![]() Source: Wikipedia, German submarine U-85 (1941) The 29 bodies recovered from U-85 were buried in Hampton National Cemetery on the night of April 15, 1942 That machine was finally recovered by divers in 2001, and is on display at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in North Carolina. However, efforts to recover the U-85 and the Enigma coding machine on board were unsuccessful. That limited fear among coastal residents and awareness of the military situation by the German navy. A Catholic priest and a Protestant minister performed services, three volleys were fired, and taps was played. The burial was at night, with a full ceremony. They were buried that night in graves in Hampton National Cemetery, dug by German prisoners of war imprisoned at Fort Monroe. The following day, 29 bodies were recovered from the ocean. It went underwater, and the US warship then dropped 11 depth charges. At least one 3-inch shell from a deck gun cracked the hull of the submarine. The US destroyer USS Roper sank U-85 east of the Outer Banks, after using radar to catch it on the surface. The first U-boat was finally sunk off the American Coast on April 14, 1942. From the start of offensive operations in mid-January through March, 1942, U-boats sank 39 ships. During the first half of 1942, the German submarines had great success in sinking Allied tankers and other cargo ships just off the East Coast of the United States. The narrow continental shelf off the Outer Banks allowed U-boats to hide in deep water during the day, then find ships closer to shore to attack at nightĪfter Germany and the United State declared war in December 1941, five U-boats were sent to the East Coast to start Operation Drumbeat. U-Boats Off the Virginia Coast U-Boats Off the Virginia Coast
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |