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7th patrol
7th patrol
U-5 10 June 40 2019 hrs. Hansen was promoted to Chief Seaman. Carlewitz made rate of damage controlman. Ahead slow. Carlewitz plots a course to our patrol area, AN 67. Shallow water, heavy traffic. He examines the sea chart to locate a suitable area. He spots a deep channel in our patrol area, about 9 Km wide and 60 Km in length. Good. I climb to the bridge, light a cigar and keep a close eye on the water dead ahead of us. "1 x TC, if you please, Chief", I say. "I want to watch ahead of us for mines", I say. I'm not certain if it was a mine that got that torpedo boat on our last patrol. Best to be ready at the rudder controls if a porcupine appears. 13 JUNE 40 2240 hrs. AN 68 We surface in a storm. Medium sea. Bad flying weather. Good. Ahead slow. 14 JUNE 40 0902 hrs. AN 67 We reach our patrol area. Using the pointer, I begin to mark positions, sounding, with a note for each depth. Mark # 1 - 39 meters Mark # 2 - 44 meters Mark # 3 - 54 meters 1825 hrs. Dive. Make your depth 30 meters. Speed 1 knot. 2235 hrs. We're running on the surface, ahead slow. The storm continues. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
7th patrol
7th patrol
U-5 14 JUNE 40 2338 hrs. We're running on the surface. I climb to the bridge. Heavy sea. Rain. At times, the tower is underwater for four seconds. Tough to keep a cigar lit in these conditions. 15 JUNE 40 1135 hrs. Foul weather gear drys by the electric heaters. Carlewitz reads a book at the chart table. Totenhagen sleeps in his rack. Six men sleep in the bow compartment. Seven men, including Totenhagen, sleep in the stern quarters. Creutz, in the radio room, listens to a soccer game back home. 1811 hrs. Sound contact. Warship. 217 degrees. Long range. closing. Steer 270 degrees. Maintain speed 1 knot. Give her the narrow silhouette. 1828 hrs. Sound contact at 360 degrees. Rudder amidships. Zink, in the sound room, can no longer hear the contact. I put the headphones on. I can hear her at 360 degrees. Using the rudder controls, I keep the sound bearing within 10 degrees from 360 degrees. 1909 hrs. I can no longer hear the sound contact. Return to plotted course. 0200 hrs. Surfaced, I climb to the bridge. Heavy sea. Overcast. Thunder. Lightning. No rain. I light a cigar. 16 JUNE 40 0748 hrs. Dive. Make your depth 30 meters. Speed 1 knot. NOON AN 67 75% diesel remains. 1213 hrs. We test our endurance. Dive. Make your depth 30 meters. Speed 1 knot. Men off-duty wear CO2 cartridges. 17 JUNE 40 0248 hrs. 50% O2 remains 0812 hrs. 30% O2 remains. Periscope depth. 0817 hrs. Surfaced. Twenty hours submerged. 18 JUNE 40 0300 hrs. Periscope depth. Sky scope up. A look around. Cloudy. Surface. Ahead slow. I climb to the bridge. Medium sea. Thunder. Lightning. No rain. I light a cigar. 0330 hrs. I climb back down to the control room, go to my locker above my rack. There, I find my album of "The Grand Canyon Suite" composed by Ferde Grofe in 1931. I give the record to Cruetz, in the radio room, with instructions to play the selection titled, "cloudburst". Seems appropriate considering the weather. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
7th patrol
7th patrol
18 JUNE 40 Noon AN 67 Clear sky's. Calm sea. 19 JUNE 40 0203 hrs. Sound contact. Bearing 350 degrees. Medium turns. Merchant. Steer North. Maintain depth of 18 meters. Speed 1 knot. O2 95% 'I x TC, if you please Chief", I order. 0203 hrs. Sound increases in volume. Good. 220 hrs. Steer 10 degrees. Speed slow. We steer to a T. 0225 hrs. Slow to 1 knot so I can listen in the sound room. I experiment, using a pair of rifle range ear muffs over the headset to see if I can hear better that way. Much improvement! She's at 330 degrees. Battle stations. Set 3 steam eels to contact pistols, fast speed. Steer 4 degrees. 0235 hrs, Steer North. 0236 hrs. Speed 1 knot. 0239 hrs. She's at 336 degrees via sound contact. 0251 hrs. Steer 45 degrees. She's at 286 degrees. 0256 hrs. All stop. Rudder amidships. 