on East Coast (1942), 448
Japanese auxiliary sampans and, 353
at Pearl Harbor, 390
survivors generally not picked up, 72
vs. Japan, xx, xxi, 200-203, 307, 340-42
Submarine Tracking Room (Royal Navy), 154-60, 164, 200-203, 307, 340-42
Submarine wolf packs, 76, 89-90, 388. 472
Gruppe Raubritter, 433
Gruppe Schlagetot, 59
Gruppe Ziethen, 200-201. 225, 252, 296, 442
Suhren, Reinhard (“Teddy”), 461
Sulaco (ship), 33
Sunderland flying boats, 46, 50, 58, 80, 407-8
Surigao Strait, Battle of, 390, 446
Survivors
from sunken German submarines, 381-83
of torpedoing by German submarines, xx-xxi. 71-72. 286-87, 290-92, 365, 455, 457, 460-61
Sweden, neutrality of, 51
Sydney (Nova Scotia), xvi
Sylph, USS, 176
Tacoma Star (ship), 272
Tampa (Florida), 351
Tang, USS (submarine), xxi
Task forces (U.S.)
One, 88
Four, 88, 190,415,437
Fifteen, 238
Twenty-Four, 415, 437
Tavelle, George, 256-58
TBF-1 Avengers, 393
Tennessee, USS, 390, 446
Tennessee (ship), 271
Tepuni, William, 380
Terrell, Ross F., 246
TETIScode, 341-42,472
Texas, USS, 85, 448
Thetis (Coast Guard cutter), 181, 384
Thirlbi (ship), 272
Thomas, USS, 417
Thomaston (Maine), 210, 211
Thompson, Lawrance R., 173
TINA (oscillographic operator signature), 149
Tirpiiz (German battleship), 75, 88, 95, 437-38
Todt, Fritz, 28
Tolle, Alwin, 7-8, 12, 106-9, 115-22, 124, 140, 144, 194-98, 200, 208, 232, 278, 282, 284, 286, 287, 292, 295, 300, 311
Topp, Erich, 91, 225-26, 404, 407 Torelli (Italian submarine), 124
Torpedoes
British, 229
description of, 2-3, 107-8, 196
G7a, 197.228,469
G7e, 197,216,469
German testing command for, 23, 228
gyro system for, 43
apáñese, 229
magnetic exploder for, 228
magnetic proximity detonator of, 228
maintenance of, 196-98, 314
malfunctioning of, 227-29
nickname for, 2-3, 468
submarine’s trim and, 421-22
U.S., 229, 450-51
“Fido” (Mark 24 Mine), 394
from wolf packs, 90
Toilund, HMS, 61
Tourmaline, USS, 176, 177
Treverbyn (ship), 59
Trevisa (ship), 31
Trim
maintaining, 421-22
U-/23′s dives to achieve, 101-6, 312
Trinidad, 308, 349
Tripartite Pact (1940), 94, 97, 99 Trippe, USS, 167-68, 237, 190, 238, 448
TRITON code (“Shark”). 307, 341, 383, 393, 396, 473
Trondheim (Norway), 95
Truman, Harry S.,178, 415
Turing, Alan, ¡51
Turner, Richmond Kelly “Terrible,” 160-61, 170, 414, 443
Tuscaloosa, USS, 88
Tyrer, USS, 337, 364
U-29, 187
U-30, 28, 53
U-3S, 32, 432
V-46, 32
U-47, 32. 73, 228
U-4Ä. 32, 227
U-53 (World War I), 142, 188
U-64, 118-20
U-66, 66, 80, 127, 133, 157, 201-2. 212, 243-48, 253, 269-71, 296, 417, 430, 433
U-67, 435 U-68, 124, 404
U-69, 85, 432
U-75, 157
U-79, 157
U-S2. 59 V-84, 200, 442
U-S5, 380-81 V-86, 200, 252, 442
U-96, 23
U-99, 32 V-100. 32 V-J01. 30, 127
U-103, 202, 270, 432
U-105, 294. 432, 457
U-106. 91, 192, 202, 270, 273, 432
U-107, 42, 202, 270, 402-3, 435, 464
U-10S, 202, 270, 435
U-109, 80, 127, 133, 157, 201-2, 272, 295, 296,417,430 V-110. 152 V-116, 10
U-117, 10
U-117 (World War I), 142
U-11S. 10
U-123, xviii-xix
ASDIC used against, 48
attempted ramming of, 276-79, 324, 332
bunks on, 108, 109,281
Christmas celebrated on, 127-32
clothes worn by crew of, 29, 108-9, 191-92
cruises of
Oct. 1940, 32
June-Aug. 1941,41-53
Oct. 1941, 54-61
Dec. 1941-Jan. 1942, 11-15, 101-33, 135-48, 153, 156-59, 191-225, 229-37, 249-64, 276-95, 299-300
Mar-May 1942, 311-27, 330-37. 358-77, 398-404
May 1942 (Lorient-Kiel), 407-8
decommissioning of, 418
description of, 9-11,42-43, 101-2, 107-18
dieseis of, 194-95
escutcheon of, 10-11
food and water on, 4-5, 116
in French Navy, 417
Hardegen becomes commander of, 40-41
head in, 11, 107,423-24
hydrophone on, 117-18
lookouts on, 204-5
at Lorient, 1-11, 311-12
loading and refitting, 1-5, 67
