U-4714 - Robert F. Clifton (reading list .TXT) 📗

the two islands Reinhardt reduced speed. The boat was now entering what he considered the danger zone. “Come to Northeast ten degrees”, he ordered.

“New course, northeast ten degrees sir”, reported the helmsman.

“Propeller sounds Captain”, said the hydrophone operator.

“Location?”

“ One, maybe two miles away sir”.

“Alert! Prepare to dive. Dive! Dive!”, Reinhardt shouted.

With all tanks flooded the boat quickly disappeared under water. When it did the sounds of twin screws turning came to them inside the boat. Instinctively they all looked up at the boats overhead even thought they knew they couldn't see what was up there on the surface. Still, to them it was a hunter. They were the hunted.

As the craft passed over them they all turned to look at the hydrophone operator waiting for him to say, “Depth charges dropped”.

But, he stood at his station twisting and turning the dials as he followed the sounds of the surface craft's engines. “Going away sir, fading, fading”.

“Periscope depth”, ordered Reinhardt.

“Periscope depth sir”.

“Up scope”. Reinhardt peered into the darkness. “Patrol boat. You won't believe this, but they have their running lights on. In the darkness it looks like a neon sign hanging over a beer garden. Down scope. Half full ahead, Maintain course”.

“Maintaining course sir”.

“Surface craft appears to be turning sir”, said the hydrophone operator.

Reinhardt stood waiting for additional information from the man. “Coming towards us sir. ASDIC signals”.

“Dive take her down to five hundred feet. Action stations”.

The faint sound of the surface ships ASDIC soon turned into a loud, “ping, ping, ping” as the patrol craft up above searched for the U-Boat. The entire crew braced themselves expecting to hear the sounds of depth charges hitting the water and then exploding as they sunk to a particular set depth. None came.

“Left full rudder, half ahead”, said Reinhardt.

“Left full rudder half ahead sir”.

“Surface craft going away Captain. Now turning”.

“Full ahead”, ordered Dresner.

“Full ahead sir”.

“Surface craft returning, still using ASDIC”.

“Stop engines. Run silent”.

“All engines stopped”.

The patrol boat once again passed over the U-4714 using the primitive sonar. The pinging sounds came down through the water bounced off of the steel hull of the U-Boat and returned. Yet, the surface craft did not attack.

“Surface craft fading, fading, fading, now turning”, said the hydrophone operator.

Reinhardt started the stop watch he held in his hand. “Tell me when he begins his return to us”, he said.

The seconds ticked away then turned into minuets. “Surface craft coming our way”.

Reinhardt stopped the watch movement. “Eight minutes. It takes him eight minutes to make a complete turn before he makes a run at us. Periscope depth”, he said.

“Periscope depth sir”.

“Up scope. Open outer doors”.

“Doors open”.

“Steady, steady”, Reinhardt said as the sound of the patrol boat became louder. “Fire one”, he ordered.

“Torpedo off and running sir”, said Falkner

Three minutes later they heard an explosion. “Up scope” Reinhardt looked upon a broken, large wooden vessel with steam escaping from below its decks and members of its crew jumping into the water. “A hit men. The patrol boat is no more. Full ahead, come back to northeast two degrees”.

The next night under the cover of darkness and submerged the U-4714 passed between the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. At day break the boat surfaced in the North Atlantic. “Send this message after giving our position. Then, have sunk three tankers, one American, two Mexican, one Dominican Patrol Boat. Have enough fuel and food to return to base. Weather, barometer dropping. Zaunkonig worked properly Awaiting further orders. What's the date?”

“June four, sir”.

“Radar, report”.

“All clear sir”.

“Sonar?”

“Nothing Captain”.

“Alright, Cook, prepare and serve breakfast and to reward the crew maybe hot chocolate and strudel for lunch or supper”, said Reinhardt. A cheer went up from the crew members.

“New course north, northeast sixty degrees. Full ahead”, he continued.

