snell
03-16-07, 10:35 PM
I had finished my patrol just north of Port of Spain (July 1942) and was about to start my trip home. I decided to stop by an allied base in the Antilles just to look around. Mistake #1. As soon as I got close enough to see the docks (fortunately at periscope depth) I got jumped by a patrol craft. Not a big deal as I had lots of water depth and a fresh battery. A few minutes of making knuckles and some creative depth mangament and he and his sidekick's noise faded behind me. I checked with my sonarman and he reports no noise outside. So back to periscope depth to look around. Mistake #2. As soon as I got close to the surface I get the warning "we are being pinged"... From who, from where??? Shortly therafter I was critically damaged then sunk!
I can only imagine a warship was sitting dead in the water north of the festivities awaiting a dumb UBoat skipper(Me). I must have come up nearly under his keel because the pinging and the sinking took place so fast. I was well north of the docks of the base so if the warship was sitting quietly is was intentional. So much for idle curiousity! I will stay away from all bases from now on. :damn:
I can only imagine a warship was sitting dead in the water north of the festivities awaiting a dumb UBoat skipper(Me). I must have come up nearly under his keel because the pinging and the sinking took place so fast. I was well north of the docks of the base so if the warship was sitting quietly is was intentional. So much for idle curiousity! I will stay away from all bases from now on. :damn: