[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

- continued from 14 May, 2148 -

2200 - Qu.8748CF - Diving for submerged attack, at E=11000, T=18.

2205 - Course 121°, which will be the attack course.

2211 - Sundown.

2222 - At E=4000 to Destroyer, rigging for Silent Running.

According to the sound contact, the storm must have divided the convoy into two parts, a faster section of 10 steamers in front and a slower section of 11 steamers behind. All in all, 9 escorts are heard.

2245 - The boat passes in between the forward port leading escort and the forward port side escort. No ASDIC is heard. Secured from Silent Running, 1/3-Ahead.

2258 - S-Tiefe. "Battle Stations!"

2301 - Qu.8749CF - Submerged Spread Shot with tubes I-II: T-3/Pi39H (MZ); Angle of divergence 1.5°; Running depth 4m; Vt30; Own course 121°; Own speed 4kn ahead; Target ship: Row Carrier 5761ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 31°; Target distance 500m; Target angle red90°; Target speed 10kn; Firing angle α 353°.
Weather/Sea: S7/6, medium heavy swell, clear, visibility 6.5nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

Both torpedoes are hits, No.1 midships, No.2 in the aft section!

The steamer explodes in a huge fireball which can be heard and felt in the whole boat, and sinks burning over its entire length within 2 minutes. Must have been loaded with some very hazardous cargo.

We have to withdraw backwards as to not endanger the boat from the explosions and also, not to get rammed by a HogIsland Freighter, that is evading the torpedoed Row Carrier towards our position.

2306 - Qu.8749CF - Submerged Single Shot with tube IV: T-3/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30; Own course 121°; Own speed 5kn ahead; Target ship: Liberty Cargo 5681ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 31°; Target distance 1500m; Target angle red90°; Target speed 10kn; Firing angle α 314°.
Weather/Sea: S7/6, medium heavy swell, clear, visibility 6.5nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

2306 - Qu.8749CF - Submerged Single Shot with tube III: AtoFat/PiG7H (AZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30; FAT-Settings: Straight Run 2000m - Giro Angle red90° - Giro Run 1600m; Own course 121°; Own speed 5kn ahead; Target ship: Liberty Cargo 5681ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 31°; Target distance 1500m; Target angle red90°; Target speed 10kn; Firing angle α 304°.
Weather/Sea: S7/6, medium heavy swell, clear, visibility 6.5nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

Right after the shot, turning boat hard to stbd., to bring the T-4 to bear.

2309 - Flooding tube VI. The AtoFat (Tube III) is a hit but fails to detonate - suspect too sharp of an angle for the contact fuse.

2311 - Qu.8749CF - Submerged Single Shot with tube VI: T-4 "Falke"/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 4m; Vt20; Own course 175°; Own speed 3kn ahead; Target ship: Liberty Cargo 5681ts, draught 5.8m.
Target course 31°; Target distance 1500m; Target angle red160°; Target speed 10kn; Firing angle α 138°.
Weather/Sea: S7/6, medium heavy swell, clear, visibility 6.5nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

2312 - Tube IV (T-3), that was a miss on the Liberty Cargo, is a hit on another unidentified vessel, after 6 min., so, almost at the end of its run time.

2317 - Sound Operator reports sinking sounds from the direction of the tube III torpedo impact.

2319 - The T-4 "Falke" is a hit after 8 min. Assuming hit on the Liberty Cargo.

A Black Swan Sloop and a C&D Destroyer are circling around our shooting position.

2325 - Flooding tube V.

2326 - Qu.8749CF - Submerged Single Shot with tube V: EtoFat/Pi39H (MZ); Running depth 4m; Vt30; FAT-Settings: Straight Run 2000m - Giro Angle green90° - Giro Run 1600m; Own course 210°; Own speed 3kn ahead; Target ship: Black Swan Frigate 1250ts, draught 3.7m.
Target course 265°; Target distance 1500m; Target angle red80°; Target speed 10kn; Firing angle α 284°.
Weather/Sea: S7/6, medium heavy swell, clear, visibility 6.5nm, >1000mb.
Shooter: KvtKpt. & Cmdr. RST.

After the shot, the Sloop is turning away on a northerly heading, while the C&D-Destroyer is shooting star shells and searching for survivors.

The EtoFat is a miss after the end of the run.

2330 - "Dismissed from Battle Stations!".

A Diana Typ Steamer 2600ts, loaded with tanks on the upper deck, is passing our port beam on course 31°, slow speed.

- to be continued -

- continued from 14 May, 2330 -

Incoming Radio Reports from 2300 and 2304:

O.K.W.-Report:
a) Japanese 3rd Division captured Gong'an, Hunan Province, China.
b) US aircraft bombed the Bluie East Five site in eastern Greenland, suspecting German usage of the site.
c) The Martin B-26 Marauder made its operational debut in northern Europe with a partially successful attack by US 322nd Bomb Group on the Velsen power station at Ijmuiden in the Netherlands.
d) The US 8th Airforce attacked Kiel. During the raid 3 Uboats are destroyed.

B.d.U.-Report:
a) After taking over potash cartridges and binoculars, U 217 (VIID; Kptlt. Kurt Reichenbach-Klinke) is to operate in the American area. Approach point CB 41.
b) U 223 (Oblt. Karl-Jürgen Wächter) is again able to crash dive and is proceeding home at 6 knots.
c) U 186 (KrvKpt. Siegfried Hesemann) was directed to attack Convoy No. 39. She last reported on 12.5. from CE 2244: "intend to attack reported enemy forces". The boat was probably destroyed during this daylight attack. She is presumed lost.
d) U 89 (KrvKpt. Dietrich Lohmann) stalked Convoy No. 38 and on 12.5. sighted smoke plume and carrier borne plane in BD 6921. Since that time boat has not reported again despite challenge. She must be presumed lost - probably through air attack.

B-Dienst-Report:
a) According to a special Radio Intercept intelligence report the convoy "HX 238" was in BC 4851 at 2000 on 12.5. From that position she steered a course of 48° to BC 4338 and from that position was to change her course to 350°.
b) Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Card (CVE-11) departed New York bound for Casablanca, Morocco ferrying aircraft and troops.
c) Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Bogue (CVE-9) transfered from Belfast to the Firth of Clyde, Scotland for calibration of her HF/DF radio detection gear.
d) In Britain, following more "Upkeep" bomb dropping training at the Wainfleet Bombing Range on the Wash (where a wooden mock up of the dam's towers had been constructed) at full night dress rehearsal was conducted on the Uppingham and Colchester reservoirs.
e) British Mosquito reconnaissance aircraft photographed a German rocket at Peenemünde, Germany; it was estimated to be 38 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter.

RST
KorvKpt.& Cmdr. U 115