9/28/39 Central Atlantic 48th day at sea 25°41’N, 58°28’W
Schiff 77 arrives at her operational area and launches one of her Arado Ar 196 A-1 aircraft reconnaissance flight under O.Fldwl Deutsch (pilot/Luftwaffe) and L.z.S Lemke (observer/Kriegsmarine). The aircraft carries out a reconnaissance flight to the east while Schiff 77 proceeds at cruising speed, 10 knots, 1 engine in zigzags along the shipping lanes. At 11:30 hrs. lookouts on the fore crosstrees report a smoke column bearing 310°T range 18,000m range is closed to 9,000m the vessel is identified as a neutral Norwegian tanker, at 11:44 hrs. battle ensign hoisted and the ship decamouflaged, Kapitan.z.S Hartmann ordered the port 12.7cm to open fire and a shot is fired across the tanker’s bow, from the signal deck the flags are hoisted “Stop at once, do not use wireless”. The Norwegian blasts her horn 3 times signaling she is coming to a stop the heavily armed boarding commando is sent, under the command of L.z.S Schmidt, consisting of 4 officers, 8 petty officers, and 30 ratings. The following information was obtained,
Norwegian tanker TUNAS 3,574 grt (KFLS) of the Norwegian Tanker Line Co.Ltd. Oslo loaded with 4,000 tons of gasoline from Willemstad to Southampton via Kingston under the command of Captain G.K. Gunderson with a crew of 45. The agent was British (Jones and Sons Ltd, London). Kapitan.z.S Hartmann decided to sink the vessel since no radio message had been sent Schiff 77 took her first prize quietly. At 13:02 hrs. the Tunas sank beneath the waves.
Kapitan.z.S Hartmann plans to remain in the area until October 10th before making for the Mona Passage into the Caribbean. Schiff 77 will cruise off the coasts of South America in search of oil tankers. Schiff 77 will retain the British disguise. The Graf Spee will clear the South Atlantic by December; therefore Schiff 77 will remain as long as possible in the Caribbean then moving into the Central Atlantic, Operating between the Azores and Freetown.
