SECOND PATROL
In seven weeks between 27 August and 14 October 1944, the U-853 was on it second patrol, but sank no ships. The ship had been fitted out with a Schnorchel, a retractable air intake and exhaust that allowed it to remain submerged while running her diesel engines. This reduced the need to spend dangerous periods on the surface charging batteries.
LAST PATROL
ON 23 February 1945, the U-853 was sent on her third war patrol to harass U.S. coastal shipping. She did not sink any targets during the first weeks of patrol. On 1 April she was ordered to the Gulf of Maine.
On 23 April, she fatally torpedoed the USS Eagle 56 near Portland, Maine. The Eagle has been towing targets for the US Navy dive bomber training exercise 3 nautical miles off Cape Elizabeth when she exploded amidships and sank. Only 13 of her 67 crew survived.
The same day, the USS Selfridge dropped nine depth charges on a suspected submarine. The next day, the USS Muskegon made sonar contact and attacked the U-853, but failed to destroy her.
--GreGen
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