For those living in the Chicago area, within our midst is one of the most unique exhibits in the world. On display at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is the WWll German submarine U-505, which was captured on the high seas on June 04, 1944, by U.S. Naval forces. Amazingly, the capture was caught on film and is available for viewing thanks to periscopefilm.com.
Consisting of six ships, Navy Task Group 22.3 set sail on May 15, 1944, to find and sink German submarines reported operating off the coast of West Africa. When contact was made the task group attacked. Surprisingly, rather than sink, the damaged U-505 surfaced and came under direct fire from the U.S. ships and planes. To save his crew, the submarine’s commander, Harald Lange, gave the order to abandon ship. But before doing so, the crew set explosive charges and opened valves, attempting to scuttle the boat.
Seizing upon opportunity, a boarding party was launched from the Destroyer Escort USS Pillsbury. They stormed the sinking U-boat, entered the ship, closed the valves, and neutralized the charges. In the process, they also captured code books, maps, charts and other extremely sensitive intelligence material. So daring was this exploit, the leader of the boarding party, Lieutenant Junior Grade Albert David received the Medal of Honor for his actions that day.
The submarine’s crew, except for one, survived and were interned as prisoners of war. Their submarine was towed 1,700 nautical miles to Bermuda, where Naval Intelligence analyzed the ship from bow to stern. This event was an intelligence bonanza, so much so that the German sailors were kept in isolation and not acknowledged as POWs. Failing to return to their home port, the German navy declared them lost at sea and presumed dead. Their status was not revealed until after the war’s end in 1945 and they returned to Germany in 1947.
No longer of use to Naval Intelligence, the U-boat was donated to the Museum in 1954 and has been on display ever since.
Amazingly, the capture was caught on film and is available for viewing thanks to periscopefilm.com.
To view the video, click here.
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