0257 hrs. Scope up. I spot her smoke at 290 degrees. Down scope. I estimate she's 3 1/2 Km away, right on course, SSE. 0309 hrs. Scope up. She's at 310 degrees. Range 2200 meters away. Speed 8 knots. A small merchant. Down scope. 0319 hrs. British flag. Open bow caps. Fire 1! She sinks slow, turns on her starboard side before sinking. Men have time to climb into a life boat. Surface. Steer to the life boat. We pull along side the life boat. Hansen, on the bow deck, throws a line to them. They secure the line to a clete on the bow of the life boat. "Anyone hurt?", I ask. "Two dead , two injured", is the reply. "Bring the injued on board", I say. While the dead are sewn into canvas and buried at sea, our medic Degan, tends to the injured taken below. We are 143 Km from the British coast. "Name of your ship?", I ask. "El Chapo", is the reply. 2343 tons. Their Captain and I agree to keep the two injured men on our boat. One is critical . If they were to remain in the life boat, their chances of survival are nil. Well provisioned, including a wireless set, the men in the life boat hoist a sail then steer SSW. 0343 hrs. Dive. Steer West. Make your depth 20 meters. Speed 1 knot. 19 JUNE 40 Noon AN 67 Surfaced. Clear sky's. Medium sea. Ahead slow. One of the injured men passed away last night. We bury him at sea. The other injured sailor is healing from a broken leg. "William" is from Birmingham, 18 years old, a good-natured kid. The crew like him. 1233 hrs. Dive. Make your depth 18 meters. Speed 1 knot. 1926 hrs. Sound contact. Warship. Closing fast. 42 degrees. Medium range. Rig for silent running. 1932 hrs. She's running aft of us, moving away, towards the last position of the life boat from the "El Chapo". "There goes the 7th Cavalry, gentlemen", I say. We're 20 Km away from the life boat. 20 JUNE 40 1259 hrs. I'm wearing the head set in the sound room when I hear engine noise, bearing 80 degrees. Medium turns. Ahead 1/3. 1305 hrs. Zinke puts the headset on and reports a sound contact; merchant, medium turns, 81 degrees, closing, long range. 1310 hrs. Battle stations. Her general course is SE. Carlewitz is busy making pencil marks on the chart. 1324 hrs. Ahead standard, we're 3 Km from the T. She's 9 Km away on our starboard side. 1329 hrs. We're 1 1/2 KM from our deer blind. She's 8 Km away. Ahead slow. 1343 hrs. Periscope depth. Speed 1 knot. She's 4 1/2 Km away at 85 degrees. We're 900 meters from her course. All stop. Up scope, x6. There she is, a C-3, doing 8 knots. Down scope. 1350 hrs. She's 3000 meters away, bearing 80 degrees. 1353 hrs. Up scope. Lock scope. She's 2000 meters away. Open bow caps. 1400 hrs. I unlock the scope. British flag. I aim for her fuel bunker. 1403 hrs. Fire 1! Connect tube 2. Open bow caps. Fire 2! That did it. The eel hit, she caught fire, split in half, then settled down to the shallow sea bed, creating a navigation hazard. Her crew have time to climb into two lifeboats. Down scope. Surface. 1408 hrs. Surfaced, we steer to the life boats. Speed 1 knot. Rudder controls are used to steer aft of her. Very calm sea. The sun has set on our starboard side with light reflecting on the wreck. "Everyone accounted for? I call to them. "Yes", is the reply. Some cargo remains on the exposed aft deck. Sauer mans the machine gun. I take control of the machine gun to plink away at the remaining cargo, 200 meters away. It takes a bit of timing for the gun sight cross hairs to settle on the cargo, with the ocean swell rocking the boat. A few more shots and I hit it, causing it to explode, sending debris in all directions. Both life boats are secured to the sides of our boat. "Anyone hurt?", I ask. "One dead, fourteen injured", is the reply. "Name of your ship?, I ask. "Poncho Villa", is the reply. 7909 tons. "Bring the injured aboard", I call to them. The dead sailor is sewn into canvas. He is buried at sea. Both life boats set sail for the English coast. Degen, our medic, gives me his report regarding our guests. Everyone's injuries are stable, with no life-threatening injuries. They occupy the entire bow quarters. Dive. Make your depth 15 meters. Speed 1 knot. 70% diesel remains. Steer NE. 21 JUNE 40 0242 hrs. We're on the surface. I'm on the bridge. I light a cigar. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
7th patrol
7th patrol
U-5 21 JUNE 40 0943 hrs. Zinke reports a sound contact. Warship, fast turns, 278 degrees, closing, long range. We steer 230 degrees. Rig for silent running. I put the headphones on. Steer South. Sound contact 360 degrees. Rudder amidships. 1008 hrs. Using rudder controls, at 1 knot speed, we match our rate of turn with the sound contacts, slowly following her lead as she heads aft of us. Give her the narrow silhouette. She's 6 Km out, moving away. 1026 hrs. I can no longer hear the sound contact. Secure from silent running. Surface. Ahead slow. 1030 hrs. We're surfaced. I climb to the bridge. Stormy. No rain. 75% O2. 68% diesel remains. Recharge batteries. I slowly scan the horizon with my glasses. 1039 hrs. Boat ventilated. I climb down to the control room "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", with John McCormack is playing on the gramophone. 1145 hrs. Battery recharged. "Standard propulsion, Chief", I order. NOON AN 59 Rain starts topside. Dive. Make your depth 15 meters. Speed 1 knot. 2005 hrs. I'm in the sound room, with the headphones on. Sound contact. 20 degrees. Long distance. Slow turns. Steer 325 degrees. Battle stations. Two remaining steam eels pistols set to contact, fast speed. 2012 hrs. Sound contact 24 degrees, closing. We steer North. 2017 hrs. Rudder midships. Sound bearing 350 degrees. 2027 hrs. Sound bearing 354 degrees. Her general course is SSE. Carlewitz makes pencil marks on the sea chart. We steer 60 degrees to make the T. 2032 hrs. Radioman Zink can hear her now, a merchant, slow turns, long range, closing, 306 degrees. Carlewitz plots her course, which becomes more accurate with each bearing made. We're about 3 Km from her plotted course. She is about 10 Km from us. Surface. Ahead 1/3. 2053 hrs. Dive. Make your depth 15 meters. Speed 1 knot. She's at 300 degrees, about 5 Km away. 2100 hrs. Periscope depth. She's 4 Km away, 313 degrees. 2104 hrs. Attack scope up. 6 x. There she is, 320 degrees, a small coastal merchant, doing 8 knots, out about 2000 meters. Down scope. 2106 hrs. Scope up. Open bow caps. 2113 hrs. 897 meters away, British flag. Fire 1! That did it. She sinks fast by the stern. Surface. Ahead slow. Steer to the wreckage. Down scope. We spot one man in the water, alive. We fish him out, bundle him in a blanket and take him below. "Your ship's name?", I ask him. "Arthur Treacher", is his reply. 2042 tons, loaded with sacks of potatoes and canned fish. Wolfbauer, on the bridge, spots a section of wooden hold decking from the ship, with two crates secured on it. We fish it out of the water, hauling it up on our bow decking. We pry open one crate to discover it filled with 50 lb sacks of potatoes. The oher crate was filled with canned fish. All of it is taken below. Fish & chips for dinner, with grateful appreciation to the "Aurthur Treacher". Good. Now we should have plenty of provisions to last us. I'm on the bridge with Zahn, Marks, Wolfbauer and Bahn. Overcast. Stormy. I light a cigar, then ask Adolf Bahn, "isn't your middle name Bernard"? "Yes sir, it my mum's maiden name", he reply's. Trouble on the horizon, boys. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
7th patrol
7th patrol
21 JUNE 40 2136 hrs. Batteries recharged. Standard propulsion. Dive. Make your depth 10 meters. Speed 1 knot. 2213 hrs. I put the headphones on in the sound room. No contacts heard. Our 16 guests on board are all recovering from their injuries. They have to "hot-bunk" in the bow quarters, where they are confined, with one slop bucket, until we reach shore. I check in on them. They're listening to an English soccer match, when suddenly, the game is interrupted by actor and actress voices from a radio play titled "Heidi". A collective moan is made by the sailors. In the forward torpedo room, Adolf Bernard Bahn is reading the technical manual for the Foche-Achgelis Fa-330. Rotor speed: 205 RPM Cruising height: 130 meters Max. height: 219 meters Min. pulling speed required: 15 knots. Cost of aviation seat belt: 7 marks Cost of Fa-330: 6000 marks Cost of watching "Bernard" sail off the stern on the end of a string: Priceless 22 JUNE 40 0535 hrs. Periscope depth. Sky scope up. Down scope. Surface. Ventilate the boat. I climb to the bridge. Overcast sky. Heavy sea. Ahead slow. I light a cigar. 65% diesel remains. 0547 hrs. Boat ventilated. Dive. Make your depth 10 meters. Speed 1 knot. As the radioman plays "J'attendrai" with Rina Ketty, I drift off to sleep in my bunk. 0818 hrs. We're on the surface. I'm on the bridge, next to our navigator, Carlewitz. "Plot a course for home", I say to him. "Aye aye!" is his happy reply. I climb back down below to go back to sleep. 0826 hrs. Radioman Heller sends a patrol report to Bdu. Thirty two minutes later, BdU sends a reply, "Keep up the good work!" Daily Noon position reports to BdU: 22 JUNE 40: AN 59 23 JUNE 40: AN 67 24 JUNE 40: AN 69 25 JUNE 40 0835 hrs. 30% diesel remains 1x TC. We turn the corner to see the lighthouses of Wilhelmshaven welcome us home. Clear skys. A light fog is above the harbor. The morning sun is on our starboard. Radio message from BdU: Swiss diplomat will be waiting on the pier for our "guests". None of them are going to the stalag. They're civilians as far as I'm concerned. I send the 2nd sailor from the left on the bridge down below so I have a clear view on the bridge. I light a cigar and enjoy the ride to the lighthouses, 2 Km away. 0900 hrs. Ahead slow. 0908 hrs. Speed 1 knot. 0917 hrs. All stop. Admiral Donitz meets us at the pier. I ask for a transfer from the 1st to the 7th Flotilla. Request approved. We are ordered to deliver our boat from Wilhelmshaven to Kiel. She will be used as a training boat from now on, with a new U-number. More men are enlisted, including three new officers. New new recruits travel by train to Kiel. Our new boat, a Type VII-C, will retain our U-5 number. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
8th patrol
8th patrol
U-5 24 JULY 40 1003 hrs. 1 x TC Loaded with 14 steam eels, we sail from Kiel. Eels are fitted with contact pistols, set for fast speed. Ahead slow. Carlewitz plots a course for our patrol area, AN 69. In my duffel bag I've packed several boxes of cigars and eight records; "Deep purple" with Bea Wain "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" with John McCormack "J'attendrai" with Rina Ketty "My Hat's On the Side of My Head" with Roy Fox "South Australia" Dubliners "The Music Goes round and Around" with Harry Hall "Woodchoppers Ball" Lawrence Welk "Woo-Woo" Harry James Our cook, Sauer, made rate of damage controlman. With 52 men on board, including myself, we now have four radiomen, four torpedomen, three machinists, two damage controlmen and two medics. Watch on board will be the same as in our dugout canoe, 6 on, 6 off. On the tower, the lighthouse emblem. 125 x TC Daily Noon position reports to BdU: 23 JULY 40 AO 77 24 JULY 40 AO 75 24 JULY 40 1947 hrs. 1 x TC We are at the Southern end of "The Sound," on the Eastern shore of Denmark. Depth under keel: 15 meters. I ask Carlewitz, "you remember, years ago, what the depth was at the Southern end of the Langelands Baelt?" "8 meters, sir" he says. "That's what I remember too, very shallow there", I say. "We'll use this route from now on", I continue. 125 x TC Daily Noon Position reports to BdU: 25 JULY 40 AO 44 26 JULY 40 AO 41 27 JULY 40 AN 36 28 JULY 40 AN 38 1 x TC 29 JULY 40 0750 hrs. Patrol area AN 69 reached. 162 tons of diesel remains. 39 meters under our keel. Steer West Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
8th patrol
8th patrol
