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

the tubes with the new Falcon class. With the Falcon, the u-boat could remain submerged and without the use of the periscope fire in the direction of the ship or convoy. The torpedo ran towards the sound of the enemy target and without precise aiming. When fired the Falcon ran straight, but after four hundred meters the acoustic sensor device became active. Then, it searched at a slow speed of perhaps twenty seven knots as it sought its prey. One requirement was that the U-boat had to silence its motors. Supposedly, it was designed to sink merchant ships, therefore its slow speed was not a hindrance

At 0400 hours on the morning of Thursday,. July 20, 1944 the U-4714 bobbed on the surface of a rather calm ocean. Deiter Falkner stood on the bridge in the dark. Down below the radar man watched the small, black, box Hohentwiel Radar and Bali radar detection system as the small antenna above the conning tower was supposed to pick up enemy air craft or surface ships searching for submarines on the surface. Nothing showed on the small, round screen. The crew was always concerned about the Hohentwiel as the antenna was not high enough to allow the equipment to operate at its full potential and the Bali was attached to the snorkel . As a result everyone counted on the vigilance of the lookouts to protect them. Reinhardt had a well disciplined crew that he could count on at all times and in all situations.

Most of the crew were asleep except for those on watch. Many of the men were wrapped in blankets, something unheard of in the early years and in early boats. Now, the new submarines coming out of the shipyards had air conditioning which eliminated a lot of the humidity that had plagued the V11 type U-Boats early in the war.

Petty Officer Gerson Kruger fighting the desire to sleep managed to watch the Bali detector device. It was boring duty. Nothing ever showed on the oscillator and the combined sounds of crew members asleep, some snoring and the lapping wave action of the ocean striking the U-boats hull seemed to provide a tendency for sleep. Kruger constantly rubbed his eyes, eyes that became fatigued as hour after hour passed as he watched. Then, suddenly, an object did appear on the oscillator. Kruger rubbed his eyes again and leaned closer to the screen. There it was. “Alarm! Alarm!

Air craft approaching”, he shouted.

Deiter Falker and the two lookouts quickly descended into the control room. As Falkner sealed the conning tower hatch the diving alarm was uttering its loud, screaming tone. Men tumbled out of their bunks many racing forward towards the forward torpedo room, hoping that their combined weight would influence and quicken the U-Boats descent. Reinhardt went immediately to the control room. “Report”, he said.

“The radar man reported enemy air craft approaching”, said Falker.

“Well, we'll know soon if he has spotted us”, Reinhardt replied.

Fifteen minutes passed without any depth charge or bomb detonations. “ Come to due west, half full', said Reinhardt.

“Coming to due West at half full sir”, said the helmsman.

“I want to know how the air craft knew where we were Herr Falkner”, said Dresner.

“As I reported sir. The air craft was detected by the operator of the Bali system”.

“You know as well as I that the orders from U-Boat command is to stop using the Bali. U-boat Captains, including myself have complained that the enemy picks up the Bali signal and follows that signal right to the boat. Why did you use it Deiter?”

“I wasn't thinking Captain. I believed the Bali to be an additional

warning system. I was trying to protect the boat sir. I'm sorry”.

“You almost got us killed. Think man. Think. Very well, what's done is done. Anyone can make a mistake, including me. Stay submerged.

Continue course for the next hour then stop. Use the snorkel to charge batteries”, said Reinhardt.

“Yes sir”.

Back in his bunk Reinhardt looked again at the photograph of Hedda taped to the bulkhead in his quarters. How he wanted to see her, to hold her to smell again the fragrance of her hair. At the same time he worried about her, fearful that enemy bombers would attack Flensburg and the naval academy just to show that nothing and no one was safe.

He turned out the small light, rolled over and went to sleep again.

The next morning Dresner sat at the table in the small wardroom with Falkner and Sauer. Baumhauer had the watch. The three officers sat eating a breakfast of creamed cod fish, biscuits with honey and coffee.

“Tell me Captain. What will we do once the cod is gone? Do we board every fishing trawler we see and like thieves in the night steal loaves of bread?”, asked Falkner.

“Only if we have to Herr Falkner. Only if we have to. Actually, I intend to send a request to U-Boat Command asking for the position of a Milch Cow. If one is close by we will rendezvous, refuel and resupply and then continue our patrol.”

“Patrol? At this time I do not consider this an actual patrol. I consider it a sight seeing cruise along the coast of North America. When we return to base instead of receiving the iron cross we will be awarded the Order Of The Stale Loaf Of Bread with clusters”, said Falkner.

“Keep one thing in mind Deiter. You can't eat an iron cross”, Reinhardt replied.

“I'll do that Captain, but at the same time I'll wish for enemy ships, any enemy ship”.

“Remember what I told you about patience. Now, let's go to periscope depth, take a look around and if possible we'll surface and try to locate a Milch Cow”.

Once on the surface the radioman sent the U-Boats location, the weather conditions and the need and request for a meeting with a supply boat. Two hours later U-Boat Command informed Reinhardt that no Milch Cow was close enough for him to be resupplied . His orders were to cut rations and conserve fuel consumption. Reinhardt stood in the control room reading the last decoded transmission. “We're eating flour mixed with saw dust, stolen fish and canned goods and their telling me to reduce rations to my crew. In order to conserve fuel I will have to run submerged most of the time and run on the batteries.”, he said, talking to Falkner.

Unknown to Reinhardt at that time the oil tanker, Scheherazade, had just cleared the New York Harbor with a load of aviation gasoline that had been pumped into its hull at the docks of Bayonne, New Jersey. The tanker was being escorted by a United States Coast Guard Cutter as it made its way to Halifax where it would join a convoy and then head to England. Commissioned in 1919 and owned by Philips 77 the ship was commanded by Edward Hepp a sea captain with twenty five years experience. Loaded, the Scheherazade could average nine knots at top speed. On Sunday, July 23, 1944 at 0830 hours the oil tanker was just off the coast of Nantucket and at exactly that time Petty Officer Friehoffer detected the sounds of the turning propellers of two ships. He reported that fact to Captain Dresner. “Location?”, asked Reinhardt.

“East, one hundred degrees”, sir”.

“Set course East two hundred degrees, full ahead”, ordered Dresner.

“New course east, two hundred degrees full ahead sir”, repeated the helmsman.

“All tubes loaded?”, asked Reinhardt.

“Yes sir, with the Falcons”, answered Falkner.

“Good, now we'll see what the new torpedoes can do”, Dresner replied.

“Also a chance to sink an enemy ship or two”, added Falkner.

As the U-4714 maintained its course and speed underwater, Friehoffer continued to report what he was hearing with the hydrophones.

“Propeller sounds getting louder sir. Target maintaining speed. Second target the same.”

“Distance?”, asked Reinhardt.

“Eight hundred and four meters sir”.

“Periscope depth”.

“Periscope depth sir”, said Falkner.

“Up scope. Ah, a nice fat tanker Herr Falkner and an escort ship. It appears to be a small Corvette. Open outer doors”, said Reinhardt.

“Outer doors open Captain”.

“Action stations. Steady, steady, I want to get just a little closer. Give me a range Friehoffer”.

“Less than five hundred meters sir”.

“ Good. Steady. Fire one, fire two. Down scope”.

“First torpedo off and running straight Captain”.

“Good, now the torpedo will begin searching for the sound of the surface ship and head for it”, said Dresner with a smile.

“Second torpedo off and running, wait,second torpedo circling. IT's COMING BACK TOWRDS US!”, shouted Friehoffer.

“Dive! Dive ! Dive! Shouted Reinhardt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Ten

Flensburg

 

Wednesday, May 22, 1946, a bright and warm sunny day found Hedda Dresner working in the bookshop. Fortunately the City of Flensburg Germany had escaped the strategic bombing that other cities had occurred

during the war. The bookshop and the living quarters behind the store were still there. Herman Bayer was dead, another stroke took his life in late 1945. Now, Hedda looked after her aging mother and the book store.

The bookstore was doing well. Flensburg College had been founded with ninety four students enrolled and students needed books. Hedda through experience knew how to acquire the editions that the students needed for study and for pleasure. At the same time the Naval Academy was maintained at Murwik and uniformed midshipmen came into the shop occasionally. Autumn fest was now celebrated in place of Oktoberfest and the traditional, strong German beer was prohibited. Instead, normal strength beer was served. The band still played in the park near the fjord on Saturdays in the spring and summer, weather permitting and couples young and old danced. Grilled fish on a stick, knackwurst and pretzels were still sold at the refreshments stand along with fruit drinks.

Hedda stood with her back to the open door. A pleasant breeze drifted into the shop as Hedda removed books that had not sold in some time from the shelves, piling them on top of one another. The books then would be marked for a special discounted sale. As she worked, she heard a voice. “Excuse me Fraulein, but could you tell me if you have the works of John Steinbeck translated from English to German?”

A sudden chill went up and down her spine as tears welled in her eyes. She bit her lip and turning saw the young man standing at the counter.”I have one copy of Mice and Men, but I'm afraid that it was ordered and paid for by a customer, a very special customer. I'm expecting him any day now to walk in to get it. I'm sorry”,said Hedda.

 

 

 

 

Afterword

 

In World War Two the German Navy sent 40,000 submariners to sea, 30,000 never returned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Publication Date: 06-07-2015

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