CU49 - Azores Dec. 1 to 12, 1944.xls
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
A
Date
B
Time
C
Vessel Name
D
Prefix
E
Vessel Number
F
Vessel Type
G
Port of Call
H
Movement
3-Dec-1944
3-Dec-1944
3-Dec-1944
4-Dec-1944
4-Dec-1944
5-Dec-1944
5-Dec-1944
7-Dec-1944
7-Dec-1944
7-Dec-1944
7-Dec-1944
8-Dec-1944
8-Dec-1944
8-Dec-1944
9-Dec-1944
9-Dec-1944
9-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
10-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
1200
1200
1430
1330
1330
1039
1039
630
630
1715
1715
1111
1111
Whipple
Elokomin
Tenacity
Whipple
Elokomin
Whipple
Elokomin
Tarazed
Earle
Tarazed
Earle
Whipple
Elokomin
Hiliary A. Herbert
Hiliary A. Herbert
Thomas Todd
Lucius Fairchild
Kiowa
Tattnal
Roper
Greene
Osmond Ingram
Barry
Tattnal
Roper
Greene
Osmond Ingram
Barry
Thomas Todd
Whipple
Elokomin
Greene
Greene
Extricate
Tattnal
Roper
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
H.M.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
S.S.
S.S.
S.S.
S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
DD 217
AO 55
ATR
DD 217
AO 55
DD 217
AO 55
AF 13
DD 635
AF 13
DD 635
DD 217
AO 55
# 1986 EC2-S-C1
# 1986 EC2-S-C1
# 1492 EC2-S-C1
# 2521 EC2-S-C1
ATF 72
APD 19
APD 20
APD 36
APD 35
APD 29
APD 19
APD 20
APD 36
APD 35
APD 29
# 1492 EC2-S-C1
DD 217
AO 55
APD 36
APD 36
ARS 16
APD 19
APD 20
Destroyer
Oiler
Rescue Tug
Destroyer
Oiler
Destroyer
Oiler
Stores Ship
Destroyer
Stores Ship
Destroyer
Destroyer
Oiler
Liberty Ship
Liberty Ship
Liberty Ship
Liberty Ship
Fleet Ocean Tug
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
Liberty Ship
Destroyer
Oiler
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
Salvage Vessel
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Santa Maria Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Santa Maria Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Praia da Vitoria, Terceira Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Arrival
Arrival
Departure
Departure
Departure
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Arrival
Departure
Departure
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Departure
At Anchor
Arrival
Arrival
912
1600
2359
830
1100
1100
1100
1100
1100
1235
1705
1705
2030
2140
955
955
CU49 - Azores Dec. 1 to 12, 1944.xls
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
A
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
11-Dec-1944
12-Dec-1944
12-Dec-1944
12-Dec-1944
12-Dec-1944
B
1600
1600
1600
1600
1600
C
Greene
Osmond Ingram
Barry
Tattnal
Roper
Greene
Osmond Ingram
Barry
Kingston Agate
Tug
In Tow
Cape Comorin
Saon
D
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
U.S.S.
H.M.S.
U.S. Army
U.S. Army
H.M.S.
H.M.S.
E
APD 36
APD 35
APD 29
APD 19
APD 20
APD 36
APD 35
APD 29
FY 212
LT 786
BD 494
FY 143
FY 159
F
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
High Speed Transport
ASW Trawler - 464 GRT
Large Tug 149'
Barge Derrick 110'
ASW Trawler - 504 GRT
ASW Trawler - 386 GRT
Note the attached
history of U-85 and the
sinking of same by the
U.S.S. Roper. Also,
Winfield F. Delong
commanded the U.S.S.
Roper from October 1,
1943 to January 5, 1944.
He later commanded
the U.S.S. Earl K. Olsen in
this convoy.
Note the attached
history of U-172 and the
part the U.S.S. Osmond
Ingram had in her
sinking.
Note the CU49 - U-boat
Loss Register file for
H.M.S. Kingston Agate's
part in the action
involving U-570.
G
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
Horta, Faial Island
H
Anchor Off
Anchor Off
Anchor Off
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
Departure
CU49 - Azores Dec. 1 to 12, 1944.xls
A
59
60
61
mck 5-13-15
B
C
D
E
F
Very special thanks to:
Kenneth Wynn for the
career histories of the
two u-boats. U-BOAT
OPERATIONS OF THE
SECOND WORLD WAR
VOLUME 1 ISBN 1-55750860-7
G
H
u 85
Type VII B
Built by Flenderwerft, Lubeck
Keel laid 18.12.39 Launched 10.4.41
Commissioned 7.6.41 Feldpost Nr M 40 935
Sunk 14.4.42 E of Roanoake Island (35°55 'N 75°13 W)
Served with
3 U-Flottille, Kiel/La Pallice June 1941 -14.4.42 (ab/fb)
Commanded by
OL Eberhard Greger June 1941 - 14.4.42
Patrols: 4
Ships sunk: 3 (15,060 grt)
1. 28.8.41 Left Trondheim for operations in the North Atlantic.
U 85 was one of fourteen boats which assembled SW of Iceland to
form Markgraf group. The presence of the group was known and
some convoys were re-routed to avoid it. On 4.9.41 the Markgraf
boats were ordered to form a new patrol line further west, which
caused more convoys to be re-routed. It was decided on the 6th to
spread the boats over a larger area SE of Greenland, across possible convoy routes. Some convoys were routed clear but the course
of SC 42 could not be changed because of very bad weather.
The convoy was sighted by U 85 on the 9th close to Cape
Farewell. The boat made an unsuccessful attack but its report
brought five Markgraf boats up during the night of the 9/IOth. The
operation continued until the 14th, by which time sixteen ships had
been sunk. U 85 sank the SS Thistleglen (br 4748t) NE of Cape
Farewell during the morning of the 10th. On this day she was
damaged in depth-charge attacks by the destroyer HMCS Skeena
and the corvette HMCS Albemi.
U 85 put in to her new base at St Nazaire 18.9.41
2. 11.10.41 Left St Nazaire and arrived Loiient 13.10.41
3. 16.10.41 Left for the western North Atlantic. On the 20th the
outward-bound U 84 sighted northbound convoy SL 189 WSW of
Fastnet. Other outward-bound boats were directed to the convoy
and two ships were sunk and another damaged. U 85 came up but
was driven off on the 23rd, the day the operation was called off.
The boats moved westwards again and from the 28th formed
Schlagetot group 300 to 400 miles S of Greenland. On 1.11.41
U 374 sighted the eastbound convoy SC 52 off the east coast of
Newfoundland. The Schlagetot boats were redeployed against it as
Raubritter group. Five of the boats made contact. U 85 was not
amongst them and took no part in the sinking of four ships from the
convoy. The operation ended when contact was lost during the night
of the 4/5th.
After westbound convoy ONS 29 avoided the group theRaubritter
boats moved eastwards and formed a new patrol line SE of Cape
Farewell from the 8th. When westbound ONS 33 was reported on
the 12th U 85, U 106, U 133, U 571 and U 577 were deployed but
the convoy was not found. These boats began their return journey
on the 15th. They operated unsuccessfully against westbound
convoy ONS 11 on the 16th. U 85, U 133, U 571andU577 formed
a patrol line, Stortebecker, on the 19th to await southbound OG 77
but the convoy did not materialise before the group was ordered to
continue back to base.
U 85 returned to Lorient 27.11.41
4. 8.1.42 Left for operations in the western Atlantic.
U 85 was to patrol between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. On
the 21st she possibly damaged a ship in the central North Atlantic.
,In the early hours of 9.2.41 U 85 and U 654 attacked southwestbound convoy ONS 61 E of Cape Race and U 654 sank the French
corvette Alysse. U 85 had no success but in the evening of the 9th
she sank an independent, the SS Empire Fusilier (br 5408t), a little
further south.
