This document from NARA RG 313, E 275, COMSUBLANT Blue Flag Files, 370/41/12/5-6, Box 14 was made available by Derek Waller
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Typed by . . . . . . . . . . | ||
SUBMARINES, ATLANTIC FLEET | ||
9 May 1945. | ||
CONFIDENTIAL | ||
| MEMORANDUM TO: Operations Officer, | ||
| Commander Eastern Sea Frontier (Captain Stapler). | ||
| Subject: Divers' Examination of U-Boat. | ||
| 1. The following information was obtained by divers' examination of U-Boat sunk about 0200 Q, 6 May 1945: | ||
| (a) Position - Lat. 41-13-32, approx. 7.3 miles from bearing 90 1/2 | ||
| Long. 71-14-56 from Sandy Pt. Block Is. | ||
| Depth 120' = sticky mud bottom. | ||
| (b) Forward torp. room hatch; deck hatch forward; conning tower hatch; hatch aft open. | ||
| (c) Vessel came to rest on even keel; heading S.E. | ||
| (d) Very little oil on surface upon arrival of PENGUIN at 1520 Q 6 May. Slight air bubbles rising until am, 7 May. | ||
| (e) Damage concentrated forward of coning tower. Deck and pressure hull torn. | ||
| (f) Bridge essentially intact. Stepped type - (1) 37 mm and (2) 20 mm twins mounted on gun platform. | ||
| (g) Two periscopes in same casting. Search receiver in place between periscopes. | ||
| (h) Open bridge. | ||
| (i) 740 ton class. | ||
| (j) Body of H. Hoffmann U02817/41S received from conning tower was wearing lung. No pertinent information on body. Wrist watch wasstopped at 5:50. | ||
| (k) Boat was considered to be completely flooded. | ||
| (l) Salvage of vessel would be a major and prolonged operation. | ||
| (m) More bodies in conning tower on deck. | ||
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Prepared by . . . . . . . . . | ||
Typed by . . . . . . . . . . | ||
SUBMARINES, ATLANTIC FLEET | ||
9 May 1945. | ||
CONFIDENTIAL | ||
| MEMORANDUM TO: Operations Officer, | ||
| Commander Eastern Sea Frontier (Captain Stapler). | ||
| Subject: Divers' Examination of U-Boat. | ||
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | ||
| 2. Reports of Divers: | ||
| (a) First Diver | ||
| Grapnel hooked to piece of deck plating that is blown up from submarine. Hatch near torn plating is open and gasket is gone. Secured descending line to hatch at 1859. Diver now loosening grapnel line but its too badly fouled so no progress was made. Found tube similar to torpedo tube covered with galvanized metal. Found antenna line and followed it to conning tower. Found second hatch on way to coning tower. Hatch open. Found German flare gun and brought to surface. Conning tower has open bridge. | ||
| (b) Second Diver | ||
| Landed on submarine and started to conning tower. Found and read name plate on deck. Plate reads as follows: "DRUCKW WANIER TRIEBOLOTO BLA". Diver found hatch plate reading as follows: "4VORN". Found what appears to be German life preservers alongside conn. tower and brought one (1) to surface. There are yellow sacks floating around and in conn. tower that are evidently stowage sacks for life preservers. Light blew out so brought diver to surface. | ||
| (c) Third Diver | ||
| Found grapnel line that was replaced on very bow of ship. Diver was pulled from submarine by ground swells and brought to surface. | ||
| (d) Fourth Diver | ||
| Landed on bow of submarine and tried to find suitable place to put a second descending line. Unable to get line to diver because of bight in line. Line ran out and diver came to surface. | ||
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Prepared by . . . . . . . . . | ||
Typed by . . . . . . . . . . | ||
SUBMARINES, ATLANTIC FLEET | ||
9 May 1945. | ||
CONFIDENTIAL | ||
| MEMORANDUM TO: Operations Officer, | ||
| Commander Eastern Sea Frontier (Captain Stapler). | ||
| Subject: Divers' Examination of U-Boat. | ||
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| (e) Fifth Diver | ||
| Landed on bow and started aft and found what appears to be a hatch without a handwheel. Found torpedo loading hatch. There are steps leading down to hatch and hatch is round and appears to be extra large. Diver reports from appearance of metal the submarine appears to be new. Diver found tracks running for and aft for either mines, torpedoes or robot bombs. Deck appears to be about six (6) feetwide near rails. Diver found deck plate that reads as follows: | ||
| DRUCKW WAHLER | ||
| UPRUFANSTH BAUCHB | ||
| 68-B | ||
| Found decking badly splintered aft of rails. Ship appears to be very badly damaged all over. Pressure hull appears to be ruptured and blown up against deck plating. | ||
| Respectfully, | ||
| J.C. DEMPSEY, | ||
| Commander,US Navy, | ||
| Operations Officer, | ||
| Staff, Commander Submarines, Atlantic Flt. | ||
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