[mrbannon]

Originally Posted by Leandros

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 010113 1944 - south-east AM34 - Patrol 27

Oh, boy - finally out in the open! What a nerve-wrecking business. The convoy passed just south of us. We could observe the whole of it as it slowly sailed by. Alas, no carrier! We had decided not to attack if the carrier wasn't there. With a dozen escorts around, having only 4 conventional torps left, all in the aft, and the long way home we found it better to use them om some lone merchants along our return route.

So, we set a westerly course to get out in the Atlantic. There were still some outer screen escorts we had to get by before we were safe, one of them emitted a rather strong sonar signature. We approached it carefully to investigate. Eureka, it was the Casablanca carrier toddling along at 7 knots a few miles behind the convoy. And no escorts to see! It was markedly down by the bow.

We lined it up for our aft torpedoes and gave it one impact and one magnetic. It rolled over fairly quickly. However, we had been a little careless when approaching it, using the schnorkel to cut down on time. This attracted several escorts from the convoy which was quite far ahead.

A Buckley, a J&R and one Fletcher entertained us for a couple of hours. It was a miracle that we got away. I suspect much because of the very heavy seas and the effective Bold 3's. We were finally able to get out of the ring. Even then, an hour later another destroyer passed us by very closely. It dropped one salvo of D/C's and launched hedgehogs before it continued on its way. He wasn't too far off but we lay still so he didn't find us.

Only a few minutes ago we received a message that our base was changed to Trondheim. Wonder why? Anyway, we need to be careful, nothing left but the topside artillery to defend us with.

Fred

Below: The Casablanca getting it.

I can't wait to finish my shakedown cruise so I can get some of this wicked awesome action! (FYI, I would have made a post about my current "patrol", but it's a two-day pre-war patrol of A098, which is pretty much useless.)