Continued from Jan. 25th.
On February 16, 1941, a German long-range reconnaissance plane spotted the Gairsoppa and the information was relayed to a nearby U-boat. The U-101, under Captain Ernst Mengerson headed for the "kill." At 2230 hours, a massive explosion blew apart the Gairsoppa's No. 2 hold. The foremast crashed to the deck, taking out the ship's radio antennae so no distress signal was sent out.
The Gairsoppa was sinking fast and the order given to abandon ship and the men made for the lifeboats. The German submarine surfaced and opened fire on the sinking ship with machine guns. Bullets cut the ropes of one of the lifeboats and sent it crashing into the sea.
Dozens of sailors leaped overboard and swam toward it, including Second Officer Richard Ayres. Once on it, the men began frantically pushing away from the stricken ship to avoid being pulled down with it. They also had to avoid the still-spinning propeller.
They managed to put some distance between them and the ship and watched as the Gairsoppa sank just twenty minutes after being hit.
Just 31 had been able to climb aboard the lifeboat, 8 Europeans and 23 Indians (from India) known as Lascars.
Now They're In for It. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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