return from the west, 299-301, 403-4
sponsoring battalion (Patenbattalion), 7, 120, 128, 129, 301
number of men on, 4
officers’ quarters on, 116-17
prepares for scuttling after depth charges, 367-72
prisoner of war on, 57-63
records of, xi-xii
war diary altered, 52-53
Schroeter as commander of, 408, 417
sea burial from, 326
sinkings by, 43-44, 50-51. 55-58, 205-9. 216-23. 233-34, 250-52, 254-65. 317-22, 325-26, 335-37, 360-66, 375-77, 398-401,408
speed and range of, 8-9
test emergency dives by, 125-27, 140, 144, 283
torpedoes on, 2-3, 107-8, 196-98
trimming dives by, 101-6, 312
U.S.A.A.F. claims sinking of, 249
wireless telegraph on, 118
U-124 (Edelweissboot), 23-33, 120, 124, 432, 441
U-125, 2, 79, 80, 133, 144, 157, 201-2, 212, 269, 271-72, 296, 417
U-126. 439
U-127, 133
U-128. 77, 202, 270, 347, 358, 435
U-129, 124
U-130, 66, 79, 80, 127, 133, 157, 201-2, 226-27, 270-72, 296, 417, 430
U-131, 133
U-132, 430
U-134. 157
U-135. 200, 442
U-147, 34-39
U-151 (World War I), 142
U-152 (World War I), 142
U-153, 384
U-156. 308
U-157, 384
U-15S, 384
U-159, 405
U-160, 457
U-16Ó, 462
U-171.462
U-1S1.465
U-202, 336, 379, 433, 458
U-203, 85, 200, 433, 442
U-233, 417
U-333. 157, 200, 294, 295, 442, 455
U-352, 382, 434
U-404. 344
U-434, 133
U-451, 133,440
U-458, 388
U-459, 348
U-503, 380
U-504, 358
U-505, xiii, 440
U-507, 348
U-532, 336. 458
U-552, 91, 200, 225-26, 404, 442
U-553, 200, 442
U-55S, 462
U-567, 133,440
U-568, 91
U-J7/, 345
U-572, 52
U-J74, 133
U-575. 292-94
U-576, 384
U-57Ä. 310
U-58
2. 133,200,442
U-Ó52. 87, 89
U-653, 76, 133, 158,211,442
U-Ó54, 200, 442
U-656, 442
U-701, 144, 157, 200, 201, 384, 442
U-75;. 229
U-754, 200, 388, 442, 457
U-Ä52. xx UA. 123-24
U-boat Flotillas
First, 67
Second, 1, 28, 29, 67, 417, 430
Third, 68
Sixth, 67
Seventh,67
Ninth, 67
Tenth, 430
Twelfth, 68
Twenty-second, 417
“U-Boat Situation” (daily noontime signal), 298, 444
U-boat tankers (Milchkühe), 348
U-Boote westwärts (movie), 11, 23
U-cruisers (World War I), 142, 441
U-Deutschland (World War I), 141
Ultra messages, 156, 445
Umpqua, USS, 383
Umtata (ship), 345
Unicoi (ship), 384
United States
Army and Navy Joint Control and Information Center, 172-74, 182
East Coast of
air raids feared, 186
brownouts or blackouts, 185-87, 340, 343-45. 366
false sightings of submarines, 167
first submarine sinkings, 380-84
German saboteurs landed, 379-80
1942 shipping catastrophe, 378-79
1943 German submarine offensive, 388, 395-96
poor naval defenses, 70-71, 265-68, 298, 308-10
submarine-sowed mines in, 388
tanker traffic halted, 366
total loss of life from submarines, 389
total ships sunk by submarines, 388-89
World War I German submarines off, 141-42, 188, 243
World War II German submarines off, 308-77. See also Operation Drumbeat
1899-1900 German plans for invasion of, 69-70
false reports of air raids on, 167
German declaration of war on, 98-100
isolationism in, 93-94
neutrality of, 51. 64, 82-86 1941
war plan of, 93-94
planned Luftwaffe offensive vs., 70
replacement of lost ships by, 395
undeclared war between Germany and, 87-94
United States Army
Air Corps Regional Filter Center, 173
Aircraft Warning System, 180
Air Force planes bomb U.S. destrover, 167-68
Antisubmarine Command, 356
Civil Air Patrol and, 355-57
Eastern Defense Command, 186
First Air Force, 171
First Air Support Command, 184, 356
First Bomber Command. 182-83, 222-23, 349, 356
Japanese codes broken by, 163
Northeast Defense Command, 171
number of submarines supposedly sunk by, 378 106th Observation Squadron, 364
submarines sunk by planes of, 380, 384
United States Coast Guard
Auxiliary, 352
available ESF vessels of (Dec. 1941). 176-77
on brownouts and blackouts, 185-86
