[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

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Wednesday, 17 February 1943 - Danzig

At Danziger Werft AG, for Repairs and Overhaul.

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The Führer arrives at the headquarters of Army Group South in Russia.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder becomes AOC-in-C Mediterranean Air Command with responsibility for all air operations.

American forces east of Kasserine Pass, Tunisia, retreat into the pass.

U 525 (Kptlt. Hans-Joachim Drewitz) reported a steamer sighted by two destroyers in BD 4112, course 200°. Contact lost owing to poor visibility (2 miles).

U 606 (Oblt. Hans-Heinrich Döhler) sighted for a short time in BC 3899 vessel with course 215°, speed 15 knots, fog.

Convoy No. 9 (ON.165):
On the return passage U 69 (Kptlt. Ulrich Gräf; ex. Jost Metzler, "The Laughing Cow") sighted a convoy with course 225° in AJ 9982. Since the convoy was about 500 miles from the coast so that there was sufficient area for operations, Group "Taifun" as well as the returning "Haudegen" boats received orders to attack the convoy as far as fuel supplies permitted. Since all the boats were comparatively low (in fuel) refueling facilities were provided in BD 42 (by "Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor). The convoy consisted of 20 steamers proceeding in open formation without remote escort. Position at 1701 was AJ 9988, course 215°, speed 9 knots. U 201 (Oblt. Günther Rosenberg; ex Adalbert Schnee) made contact also at 2000 and reported last at 2207 from BC 3136 then both boats lost contact. U 607 (Kptlt. Ernst Mengersen) must have been quite near as she requested D/F signal but she also did not sight the convoy. In order to reestablish the convoy by conducted action (search sectors etc.) all boats were instructed to give their positions. The reports of positions were so irregular that the plan could not be carried out. U 201 - U 69 and U 223 (Oblt. Karl-Jürgen Wächter) have not reported up to now. The operation is being continued.

"Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor) is to proceed to BD 42 to supply the "Haudegen" boats, contrary to previous order.

Convoy Report U 522 (Kptlt. Herbert Schneider):
The above boat sighted at 0836 in CF 5872 a small convoy of 5 steamers and 3 escorts, course 1500, speed 12 knots. Action by Group "ROBBE" was impossible because of insufficient speed superiority. The boats would only have reached the convoy in an area where air cover was strong and continuous. U 522 herself had only 17 cbm of fuel left.
She was ordered to continue pursuit as long as possible with this. With visibility variable contact was lost towards 1600. U 522 suspected zig on to course 90° and proceeded in this direction, however, without finding the convoy again. The last hydrophone fix was at 2000 from CF 9177 in direction 110°. Towards 0500 the operation was broken off in CF 9567, fuel being at 7 cbm. No sinkings.

All groups were ordered, so as to avoid location of the patrol line by enemy aircraft, to man their radar interception service as far as possible and in case enemy aircraft were sighted, to dive at once and remain submerged for about 30 minutes.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts Torpedo Firing Training with the 25th Flotilla Danzig.

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RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

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Thursday, 18 February 1943 - Danzig

At Danziger Werft AG, for Repairs and Overhaul.

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The construction for a large electromagnetic separation plant for enriching uranium, codenamed Y-12, begin construction at Manhattan Project's Oak Ridge site in Tennessee.

During a test flight from Renton near Seattle, a serious engine fire develops in the second XB-29 prototype aircraft. Test pilot Eddie Allen tries desperately to get back to the airfield but the huge bomber crashes into a packing plant killing the entire crew and a number of civilian workers in the building.

Down to only 13 flyable P-40 fighters, USAAF 33rd Fighter Group is withdrawn from Telepte Airfield in Tunisia.

Erwin Rommel submits a plan to Albert Kesselring and the Italian High Command for attacking the Americans guarding the Tunisian-Algerian border.

The Light Cruiser 'Jean de Vienne' is raised at Toulon, France and pressed into Italian Navy service under the new name FR.11.

U 506 (Kptlt. Erich Würdemann) situation: Up to 13th nothing found in vicinity of Capetown. Likewise in southern sector of operational area no traffic.

U 160 (Kptlt. Georg Lassen) will have freedom of action in the whole Capetown area up to and including KP.

Convoy No. 9 (ON.165):
The weather situation was particularly unfavorable for operations in the area of the convoy on 18th February. At midday southwest wind 9 with slight visibility, after passing storm depression. At 1716 U 403 (Kptlt. Heinz-Ehlert Clausen) again contacted the convoy in BC 3473. The boats reported continuous contact until the next morning. According to dead reckoning, the enemy was proceeding at less than 5 knots with westerly course. In addition to this boat U 266 (Kptlt. Ralf von Jessen) reported at 0257 on the morning of 19th February contacting the convoy in BC 3794. Since this report differed by 70 miles from the reports of U 403, it is assumed that the boats have very great deviations in fix, which is possible in view of the unfavorable current conditions in this area owing to the meeting of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current. No further boats encountered the convoy. U 403 reported in BC 2676 an 8,000 ton steamer sunk. U 383, 226, 303, 403 and 607 had to break off operations owing to shortage of fuel. Operations against the convoy were continued with boats U 525, 186, 223, 358 and 707. Position of the convoy at 0953 on the 19th February was BC 2674.

U 522 (Kptlt. Herbert Schneider) will rendezvous with "Milkcow" U 461 (Kptlt. Wolf-Harro Stiebler) in CF 8155 for refueling, thereafter making for: U 461 - DG 23, U 522 CE 92.

U 108 (XB; Korvkpt. Werner Czygan) supplied U 511 (Oblt. Fritz Schneewind) with fuel.

Refueled from "Milkcow" U 460 (Kptlt. Ebe Schnoor): U 89 (Kptlt. Dietrich Lohmann) on the 16th February, U 614 (Kptlt. Wolfgang Sträter) on the 17th February. Tanker capacity 364 cbm provisions for 93 days.

At the Berlin Sport Palace, Goebbels announces the implementation of total war in Germany, bringing women into the industrial war effort.

The Gestapo arrest Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie, members of the "White Rose", for opposing the Nazi German regime. They will be tried for treason by Judge Roland Freisler, found guilty, and executed in Stadelheim Prison in Munich as traitors on 22 Feb 1943.

U 648 (Ltnt.z.S.d.R. Peter-Arthur Stahl) conducts Torpedo Firing Training with the 25th Flotilla Danzig.

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RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115