U 85 put in to St Nazaire 23.2.42
S. 21.3.42 Left for the Newfoundland Banlc.
Soon after arrival U 85 went south to operate off Hatteras. On
8.4.42 the MY Chr. Knudsen (nw 4904t) left New York for Cape
Town and was probably sunk by U 85 near the coast on the 10th.
Just after midnight on the 13th the destroyer USS Roper
(Lt-Cdr H W Howe) made a radar contact E of Roanoake Island,
North Carolina. It was U 85, in shallow water.
The boat attempted to escape, turning first to port and then to
starboard, but Roper refused to be shaken off. U 85 fired a torpedo
at the destroyer, which missed. The boat was then caught on the
surface by Roper's searchlight and was hit with machine-gun fire,
which cut down U 85's gun crew.
The Roper began shelling. The boat was hit and as it began to
sink many men were in the sea. Fearing another U-boat might be
nearby, Roper's captain went through the struggling survivors and
dropped eleven depth-charges where the boat had gone down.
Twenty-nine bodies were later recovered, two being left in the
sea because of fearful wounds from machine-gun fire. After an
identification and medical examination the bodies were laid to rest
in the National Cemetery at Hampton, Virginia.
.
There were no survivors. The other sixteen men of the crew,
l11cluding the commander, went down with the boat. U 85 was the
first U-boat sunk by a US warship in the Second World War.
u 172
Type IX C
Built by AG Weser, Bremen
Keel laid 11.12.40 Launched 5.8.41
Commissioned 5.11.41 Feldpost Nr M 29 596
Sunk 13.12.43 NNW of the Cape Verde Islands (26°19 'N 29°58 W)
Served with
4 U-Flottille, Stettin November 1941 - April 1942 (ab)
1OU-Flottille, Lorient April 1942 - 13.12.43 (fb)
Commanded by
KL Carl Emmermann November 1941 - October 1943
OL Hermann Hoffmann November 1943 - 13.12.43
Patrols: 6
Ships sunk: 26 (152,779 grt)
1. 22.4.42 Left Kiel, in transit for western France.
. U 172 put in to her new base at Lorient 3.5.42
2. 11.5.42 Left to operate in the Caribbean.
En route, U 172 sank the tanker MY Athelknight (br 8940t) on
the 27th, by torpedo and gunfire in the central North Atlantic. The
boat arrived off the Greater Antilles in early June.
On the 3rd U 172 sank the SS Illinois (am 5447t) NE of Puerto
Rico and on the 5th the SS Delfina (am 3480t) N of the island. The
boat passed through the Mona Passage and in the early morning of
the 8th she torpedoed and sank the MY Sicilien (am 1654t) off Isla
Beata, Dominican Republic.
U 172 moved to the western Caribbean. On the 14th she sank
the SS Lebore (am 8289t) ENE of Isla de San Andres and in the
evening of the 15th the SS Bennestvet (nw 2438t) E of Colorada,
Costa Rica. On the 18th U 172 sank the tanker MY Motorex
(am 1958t) by gunfire NW of Bocas del Toro, Panama and on the
23rd the sailing vesselResolute (co 35t) by gunfire SW ofRoncador
Cay. Survivors from the Resolute claimed that they were machinegunned in the sea.
In early July U 172 began her homeward journey and during the
afternoon of the 9th she sank the SS Santa Rita (am 8379t) by
torpedo and gunfire 800 miles SE of Bermuda. An officer from this
ship was taken aboard for interrogation.
U 172 returned to Lorient 21.7.42
3. 19.8.42 Left for operations in the South Atlantic, in company
with U 68, U 156 and U 504, as Eisbiir group.
From the 26th, W of Spain, the group operated briefly against
northbound SL 119, during which time U 156 sank a straggler. The
four boats swept south in formation to the Cape Verde Islands and
from 4.9.42 they proceeded independently. The Equator was crossed
in mid-September and U 68, U 172 and U 504 rendezvoused with
U 459 on the 24th 600 miles S of St Helena for refuelling. The
three boats were joined by U 159 and they all continued south,
arriving in their operational area off Cape Town from 4.10.42.
In the morning of the 7th U 172 sank two ships, the SS Chicasaw
City (am 6196t) and the MY Firethorn (pa 4700t) and in the early
hours of the 8th the SS Pantelis (gr 3845t). All three were sunk in
the same area, just SW of Cape Town. On the 8th the boat was
damaged in an attack by South African naval vessels. In the
morning of the 10th U 172 encountered the outward-bound troopship SS Orcades 270 miles NW of Cape Town. After being hit by
two torpedoes the Orcades stopped and lowered her boats, one of
which capsized in the rough sea, with the loss of 38 lives.There had
been 1300 people on board.including women and children.
The captain and 52 volunteers made temporary repairs and the
Orcades headed back to Cape Town. 1\vo and a half hours aftec the
first attack U 172 hit the liner again with three more t01pedoes
she sank in three minutes. The Orcades O>r 234561
ship sunk in the area of the Cape. The total loss of life was 40,
be~ng 2 crew killed in the engine room by a torpedo explosion and
38 lost in the capsized lifeboat.
U 172 began her return journey in late October. In the evening of
the 31st she sank the MV Aldington Court (br 4891t) 1400 miles
WNW of Cape Town and further northwest in the evening of 2.11.42
she sank the SS Llandillo (br 4966t). Survivors were allowed on to
the boat's casing whilst their lifeboats were baled out.
U 172 operated off the coast of Brazil from mid-November and
on the 23rd she torpedoed and sank the SS Benlomond (br 6630t)
NW of Parnafba. There was only one known survivor from this
vessel, a steward who was picked up after 130 days on a raft.
U 172 moved to patrol off St Paul Rocks and on the 28th she
sank the SS Alaskan (am 5364t) by torpedo and gunfire NE of the
Rocks. The boat was refuelled in the same area by U 461 in early
December for return to base. Whilst refuelling was in progress,
U 461 received reports of a westbound convoy passing further to
the north. U 172 sighted a westbound convoy on the 12th and
claimed two torpedo hits but there are no reports of any ships sunk.
U 172 returned to Lorient 27.12.42
4. 21.2.43 Left to operate in the western Atlantic.
U 172 went to join other boats in an assembly area W of the
Azores. They were originally intended for operations off the US
east coast but were now ordered to form a patrol line, Unverzagt,
SW of the Azores, to intercept eastbound convoy UGS 6. On the
way U 172 sank the SS City of Pretoria (br 8049t) in the morning
of 4.3.43 and the MV Thorstrand (nw 3041t) in the evening of the
6th, both WNW of the Azores.
UGS 6 left New York on the 5th and the convoy was sighted by
U 130 of Unverzagt in the evening of the 12th, W of the Azores.
She began to shadow but was located and sunk during the night.
Contact was not regained with UGS 6 until the 14th.
Unverzagt and Wohlgemut groups formed a patrol line, through
which UGS 6 passed on the 14th. The Tammler group, then off the
Canaries, was ordered to make the 1500 mile journey to intercept
the convoy before it was too close to Gibraltar. Although there were
generally at least six boats in contact and in spite of there being no
aircraft and the conditions good, the operation was a failure, with
only four ships sunk. Late on the 13th U 172 sank the SS Keystone
(am 5565t) W of the Azores and late on the 16th the SS Benjamin
Harrison (am 719lt) E of the Azores.
The remote screen kept the boats well away from UGS 6,
carrying out depth-charge attacks more than ten miles from the
convoy. The operation ended on the 19th W of Spain, in the face of
increasing air support from Gibraltar.
U 172 moved south with other boats from the UGS 6 operation
and they formed a new patrol line, Seeriiuber, S of the Canaries, to
meet southbound convoy RS 3, expected on the 26th. It was sighted
on the 28th and in a two-day operation three ships were sunk, one
by U 172, the MV Silverbeech (br 5319t) off the Moroccan coast on
the 29th. During attacks on the convoy the boat was damaged.
On or about 3.4.43 U 172 was refuelled for return to base,
probably by another boat. On the 6th she fought off an attacking
Sunderland S of the Canaries.
U 172 returned to Lorient 17.4.43
5. 29.5.43 Left for operations in the South Atlantic.
U 172 was refuelled by U 530 SW of the Canaries some time
after mid-June. She sank the SS Vernon City (br 4748t) SSE of St
Paul Rocks on the 28th and then went on to the coast of Brazil.
On 12.7.43 U 172 sank the SS African Star(am 6507t) 250 miles
SW of Rio and on the 15th the SS Harmonic (br 4558t) 620 miles
E of Rio. U 172's commander waited until the Harmonic 's crew
had abandoned ship before sinking her. He gave them a course to
steer for land. On the 24th U 172 sank the SS Fort Chilcotin
(br 7133t) 420 miles ESE of Bahia.
On 3.8.43 U 604 was so badly damaged in an aircraft attack 150
miles SE of Pemambuco that she could not make the journey back
to base. A plan was made for U 185 to meet her 500 miles E of
Pemambuco on the 8th to take offU 604's crew and then scuttle the
boat. Air activity in the area was such that a new rendezvous was
arranged, 400 miles to the northeast. U 172 was ordered to meet
U 604 and U 185 at the new position and did so on the 11th.
The two boats were transferring fuel and stores from U 604 when
a USN Liberator (Lt-Cdr Prueher) arrived. U 172 dived but the
other two boats remained surfaced and opened fire on the aircraft,
which made two unsuccessful bombing attacks. On the third run
the Liberator was shot down by U 185 and all the crew were lost.
U 185 embarked U 604's crew and the boat was scuttled. U 172
met U 185 two days later and embarked 23 of U 604's crew.
U 172 was refuelled by U 847 on the 27th 800 miles SW of the
Azores. She returned to Lorient 7.9.43
6. 22.11.43 Left for operations in the Central Atlantic.
Outward-bound, U 172 was to rendezvous with U 219 for
refuelling. They met on 12.12.43 1000 miles NNW of the Cape
Verde Islands. Refuelling was taldng place when the boats were
sighted by an Avenger of VC-19 (Lt E C Gaylord) from the escortcarrier USS Bogue, which was only' 40 miles to the south. The
carrier had been searching for U 219.
The boats submerged as Gaylord dropped depth-charges. U 219
escaped but U 172 was damaged. Three other aircraft arrived and
more depth-charges were dropped. The destroyers USS George E
Badger (Lt EM Higgins) and Dupont (Cdr JG Marshall) attacked
with hedgehog bombs and depth-charges, sending the boat deep.
The hunt continued on the 13th and in the evening U 172 was
reported on the surface a few miles away, going north. The George
E Badger closed and opened fire. Before diving the boat fired an
acoustic torpedo, which missed. A sound contact was made and the
George E Badger and Dupont made depth-charge attacks before
leaving the scene. An aircraft sighted a moving oil slick and the
destroyers USS George E Badger, Clemson (Lt-Cdr E W Yancey)
and the Osmond Ingram (Lt-Cdr R F Miller) went to investigate.
Depth-charge attacks were made and U 172 was forced to the
surface, badly damaged. The Osmond Ingram closed and in an
exchange of gunfire lost one man killed and had another six
wounded. When the other two destroyers opened fire the boat was
set on fire and the crew abandoned ship. U 172 exploded after it
sank beneath the surface. The commander and 45 members of the
crew were picked up. 14 men were lost. The action was in the
vicinity of convoy GUS 23 and the destroyers were part of the screen.