U-5 29 JULY 40 0759 Hrs. 1 x TC. We're on the surface. Five green horns man the bridge watch, set for two hours in this heavy sea. Clear sky's. Ahead slow. Carlewitz plots our patrol course, a narrow rectangle, running West, then South, then East. Records play on the gramophone. On board, the green horns are tasked with the worst jobs; clean the bilge, empty the slop buckets. Those of us with seven patrols under our belts live the life of leisure. I climb to the bridge. In my pockets; a wrench, two muffler clamps with lock washers and nuts and two metal fising pole holders. Within a half hour, I've got both fishing pole holders attached to the metal railing on the aft portion of the bridge. Puzzled looks from the green horns. I climb down below and search for Adolf Bernard Bahn, finding him in the bow compartment. "You really want to fly that Fa330?" I ask him. "Yes, sir!", is his reply. "You may get your chance if we ever get a bigger boat and are sent to the South Atlantic", I say. As if on que, the entire assembly of sailors in the bow compartment begin to sing: "Into the air, Junior Birdmen Into the air, pilots green! Into the air Junior Birdmen Climb into that old machine!" 0934 hrs. I catch some sleep. With Totenhagen and Carlewitz on duty, I know the boat is in good hands. 30 JULY 40 0800 hrs. We've completed the 24 hours in our patrol area. 153 tons of diesel remains. Carlewitz plots a course to AN 16. Our routine will be as follows: We will try to surface at noon every day to make our daily position report to BdU. Once the boat is ventilated, we dive. We will try to maintain a speed of 1 knot while submerged. We surface at dark, then dive at first light. Diving, surfacing and checking for light conditions topside are accomplished in 1 x TC. Sailing to AN 16 is accomplished at 125 x TC., or 9 hours, 25 minutes real time. Daily Noon position reports to BdU: 30 JULY 40 AN 66 31 JULY 40 AN 65 1 AUG 40 AN 62 2 AUG 40 AN 61 3 AUG 40 AN 61 4 AUG 40 AN 48 5 AUG 40 AN 48 6 AUG 40 AN 45 7 AUG 40 AN 44 8 AUG 40 0016 hrs. The first of six warship sound contacts made durng the next two days. I get plenty of practice giving the tin cans the narrow silhouette. We keep a shallow depth, speed 1 knot, follow the sound contact until 360 degrees or (for the first time for me) at 180 degrees. Once she's reached those bearings (360 or 180) I set my rudders to amidships. I wasn't certain if I could still hear them in our baffles. I did! Just one more reason to clean the wax out of my ears on a regular basis. 10 AUG 40 0148 hrs. We surface to ventilate and recharge the batteries. We have reached AN 16. Our Chief, Totenhagen is on the bridge with me. Clear sky's. Heavy sea. "What do you think about our new boat? I ask him. "She's a sweety!" he says. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
To: BdU
From: U-78 2 Nov 1941 Attacked convoy as ordered. Detected by escorts. Attacked. Flo---- Excerpts from journal found among U-boat wreckage: Kapitan Karl Giesling 2 Nov 1941 00:00 Convoy sighted. Bearing 290, Range medium. Turning to 180 to intercept. Poor weather. Fog. 00:25 Lead ship V&W class. 2x Merchants, Granville Freighters. Trail V&W class. Contact Report sent. 00:26 Ordered periscope depth, ahead slow. 00:30 BdU orders attack. Lead escort has turned to heading 010. May have been detected. 00:34 Lead escort tacking, Active sonar heard. We have been detected. Ordered tube 2 readied. Shallow, magnetic pistol, fast speed. 00:35 Torpedo loose at range 900m, gryo angle 0, 35s eta. 00:36 MISS. Emergency dive, actively engaged with sonar. 00:40 Depth Charges. Hydrophones damaged, Tubes 3+4 destroyed, 1+2 damaged. Flooding bow torpedo room. Escorts WELL TRAINED. 02:10 Escorts evaded. Multiple runs with charges. Tubes 1+2 6 hour estimated repair. Hydrophone estimated 2 hours. One torpedo stuck in tube 4. Flooding controlled and water pumped out. Bdu Advised of situation. Ordered to shadow convoy until further notice. 08:15 Tubes 1+2 repaired. Dove to reload tube 1 due to sea state. Still poor weather, fog. 08:30 Tube 1 reloaded. Contact with convoy re-established via Hydrophone. Tube 2 unable to load. Welds on loading rail broken. Surfaced to send contact report. BdU orders us to move ahead of convoy. Sounds like BdU has sent another boat to assist from other radio traffic. 10:00 In position. BdU has ordered attack. 