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Leandros · 01-09-14, 01:07 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - May 071400 1945 - Bergen U-boat base

We were about to leave Bergen this morning when we were ordered to cancel the patrol. The war is over.

We left Bergen on May 5th for Patrol 13 but had to abort as both the diesel and E-engines acted up. We got only about half speed out of the boat.

The last months of the war for me has centered around the use of the new homing torpedoes. Correctly used they are amazing. I am sure the Allies shall benefit much from this technology. On Patrol 12 we left with 12 of these on board. The QM's have been much more lenient on supplying these lately. Probably because the war has been going so badly. Six have been issued as a minimum on the last missions and I have been able to scrounge a few more myself.

We sunk 9 of the 12 warships on Patrol 12 with homers. Three of them went astray, one for technical reasons, it went under the target, did not detonate and disappeared. The two others missed because we launched it under less than ideal conditions. If one fires two with short separation in time it is important that targets are clearly separate or else both can hook up to the same target. The third was diverted by a merchant not far from the target.

After a homer has been fired it can be smart to show oneself in one way or other, to lure the target over the initial torpedo track.

As I have hinted here earlier the proper tactics should be pairs or more of U-boats with one specially designated as escort destroyer. This one should operate on some distance from the convoy to lure the escorts away (so the homers do not go for the merchants) and destroy them there. The field should then be (more) open for the other U-boats in the flock. The ideal position to start such an attack would be in the rear of the convoy.

As can be seen from the personnel file there has been several aborted missions due to technical problems - mainly with the engines. This has also occured in the middle of some missions, once very seriously.

Fred

Below:

1. Captain's personnel file

01-09-14, 01:07 PM	#4574
Leandros Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stockholm Posts: 676 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - May 071400 1945 - Bergen U-boat base We were about to leave Bergen this morning when we were ordered to cancel the patrol. The war is over. We left Bergen on May 5th for Patrol 13 but had to abort as both the diesel and E-engines acted up. We got only about half speed out of the boat. The last months of the war for me has centered around the use of the new homing torpedoes. Correctly used they are amazing. I am sure the Allies shall benefit much from this technology. On Patrol 12 we left with 12 of these on board. The QM's have been much more lenient on supplying these lately. Probably because the war has been going so badly. Six have been issued as a minimum on the last missions and I have been able to scrounge a few more myself. We sunk 9 of the 12 warships on Patrol 12 with homers. Three of them went astray, one for technical reasons, it went under the target, did not detonate and disappeared. The two others missed because we launched it under less than ideal conditions. If one fires two with short separation in time it is important that targets are clearly separate or else both can hook up to the same target. The third was diverted by a merchant not far from the target. After a homer has been fired it can be smart to show oneself in one way or other, to lure the target over the initial torpedo track. As I have hinted here earlier the proper tactics should be pairs or more of U-boats with one specially designated as escort destroyer. This one should operate on some distance from the convoy to lure the escorts away (so the homers do not go for the merchants) and destroy them there. The field should then be (more) open for the other U-boats in the flock. The ideal position to start such an attack would be in the rear of the convoy. As can be seen from the personnel file there has been several aborted missions due to technical problems - mainly with the engines. This has also occured in the middle of some missions, once very seriously. Fred Below: 1. Captain's personnel file __________________ www.fredleander.com - look in to see my new book on Operation Sea Lion "Saving MacArthur" - a book series on how The Philippines were saved