A ton of info and excellent photos of the capture of U-505 by Task Group 22.3 U-boat Archive - U-505 - StumbleUpon Scroll down and see official photos, including the German POW's boarding the U.S.S. Guadalcanal.
Steve, a sterling find ! I have know read all of the report links and one has to be impressed with this event. Nice to be able to see all the accounts, and one must marvel at the bravery of the boarding party. The sub could have sunk on it's own, had scuttling charges set and the fact that the entire crew of U 505 survived borders on a miracle. Looking at the ammunition expended at 500-700 yards as well as strafing by planes plus depth charges it easily could have resultr4d in the entire crew being lost. To capture it virtually intact and get it to the US deserves praise . I have been lucky to have visited 505 in both it's settings in Chicago but could not book the 2+ hour tour. Having walked through much of it then thru the USS Drum in Moblie , Alabama, makes one realise the difference in size of the long distant Pacific boats and the type 9 Atlantic boats. The Type 7 must really have been cramped. I , of course, cannot begin to imagine a depth charge attack. I ncrediabbly brave men all. Though it is only a movie, Das Boat, at least tries to convey that feeling. Gaines
Gaines, I liked this article too. I visited the U-505 MANY years ago and remember how cramped its quarters were. Battleship Memorial Park is a jewel ! A great weekend visit. Gotta' say, there's something about Mobile, Alabama I always liked.
I remember first reading about the capture of the U-505 when I read the book Clear the Decks! by Admiral Dan Gallery, who at the time was a Captain and commanded the USS Guadalcanal.
