8/29/1939 Norwegian Sea 138 km East of Jan Mayern Island 18th day at sea
Ship 77 made it through the Skagerrak without incident. A radio message came through ordering Ship 77 to put into Wilhelmshaven to pickup supplies and men not available at Kiel. She arrived at night and took aboard 19 crates, 2 officers, and 10 ratings. She remained there for 10 days before casting off for the last time in the meantime Hartmann was promoted to Kapitan.z.S. The crossing through the North Sea was uneventful except for the sighing of a freighter. On the 28th Ship 77’s meteorologists Kplt Dr. Wurst and L.z.S Dr. Klein predicted unfavorable weather through the Denmark Strait, so Hartmann decided to take the ship off Jan Mayern to 1. Wait for conditions to deteriorate and 2. Change the ship’s disguise to that of a British vessel. Ship 77 arrived early on the 29thand soon the I. Officer Fkpt Baumgartner organized work parties and soon work commenced on the new disguise,
1.Hull painted black
2.Superstructure white
3.Masts, winches, ventilators, etc. painted yellow
4.Camouflage for 3.7cm painted brown
5. 2nd pair of derricks removed
6.Funnel raised and painted black
7.Boats painted grey
8.Fore ventilators painted yellow and raised
9.Cannons I and X camouflaged
The Leichte Schnellboote is taken for a test run and the Kommandant of LS-33 Oblt.z.S Fredrich Hemmer reported no major defects on its first deployment. Weather is forecast to improve with the approach of heavy rain and fog in 48-72hrs.