11:30 Passed lead escort undetected. Tube 1 fired at lead Granville Freighter. Range 900m, 50s eta. 11:31 Impact midships. Immediate secondaries. No movement on deck. 11:33 Ship listing to starboard. Sinking quickly. No lifeboats manned. Presumed no survivors. Diving to evade escorts. 11:45 Depth 120m, ahead slow, silent running. Detected by escorts. Someone dropped wrench-- will identify and discipline at later date. TWO sets of sonar pings. DD off port and starboard side, closing fast. Ordered new depth 150m. Bow crew just advised that patches are now leaking, bilge filling rapidly. Active sonar stopped. Two sets of screws heard passing over. Depth charges. First attack missed. Metallic clang heard in conning tower -- possible charge stuck. Second attack incoming. Hope the charge is dud. 12:01 Destroyers have passed over. Splashes heard. These will be close. Ordered crew brace for impact. End of Journal. U-78 was destroyed by a depth charge that had stuck between the periscopes and side of conning tower. During the second attack on her, a depth charge detonated close by and set off the charge that was stuck in the conning tower. U-78 was split in two and all crew lost. This was the crew's third war patrol. In the end, U-78 was not assisted by another U-boat, but by the Luftwaffe. U-78 had successfully sank the targeted freighter. The Luftwaffe bombers destroyed the second freighter and began their attack on the two escorts. Sadly, the Luftwaffe was unable to stop the killing blow being dealt to U-78. Time to start a new campaign... :dead: |
8th patrol
8th patrol
U-5 AN 16 18 FEB 40 0305 hrs. Dive. Make your depth 40 meters. Speed 1 knot. In the sound room, I wear the headphones. No sound contacts. 0356 hrs. Hessler in the radio room plays the records on the gramophone. 0700 hrs. 2nd watch. My method of 'the changing of the guard" is to provide every crewman on board with an equal amount of time off-watch. 0710 hrs. Sound contact, merchant, 219 degrees, slow turns, long range. closing. Steer 90 degrees. Surface. Ahead standard. Carlewitz is making pencil marks on the chart. "Her general course is North" he says. 0735 hrs. Battle stations. We're about 2 Km from her course line. Ahead 1/3. 0737 hrs. Dive. Periscope depth. Ahead slow. 0738 hrs. I put the headphones on. She's at 55 degrees. Loud. Steer 110 degrees. Speed 1 knot. 0750 hrs. All stop. Up scope. There she is. A small one, doing 8 knots. 0759 hrs. Open bow caps. She's at 60 degrees. In this heavy sea, the scope view is blurred often by the waves. Every time I get a look at her, I try to I.D. the flag. 0805 hrs. 700 meters away. British flag. AOB 90 degrees. Fire 1! She goes down fast by the bow. Down scope. Surface. Steer towards the wreckage. No survivors. No ship's name I.D. either. I estimate her to displace 2,000 toms. 0830 hrs. Tube one loaded. Secure from battle stations. Dive. Make your depth 30 meters. Speed 1 knot. Return to plotted course. Tonight's film in the bow compartment: "The Wizard of Oz". sub-Lt. Bauman, with the rate of torpedoman, is in the control room. "When the sea calms, we'll get that eel out of the deck storage, okay?" I say to him. "Aye, aye" is his reply. 0841 hrs. I put the headphones on in the sound room to listen for the 7th cavalry. No sound contacts. 0841 hrs. I sleep. 32 xTC. 1155 hrs. Periscope depth. Sky scope up. Ahead slow. Down scope. Surface. 1206 hrs. AN 16 I climb to the bridge. I light a cigar. 1211 hrs. Batteries recharged. Standard propulsion set. I've got a glass tube, with a cork stopper in my pocket and a lit cigar in my hand. When a big wave is about to hit the tower and dunk all of us underwater for a few seconds, I drop my lit cigar into the tube and seal it with the stopper. When we emerge from the dunking, I remove the cork stopper and continue smoking the cigar. 143 tons of diesel remains. 1224 hrs. Boat ventilated. Without my glasses, I scan the sky. Totenhagen shouts, "aircraft spotted, 188 degrees!" Alarm! Crash dive. Steer 190 degrees. Ahead flank. Make your depth 90 meters. I ask the Chief, "how much in the air tanks?" "150" he says. 1340 hrs. Periscope depth. Sky scope up. 4x. Down scope. Surface. 