AG Weser (Bremen), launched July 14, 1936. The boat was sunk by an accident on March 17, 1944 off Neustadt while under command of Oberleutnant Dietrich Sachse. The boat was raised in the same month, but never repaired and was paid off (decommissioned) on July 4, 1944. Famous former commanders include: Kuhnke who went to U-125; Guggenberger who went on to U-81 (where he sank HMS ARK ROYA) and to U-513; Ratsch who went to U-583; Marback who went to U-291, U-953 and U-3014; Christiansen who went to U-71, U-2508 and U-2365. U-28 sank 8 British ships; 3 Dutch; 2 Greek; 1 Finnish; and 1 Norwegian ship.
U-29 Type VII-A Built by AG Weser (Bremen), launched August 22, 1936. On September 17, 1939 this boat was under Lt. Cr. Schuhardt scored the first MAJOR kill of the war when U-29 sank the aircraft carrier HMS COURAGEOUS west of the English Channel with the loss of 518 British seamen. U-29 was one of the few boats to survive the war, only to be scuttled (RAINBOW?) by her own crew under Oberleutnant Phillip Graf Ullrich von und zu Arco-Zinneberg. The boat was scuttled May 5, 1945 at Flensburg, but was raised by the Allies between 1947 and 1953 and was scrapped. Former famous commanders include Schuhardt who went on to U-boat training staff; Lassen who went to U-160; Hasenschar who went to U-628; Zorn who went to U-416, U-382 and U-650; Aust who went to U-922 and U-679. U-29 sank 9 British ships (including COURAGEOUS); 2 Greek; and 1 Panamanian ship.
Remember, the information on number of ships sunk by each U-boat, as well as “Famous former commanders” is sent to us by our UK rep, Mr. Christopher Lowe.
That’s it for this KTB newsletter, please let us know if this new size is causing any problems. Otherwise, I think it provides more info in a smaller space….less paper to be copied.