“North, northeast sixty degrees sir”, said the helmsman.

“Decoding message from U-Boat command”, said the radio operator.

“I'll be in the wardroom hopefully having breakfast. Give it to me when you're finished”.

“Yes sir, said the radioman as he worked the cypher machine.

As Reinhardt, Falkner and Baumhauer sat at the mess table eating pancakes with sour milk syrup washed down with hot coffee, the radioman squeezed into the small wardroom and reaching over Baumhauer, said, “Excuse me sir, here is the latest message”.

“Danka shoen”. Reinhardt read the message. Tropical depression Antilles. Expected to turn into hurricane with winds 233 km/h. Use caution. Return to base, Lorient.

“Any reply sir?”

“No. Looks like bad weather for someone. We'll be fine. Pass the coffee pot please. I'll have another cup”, said Dresner.

“As I recall these storms occur every year from June to November. Most of them amount to nothing, but every once in awhile one rolls out of Africa and raises hell somewhere”, said Falkner.

“Was there any news about the war?”, asked Baumhauer.

“No, nothing, not even information about convoys”, Dresner replied.

“That's odd”, said Baumhauer.

“Maybe it doesn’t matter any more”, Falkner replied.

“What do you mean by that?”, asked Dresner.

“Maybe the Kriesmarine considers this war a lost cause. Maybe there are not enough U-Boats left to attack the convoys. Think about it. How many Captain and crews that we know are left to go on patrol? For at least the past two years Captain and other officers on U-boats have complained about radio codes being intercepted and read. The Milch Cows have been constantly attacked with their locations pin pointed by the enemy. Still, U-boat Command insists that the cipher machines are secure and they continue to send boats and crews to their deaths”, Falkner answered.

“ Possibly, however, I want you to keep your opinion to yourself. Morale of the crew is important. I want them patriotic and ready to fight for the Fatherland. So, don't mention your concerns to the men”, said Dresner.

“Yes sir. Sorry sir”, replied.

“Well, I've got engines to check”, said Baumhauer as he got up from the mess table.

“And I want some morning air, so I'll join Sauer on the bridge”, said Dresner.

Once topside Reinhardt stood in the conning tower. Occasionally

he scanned the horizon using binoculars, but saw only open ocean and gulls and terns in flight. A warm morning sun beat down on the boat and men while a cool saltwater scented breeze blew east to west. Ocean swells lifted and lowered the bow of the boat as the U-4714 cut through them with some crashing and covering the prow with white foam.

The voice of the radioman came from the control room. “Sir, message from U-boat Command”.

“Have you decoded?”

“Yes sir”.

“Very well. Leaving the bridge. Herr Sauer you have the Conn.”

“Yes sir”, Sauer replied.

Once in the control room Reinhardt read the message. “ Large convoy, sector D-237. All boats in or near sector to respond and attack”.

Dresner went to the chart table then examined the sectors and zones drawn up and issued by the U-Boat Command Group. “Nothing for us. Sector D-237 is near Newfoundland. However, I'll make an entry in the log and mention receiving the communication.

“Smoke on the horizon!”, yelled Sauer from the bridge.

“Coming up”, said Reinhardt as he climbed the ladder to the conning tower.

Once there he looked to where Saurer pointed and using the Zeiss binoculars focused in on the black plume of smoke in the sky. “Left full rudder, full ahead course North two degrees”, he ordered shouting down into the control room.

“Left full rudder, full ahead, north two degrees repeated the helmsman.

Dresner watched as the bow of the U-Boat turned and the wake behind increased as the diesel engines produced increased energy to the

shafts that turned the propellers. As the distance between the U-4714 and the plume of smoke decreased he watched the faded outline of what appeared to be a freighter. Then, in his reverie he remembered that night on the U-D-5 when the glow of a cigarette lured him closer and closer and how Bergman had saved him and the crew by recognizing a trap.

“Clear the bridge. Prepare to dive”, he shouted, then waited until the lookouts and Sauer went below. He followed securing the hatch.

“Diving stations!”, yelled Falkner.

“Sixty feet sir”

“Take her to one hundred feet and maintain course”, said Dresener.

“One hundred feet and heading North two degrees Captain”, said Falkner.

Turning to the hydrophone operator Dresner asked. “Anything?”

“I'm getting something, something different”, said the operator.

“What do you mean, something different?”, asked Reinhardt.

“I don't know sir. I've never heard this particular sound before”.

“Sonar? Are you operating?”, asked Dresner.

“Not without your order sir”.

“ Turn on your equipment”.

“Yes sir. Operating sir”.

“Getting anything?”

“Yes sir. Object eight hundred meters”.

“You keep saying object is it a vessel or not?” ,asked the Captain.

“I can't say sir'.

“You, Friehoffer what are you getting with the hydrophone?”

“ A hum sir. I can't tell if its our electric motors or not”.

“All engines stop”, said Reinhardt.

“Now what Friehoffer?”

“It's still the same sir”.

“Give me the earphones”, said Dresner. As he placed the earphones next to his ear he too heard the humming sound. Then he was able to detect another noise, a reverberation. “Pumps, I hear the sound of pumps, the humming appears to be coming from something else.I would swear that it is the sound of an electric motor, but ours motors are off. The freighter is on fire and the crew is attempting to get it out. Periscope depth”.

“Coming to periscope depth sir”.

“Up scope. All engines stop”.

“All engines stop sir”, repeated the helmsman.

Dresner, looking at the burning ship on the surface saw black smoke billowing from below decks. The burning ship was also beginning to list to starboard. “Herr Falkner, take a look at this”, said Reinhardt.

Falkner turned his cap with the peak of it placed at the back of his head. Then leaning forward he looked into the periscope. “What do you think?”, asked Dresner.

“It appears as though she had been hit with a torpedo”, Falkner replied.

“Yes, yes. There must be another U-Boat in this area. Prepare to surface”, Dresner ordered.

“Prepare to surface, blow tanks”, Falkner ordered.

“Sir, the humming has stopped, said Freihoffer.

Once the U-4714 broke the surface Dresner scrambled up and into the conning tower. He was followed by Falkner and two lookouts. “There is a debris field sir”, said the Executive Officer, pointing to diesel oil, papers, pieces of wood, clothing, loves of bread and a white peaked cap. “Send up the deck crew”, shouted Dresner to those down in the control room. Soon a boatswain and three seamen were on deck and armed with a boat hook one of them pulled the white, peaked cap out of the water as it floated near the U-boat. “Bring that up here to me!”, said Dresner. When the hat was given to him Reinhardt held it in his hand and as he turned in over he saw the eagle and swastika, the hat and insignia the symbol of a U-Boat Captain. He handed the cap to Falkner who looked at it in his hands, but said nothing. Both men looked out on the water and in the distance saw the burning freighter beginning to slide under the waves.

White life boats containing crew members manning oars rowed away from the sinking ship.

“Send a message to U-Boat Command. Give them our position and ask if there is another U-boat assigned to this sector”, said Dresner, speaking to the radioman below decks.

“Yes sir”.

Turning to Falkner Dresner said, “Dieter, you have the con. I'll be below waiting to hear from headquarters”.

“Very good sir. Heading?”

“Back to north two degrees”.

“Heading, north two degrees, slow ahead,” shouted Falkner to the helmsman in the control room.

As the U-boat turned to the north and slowly moved through the flotsam on the surface questions formed in the minds of the Captain and crew. “What happened? Did the freighter have deck guns and opened fire of the U-Boat attacking on the surface?” No one would ever know. Only those crew members of the freighter could tell them what happened. However, the orders from U-Boat Command forbid Captains from stopping for survivors or taking prisoners both of which placed the boat in a dangerous situation particularly from air attacks.

Dresner sat at the small writing desk making an entry into the log book. Looking at the small