1420 hrs. I climb to the bridge with the Totenhagen. "Come out of the sun, did it?" I aks him. "Yes sir, a Condor" he replies. "Probably on a bombing run to Scapa Flow" I say. "The plane had a long banner trailing behind it, like one of those your see at the soccer game, when a plane goes over, pulling a sign that says "drink Becks beer" he says. "Just before I climbed down the hatch, I turned around and raised my glasses" he says. "Well, what was written on the banner?, I ask. "Join the Donitz Flotilla!", he says. 1615 hrs. Air tanks filled with compressed air, 100%. Dive. Make your depth 40 meters. Speed 1 knot. We evade a warship sound contact at 2020 hrs. until she can no longer be heard at 2039 hrs. 11 AUG 40 0343 hrs. We're on the surface. Heavy sea. Clear sky's. The sun has set. I light a cigar. Carl A. Lange Jr. sub-Lt. |
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I got my realism set for no event camera. Does that make a difference when I try to take a screenshot? Screenshots are something I haven't tried before in SH3. Also, if I am able to get a screenshot (control + F 11), where does the photo end up in my computer? The documents folder or the pictures folder? Or, some top secret folder, buried by Ubisoft in a place where no one would expect to look?. I've tried twice with no results. I also hit the "enter" key, next to the number pad, when I tried to drop the control panel down, sending an eel out the bow tube. Well, it's been fun lads. I'm outta here. Join this. Do that. Sounds like my ex-wife. |
A first. Just started a new campaign and on the first patrol I'm in AM26. I see an SO1B and go to periscope depth. At about 2500m, I fire one torpedo. It hits and there's a huge explosion. Get the 'torpedo impact' confirmation and am waiting for the smoke to clear, and it's gone. The ship just vanished. No ' she's going down ' or anything. It's just not there anymore. Didn't get a 'kill' either. I'm using NYGM and have been for a long time and have never until now seen this.
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U-123
L.z.s Calamity Received orders mid patrol to travel to La Spezia for temporary reassignment. Have traveled through Strait of Gibralter without incident until now. Submerged at 0500 to avoid patrols. Forced to stay under due to increased Destroyer activity. At 16:10 five destroyers detected via hydrophone. 16:38 we were detected. 16:40 on reserve O2. Crew ordered to bunks. Damage control team on standby. Trying to conserve oxygen. 18:20 Contact with destroyers lost. Surfaced to recharge batteries and replenish air supply. Minor damage from depth charges. Proceeding to La Spezia. Total 5x merchants torpedoed and sunk upon arrival at port. New orders to proceed back through Strait of Gibralter to CG88 for 24 hours, and then return to France. |
I started a new career with a fresh gwx 3.0 install on a type II.
I've run a bunch of patrols, I love the mod, and I suck at tracking targets with sonar. Hehe. I've been watching tutorials on the four bearing stuff. I'm not super fast, but I guess it'll come with practice. The good news is I can avoid destroyers and trawlers once detected. I need some kills, soon. I'm still rocking a type II and the IX just came out. noob |
As Jimbuna says, be more aggressive http://i.imgur.com/6NnyXT8.gif
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Finally got enough renown for a type VIIB. I feel like that captain in the fleet that everyone laughs at. Hehe.
I had a nice engagement with a convoy. Calculated the bearing, went ahead, parked, fired, evaded, rinse and repeat. I only sank one boat, though. I have to get a better angle on my salvos across the convoy to get more hits. Also, should I try to use the magnetic detonator and fire just under the keel? I feel like my impact trigger torps aren't sinking vessels without multiple hits. |
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