in neutrality period, 83
U-boats sunk by, 181, 382-84, 462
United States Merchant Marine
Armed Guards on, 343, 364, 365, 384
combatant status of, xx fears for future of, 342-43
supposedly disloyal radio operators in, 168
United States Navy. See also Atlantic Fleet; Submarines—U.S.
ASW schools, 384
Atlantic Section, Intelligence Center (F-21, “Secret Room”), 342
big-ship lobby and, 178-79
Caribbean Sea Frontier, 174, 308, 349-51, 387 388
CINCUS acronym changed to COMINCH, 170
commander of. See King, Ernest J.—as
COMINCH-CNO Communications Intelligence (COMINT), 161-62
Eastern Sea Frontier (ESF), 171-74, 308, 384
brownouts and blackouts controlled by, 344
convoys, 387-88
1941-1942 sea strength, 176-77, 346-47, 352-53, 387
1942 air strength, 181-83, 349-50
Operation Drumbeat and, 221-22
U-boats expected bv, 187-89
USS Atik and, 327-29
Escort Carrier Group (CVE), 392-93
first World War II loss of, 91-92
first World War II shots fired by, 85
Gulf Sea Frontier (GSF), 347-52, 384. 387, 388
in-fighting among bureaucrats of, 160-61, 165
Naval Academy, 186
naval districts
First, 175
Third, 174, 177, 186, 344, 413
Fourth, 177
Fifth, 177, 334.380-81, 387
Sixth, 177
Seventh, 177, 347
in neutrality period, 83-95 1941-1942
confusion at, 166-67
North Atlantic Naval Coastal Frontier, 171
number of submarines “presumably” sunk by, 378
Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), 160-61, 170-71, 340
Panama Sea Frontier, 347, 389
pleasure craft requisitioned by, 176, 179, 180, 391
Roosevelt’s criticism of, 179, 388
Royal Navy compared to, 394
secrecy policy on submarines by, 267-68, 275
submarines sunk by destroyers of, 380-82, 384
submarines sunk by planes of, 380, 384
Tenth Fleet, 392
War Plan 46, 93-94, 96
wartime construction of ships for, 395
Upshur, USS, 190, 448
Urquart, Lehman, 256-57
Varanger (ship), 271
Venore (ship), 270-71
Verbonic, Stephen, 247
Videlte, HMS, 272, 417
Vogelsang, Ernst, 430
Vonderscnen, Johannes (“Hannes”), 4-5
on Dec. 1941-Jan. 1942 cruise, 116, 129, 200, 224, 286, 287
on Mar-May 1942 cruise, 312, 314-15
Vornosoff, Boris A., 245
Wainwright. USS, 190, 238, 448
Wake (U.S. gunboat), 166
Wake Island, 222
Wälder (radioman), 117
Wanderer, HMS, 39
Washington, D.C., 1941-1942
chaos in, 166-67
Washington, USS, 269
Wasp, USS, 448
Wave (ship). See: Eagle, USS Weather ships, 329-30
Weeks, Robert H., 443
Wellington bomber, 394
West, Rebecca, 416
West Ivis (ship), 271
West Virginia, USS, 390, 446
Westover Field (Massachusetts), 183
Wetjen, Eberhard, 34, 36-39
Wheeler, Burton K., 93
Whitehorn, Ivan Walter, 56-57, 59, 61
Whitman, Walt, 465
Wichita. USS, 88
Wilkinson. Theodore S (“Ping”), 161, 170, 443
Wilson, Woodrow, 386
Winn, Rodger. 154-60, 172, 200-203, 211, 241, 298, 307, 340-42, 348-49, 393.416
Wireless telegraph. See also Ciphers
British interception of German, 149-50
British triangulation by means of, 149-50
German submarines’ convoy reports by, 46,49, 51, 58, 68,89
oscillographic operator signature in, 149
Witte, Helmut, 405
Wohlstetter, Roberta, 411
Wolf, Robert, 384
Wolf packs. See Submarine wolf packs Women’s Roval Naval Service (WRNS), 149-50, 152-53, 156
Y Service, 149, 164, 211
YPs (Coast Guard patrol craft; “Yippies”), 349, 364
“Z” messages, 153, 156, 159
Z Plan, 75
Zapp, Richard, 66-67, 199, 201, 212, 243-48, 253, 269-71, 296,417.433
Zeigler. Miles (“Zig”), 363-64
Acknowledgments
I am indebted to many people for assistance in uncovering the documents, maps, decrypted wireless signals, and other research materials that made this book possib
