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U 550 Discovery Today

Article about: The discovery of U 550 was released today by news media. Sub was discovered off coast of Nantucket Ma. by divers. Total loss of life was listed at 44. Was sunk by depth charges and gunfire a

  1. #1

    Default U 550 Discovery Today

    The discovery of U 550 was released today by news media. Sub was discovered off coast of Nantucket Ma. by divers. Total loss of life was listed at 44. Was sunk by depth charges and gunfire as it surfaced. Sunk April 16, 1944. Had sunk a tanker in Convoy CU21. Discovered by sonar of ship USS Joyce. Captain Hanert in charge. Will keep members informed of future news or possible salvage.

  2. #2

    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Last edited by sunsetIE; 07-28-2012 at 03:00 AM.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Klaus Hanert's boat...

    Interesting story about her sinking. She hit the SS Pan-Pennsylvania, which was one of the largest tankers around in her day, and as she slowly started to burn, Hanert took U-550 down to hide below the hull of the damaged ship to evade the screen. The crew actually thought that they had shaken off the escort, but as they attempted to make their way to safer climes, they were crippled by depth charges, forcing them to surface immediately. Then, after more exchanges of fire, U-550 was rammed and the boat was as good as finished, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Thirteen crew members were rescued, one of whom died later as a result of wounds he received during the battle. The remaining crew were all lost.

    Some of the trapped crew's bodies were washed up several weeks later wearing escape clothing. It appeared that they had been trapped in a compartment on the ocean floor, and had attempted an escape, only to drown later. Patrol vessels remained in the area for some time, in an attempt to clear the navigation hazard that the stricken tanker had become. During this time, they failed to report further U-550 survivors, amid concerns that some crew had actually managed to make it to shore, despite the distance (U-550 sank 70 miles south of Nantucket).

    Regards,

    Carl

  4. #4

    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Thanks for sharing. Interesting story.

  5. #5

    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Poor guys ! Must have been terrifying

    Nick
    "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem

  6. #6
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    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Quote by Woolgar View Post
    Poor guys ! Must have been terrifying

    Nick
    It just cannot be understood by the likes of you and I can it Nick? One of those who was found on the surface was just 17 years old too...

  7. #7

    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Thanks for added info Tiger 88. Many teams had been looking for this sub for quite a while. Picked up a book called U Boats destroyed by Paul Kemp a while back. Well worth reading for yourself or anyone else interested in the U boat arm. Best wishes.

  8. #8

    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Looks like another was found 100km from the Atlantic in Canada in a River also...most interesting on both finds, A couple liks:

    http://mobilevideo.cbc.ca/u/pass~fn/...01)/video.m3u8


    German U-boat may be at bottom of Labrador river - Nfld. & Labrador - CBC News

  9. #9
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    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Thanks for posting that danno81,

    This one needs to be followed for sure. Inconclusive, at best, is how one should describe things as they stand. The video link's image does show some characteristics, so hopefully confirmation will come one day in the future. If their is a U-Boat down there, it will have been quite far inland. Rather unusual, to say the least.

    Regards,

    Carl

  10. #10
    ?

    Default Re: U 550 Discovery Today

    Interesting both of them

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