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.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Surrender of Four U-boats in May 1945-- Part 2: Arrival of the U-805

"The only thing that really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril,"  wrote British  Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Eventually the U-boat menace off the coast of the United States subsided as the submarines were called back to patrol the waters off England and the sea routes to the Soviet Union.  Also, greatly improved anti-submarine tactics were developed.

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The 245-foot U-805 was the first to arrive.  She had surrendered in the North Atlantic and was towed to Portsmouth Harbor.  Green dye marked the spot for the rendezvous  with a tugboat carrying Navy officials and  news reporters.

Three "surly, expressionless" German officers appeared on board.  They officially surrendered at 4:25 p.m. at the mouth of the harbor.  One caption to a newspaper article read:  "Its fangs yanked out, this prize U-boat  will prey no more upon Allied  shipping in the Atlantic."

A bus took the Germans to Portsmouth Naval Prison, commonly known as "The Castle," where they were interrogated by Office of Naval intelligence officers.  They wanted technical details about jet aircraft, ballistic missiles, guided bombs and nuclear weapon technology.

Those Germans Had Sime Mighty Advanced Technology.  --GreGen


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