le, principal among them Reinhard Hardegen, whose sharp and thorough recollections of events brought U-123 to life during extensive interviews conducted at his home in Bremen, Germany, in May 1985 and December 1986. No historian is insensible of the good fortune that comes to one who can relive a major historical event through one of its principal protagonists. To him and to Frau Hardegen I express my sincere gratitude for their hospitality and numerous courtesies. Special thanks is owed as well to those other surviving members of the U-123 complement of officers and crew who recounted their experiences in interviews conducted at a reunion in Bad König/Odenwald, Germany in November 1985: Richard Amstein, Heinz Barth, Karl Fröbel, Max Hufnagl, Walter Kaeding, Karl Latislaus, Rudolf Meisinger, Fritz Rafalski, Horst von Schroeter, and Hans Seigel. Their recollections add a different perspective and human interest to the present narrative. I was privileged to conduct a more extended interview with radio operator Fritz Rafalski at his home in Bonn, Germany, in December 1986. Also valuable, particularly for Reinhard Hardegen’s expressed feelings in the year of Paukenschlag, is a propaganda document that, on the orders of superiors, he dictated to stenographers at the conclusion of his two American patrols. Published in the following year as ”Auf Gefechtssta- tionen!” {Battle Stations!) for morale and recruiting purposes, this account is useful for life data, personal thoughts, housekeeping details, and verbatim language.1 It is not reliable for operational data, as Hardegen himself cautions, since he was required to disguise U-boat identifications, nautical positions, and most target names; to describe certain events out of sequence; and to keep attack details to a minimum. The document must be checked against the more exact and thorough record of events maintained in Hardegen’s contemporaneous VS-123 war diaries, for copies of which I am indebted to Archivdirektor Hansjoseph Maierhöfer, of the Bundesarchiv/Militärchiv (Federal/Military Archive) in Freiburg, Germany, who not only provided access to the original diaries but also made available to me map tracings from Hardegen’s navigator. The war diary (Kriegstagebuch) for each of Hardegen’s patrols is abbreviated in the present text as KTB.
The staff of the Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Military History Research Office), also in Freiburg, was helpful in searching out maps used by the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe (Air Force). Research in the Freiburg holdings was greatly facilitated by the writer’s friend Hugo Ott, o.Professor der Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte (Professor [Ordinarius] of Economic and Social History) at the University of Freiburg in Breisgau. At the Bibliothek für Zeitgeschichte (Library of Contemporary History) in Stuttgart the distinguished naval historian Jürgen Rohwer provided me with numerous important documents, including the Schussmeldungen (shooting reports) for the torpedo or gun actions of U-/23 and the other Paukenschlag boats. A rich deposit of U-boat materials is preserved at the Traditionsarchiv Unterseeboote at Westerland on the North Sea island of Sylt, where founder and director Horst Bredow generously made available many of the photographs that accompany this book. Especially helpful, and over a long period of time, have been Timothy P. Mulligan, of the Modern Military Headquarters Branch, Military Archives Division, of the National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C., and Michael Walker, of the Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard. Without their archival resources and personal assistance this history could not have been written.