William516
03-17-07, 12:39 PM
Hello everyone this is a continuation from the earlier story that can be found here
U-66 Story Parts (1-6) (Click here) (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=106063)
This story has also been entered in the short story contest. I encourage everyong to visit the short story contest post read and vote on them. Some very tallented writerss there. Also feel free to submit or create your own story for the next contest.
Short Story Contest (Click here) (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/3101045735)
Enjoy
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Chapter 7
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It was so hard for me to stand that I also tied myself off to the conning tower and held on as tightly as I could. The bow of the U-66 would appear and then disappear as if being swallowed by the sea. The young man had now cautiously climbed out onto the pitching deck and tied off. He took out the home made patch and tried to apply it to the where the radio antenna enters the U-boat. I watched the man, probably no more then twenty years old, do a job that most men twice his age could not do on the best of days. The small figure disappeared behind the deluge of rain water as the storm strength increased.
I’m not sure but for some reason I decided to turn and look again at the bow as it crashed through the pounding surf. I could barely see the bow of the boat through the drenching rain and I could no longer see the horizon. I squinted my eyes and wiped the water away for a better view, but still could not see a thing. The horizon was gone, completely covered by a wall of water, a wall of water that was quickly moving in our direction.
I screamed as loud as I could, “Wave Hang on!” as I tightened my grip and ducked down, but I doubt the man heard me. A few seconds later I was thrown forward smashing into the UZO mounting brackets before being tossed to the hard deck. A torrent of water washed over me and I felt as if I had fallen overboard. I grabbed the harness that was wrapped around my waist. I was still alive and onboard.
My mind raced to the thought of the man trying to fix the leak. I came to my senses and stood up. My heart skipped a beat, as gazed on the lifeless body of the young crew member. His harness still firmly attached to his body and the boat. His body slammed into the hull with each passing wave, like that of docking bumper. I yelled down into the command room for some help. Two sopping wet bodies came crawling up the ladder to greet me. Within a few seconds the three of us created a plan to bring the lifeless body back onboard. A second huge wave crashed over the U-66 tossing the three of us onto the metal deck. I helped the two men up and tied them off using some rope that was stashed away for docking. The two men standing next to me were older then most of the crew but were very experienced and I knew that they could handle the job. I once had to place my life in there hands and I never doubted that they would save me. Now it was there turn to pass that gift on to someone else. We formed a human chain that reached from the bridge over to the swinging body. It took several tries before we eventually managed to undo the harness and slowly pass the crewmember back towards me. I took my numb hands and grabbed the lifeless body from them. I struggled as it took all my might to pull him back onto the bridge and lay him down. I looked him over and could not find any signs of life. The poor kid looked like hell though. His entire body was battered from head to toe and the harness had actually begun to cut into his skin. His forehead had a large laceration that was bleeding out and down his face. I felt pity for the young man who was only doing his job.
I screamed for a medic, who only seconds later was there to at the top of ladder. He reached up through the entrance of the coning tower signaling us to pass the body on down to him. Below him was another line of men, also here to aid their fellow crew member. It only took about five minutes and the lifeless body was hauled back onboard and taken back sick bay.
The storm strength continued increase, impressing even me with its furry. I ordered everyone to go below deck and we closed and locked the hatch. It was a very risky thing to do but I had no choice. To leave any crew on the bridge would be an act of madness and a waste. Within seconds they could be tossed from the bridge into the frigid sea and without a second to even cry for help. The swells in the ocean were already swallowing the entire submarine. It was then that I made the decision to head back towards home. The U-66 was useless in battle until the repairs could be made. We were as blind as a bat and could only navigate above water on a clear day. I made my announcement to the crew and could see the mixed emotional responses among the cheering and gripes. For the seasoned crew members it was a sigh of relief. It was a chance to go home and see friends and family, if even for a few days. To the recruits and green members it was a postponement of combat that they had trained for.
The Tiger Shark began a shallow turn towards our new heading and home. She shook violently as each wave smashed her hull. The vibrations felt like that of depth charges as they explode nearby. The smallest task onboard the boat was now a chore. We could not stand up, walk, or even sit firmly on our seats without holding on to something. As long as this storm kept up, we were in for a long ride back to port.
It was a very slow process indeed; with our engines at half thrust we could only make two maybe four knots. I sat up in my bed, steadied myself, and then proceeded to walk to the command room. On the way I stopped by the sonar and radio crew stations. The crew sat with there heads buried in their hands, exhausted and sick. Work on the hydrophone and sonar continued but the machines were still dead. The electricians had tried everything to bring these important machines back on-line and failed. There was nothing they could really do for it but they continued to try and why not. There was nothing to do for most of the crew who were not on duty. I had suspended all practice drills due to the violent weather. It was hard enough for me to walk around the confined spaces of the sub without falling. Just before leaving the sonar station I glanced aft, the crews sprits were down and it was easy to tell. The laughter, card playing, cheering, and joking had been replaced with silence. Many of the crew clung to the racks trying to sleep, while others just seemed lost. The sea sickness among the crew continued to grow, and only the toughest of men could resist the nauseating feeling deep inside. There were times I just had to stop and force myself to keep it together. Just imagine the worst feeling in the world you have had when on a boat in rough seas, now simply triple that, that’s how it felt. When your on a boat, if you wish you can still go outside and view the your surroundings maybe even take in a little fresh air. On a submarine you rock back and forth and have no bearing on where you are. There is no fresh air once the hatches are closed so when the first person vomits the smell only gets worse. The smell has gotten really bad in this boat since the storm.
I reached the command room and ducked through the hatch. The demeanor inside was the same as that of the crew. My officer greeted me as he always did and informed me of our status and situation. I looked to my left and fumbled with the wet chart showing our position. We did not make much headway in the last six hours. I walked to the center of the room and climbed into the conning tower. I grabbed my shirt and wiped the lenses of the observation scope off. The observation scope slowly rose out of its protective housing and I saw the bow of the U-boat come into view. We must have entered some very dense fog durring our trip. The observation scope shook and then all I could see water. I raised the scope a few more meters to get a better view and keep it from being constantly swallowed by the raging sea. I circled a full 360 degrees but could not see anything. If the scope wasn’t looking at thick fog then it was simply covered by a large swell. I lowered the scope back into the protective housing and climbed down into the command room.
I tapped my XO on the back and asked for his opinion.
“If we continue to burn fuel at this rate, we may not have enough to make it back.” He looked at me now inquisitively, and I know I had his undivided attention.
“We are running the engines now at standard and only making two knots” I pulled him over to the chart. I placed my finger on the map and drew an imaginary line back to port, while continuing to talk.
“If the storm continues then we will use more fuel then we have, I’m thinking about shutting down the engines now and waiting this storm out. If we do that we are sure to have ample fuel to make it home.”
The officer looked at me and nodded his head in approval to the plan.
“All stop” I ordered the engine room.
Slowly the lights started to dim as the large diesel engines wound down.
“Keep the rudder centered and bow pointed into the wind”
I explained the new plan to the officers and crew in the command room.
“We can not keep fighting this storm, at the rate we are consuming fuel we would not make it home” I continued my little speech, “So we are going to wait the storm out, we will keep the bow pointed into the wind and waves. This will keep the rolling to a minimum. We will then switch over to battery power for all electrical needs. The only time I want the diesel engines to run is for recharging the batteries.” I want a watch crew to man the observation scope at all times, but no one is to go out on the bridge.”
My crew went to work the minute I finished speaking and did not ask a single question. I guess they saw the wisdom in my plan or simply just trusted me. It didn’t matter; my crew always knew that I would not gamble with their lives. We had been through hell and back and learned to rely on each other through it all.
My mind raced back into a time where I was about twenty years old and was serving as an officer onboard the U-21 She was an older boat, a VII class that the crew had lovingly given the name “The Leaky Teaky.” I learned a lot on that small boat, everything from swabbing the decks to commanding her crew, and everything in between. I also remember learning to trust your fellow mates and especially your commanding officers. There were times that they would shout out orders that were crazy, sometimes even deadly. I would stand there and bite my tongue as my mind crazily raced around for the answer. The one time I did open my big mouth ended with a stern reprimand, swift punch to my gut, and two weeks of cleaning detail upon returning to port. That also did not include the time spent onboard cleaning out the bilge area. After that I never questioned authority again, well at least not out loud. When we first went into combat onboard “The Leaky Teaky” I learned that the captain was not the heartless soul he appeared to be on the outside, but rather cared about each and every person on his boat. He would not risk his crew unless it was a matter of life or death. From that point on I decided this was the way to run a boat and to make it my goal to do it better then those who taught me.
I wondered if my crew on the U-66 understood my decisions and took them to heart, or if they viewed me like a “heartless soul.” Were they following orders because they were afraid of punishment, or had they learned to trust me even with their lives. Its questions like these that can keep a captain awake at night.
“Captain, I need to speak with you for a minute.”
The words cut into my thoughts and practically startled me. I had become so used to the somber atmosphere and quietness that the man had to ask a second time before I acknowledged his presence.
“Sir, can I have a word please?”
I gazed over at an older man that had started to go grey. The sad thing is that the man was only in has early thirties. I guess sometimes this job can really get to you; I’m surprised my hair is still on my head. The medic signaled me over to the next compartment. I stepped through the hatch and could instantly see what he wanted. To the left of me was a small bed with blood stained sheets covering it. The smell of stale blood instantly overtook me and I starting taking shallow breaths through my mouth. The blood stained sheet covered all but the mans head, but his head was also wrapped in a bandage.
It was the same man whom, hours earlier was trying to save the vessel. He now lay motionless in the bed. IVs were hung from a makeshift stand and the lines ran down disappearing under the bloody sheets. His face was unrecognizable; the smile the young man had been wearing days ago had disappeared, replaced by a comatose scowl. His eyes, though bloodshot, struggled to focus on me. I could not believe that he had survived such a punishment and my heart broke for the man. The medic also seemed to gaze upon the man with amazement. He reached over and pulled back the sheets to reveal an even more traumatizing display. I knew earlier that the harness had cut into the man waist when we pulled him to safety, but with his shirt on I could not tell how bad. More bandages cover the mans waist and they too were saturated in blood. The medic reached down and pulled the bandages from the man. The injured boy never even winced in pain as the bandages were slowly pulled away from the open wound. I wanted to look away but I knew the doctor wanted me to see this. The image that I saw was one of pure horror and would remain in the mind for all time.
The minute the pressure was released from the wound it began to hemorrhage. The medic grabbed my hand and placed in on the wound.
“Hold your hand here and keep pressure on the wound, while I grab a new bandage.”
I did as I was told and placed my hand over the gaping wound. The blood felt warm to the touch and the injured man struggled to breath. With every breath the wound would open wide. I turned my head the other way to avoid the horrid site. The image of the gapping wound was just too much. I looked for the medic but he was no where to be found. I turned my head back and saw my hand completely covered in blood. I applied even more pressure to the wound but not matter what I did I could not stop the bleeding. The medic finally appeared with some new dressings and began placing them on the injured man.
“You can move you hand now, sir”
I slowly pulled my blood stained hand away from the wound as the doctor quickly placed the dressing over the injury.
“Sir, here you go!” The medic said as he tossed me a damp rag. I began rubbing my hands furiously together and tried to wipe the mans blood onto the rag. My mind began thinking thoughts that held me directly accountable for the injuries to this man lying in front of me. It took several tries but I manage to successfully remove all the blood from my hands. The medic pulled me aside and began speaking.
“Amazing the harness saved his life but is now slowly killing the man.” He paused and looked my straight in the eyes.
“I don’t think that I need to tell you but this man will die if we do not get him back to port.”
“I have done all I can, Sir” but can not stop the bleeding from the abdomen area.” The doctor looked back across his shoulder trying to hide his tears.
“I have given him morphine for the pain, enough to make him comfortable, but it’s all I can do.”
I put my hands on the doctor’s shoulder
“I know your doing the best you can, keep up the good work.”
“Keep me informed on his condition”
The older man seemed comforted by my words but I know in my heart, he felt helpless and responsible. I guess as captain I am not the one with the hardest job after all. I also knew that this man would probably die before we reached the port. I cleared my head of the thought and the grotesque images and stepped back into the command room.
Several days passed before the storm subsided enough for me to post a lookout crew on the bridge. It was one hell of a ride until that day. Durring the trip there were several injuries but nothing serious. Most of the injuries were cause from items that were not tied down, the others from crew that were literally thrown from their post or racks. As for the U-66 she remained battered and bruised but made it with only slight damage to the forward deck and observation scope. We were now only several hours away from home and the boat had a new sound. It was the sound of hope and relief. Preparations had begun to dock and I had only a skeleton crew on watch. The calm sea was a beautiful site and one that I missed for the last week. The gulls had come back to scream and torment us as we slowly crept forward. We still did not have our radio or hydrophone but we were in friendly waters now and only a few hours from being home. Let the engineers and technical people deal with that. I had a long awaited appointment with my comfortable bed and hot meal. Well I had an appointment with a lot more then that but they were what I craved the most. I should also add the hot shower into that list. I walked back to my quarters and began packing up my belongings.
I had a huge grin on my face at the thought of home and all the things I used to take for granted. I made the bed and grabbed the captain’s log placing it in my leather bag.
“Aircraft spotted sir, long range” The watch crew called down into the command room. This was something I was used to hearing the closer we got to port. I paid it no mind and continued packing my things, a few minutes later the message was repeated.
I slowly got up and walked towards the command room. I asked for a status report. The XO responded.
“Sir, watch crew has reported several aircraft long range.”
The urgency in his voice suggested a problem and I decided to take a look myself. I climbed the ladder and took a look with my binoculars. The watch officer pointed his finger in the direction I needed to focus. I placed the binoculars up to my eyes and focused them. A large group of aircraft was coming in from the north but I could not tell what kind they were or the markings.
The noise of the piston engines continued to grow louder by the minute and I strained to see the make of the aircraft, but still was not able to. In the distance I could see the port and several cruisers, it all seemed very tranquil and no one else seemed to be alarmed.
“Keep an eye out, they must be ours out practicing formation flying.” I ordered the watch officer. I turned to view the port through the binoculars and I could see the people on the docks. It was a sight that almost brought tears to my eyes. We were home finally; we had survived yet another mission from hell. I went back to my thoughts of family, friends, warm showers, hot meals, and all the other things I missed and took for granted. I watched the port slowly emerge from the fog. It grew bigger by every passing minute. Every moment we came closer to setting our feet on dry land.
A huge explosion erupted behind me and I spun around to catch the last glimpse of fire erupted out the large guns on the destroyer. A second explosion came from the main guns and then the anti aircraft guns opened up. The once peaceful scene was turning chaotic and I still had no idea what was going on. Then I felt a piercing pain, a pain I never felt before in my life in my left shoulder. I screamed in pain and dropped onto the metal deck. Next to me, was what was left of my watch officer’s body, completely shredded by bullets. His blood and flesh spattered all over the bridge and me. A second wave of bullets could be heard ricocheting all around me and a third crewman screamed in agony. The sparks of the bullets hitting the U-66 blinded me or maybe it was the severe pain in my side. I didn’t know what it was or what had happened. I did know one thing for sure. We were under attack!
“All hands to your stations, we are under attack!” I tried to scream through the agonizing pain
“This is not a drill!”
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To be continued.....
William
Captain
U-66
"Tiger Shark"
If you would like a copy of the U-66 Patrol log / story please feel free to PM me.
U-66 Story Parts (1-6) (Click here) (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=106063)
This story has also been entered in the short story contest. I encourage everyong to visit the short story contest post read and vote on them. Some very tallented writerss there. Also feel free to submit or create your own story for the next contest.
Short Story Contest (Click here) (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/3101045735)
Enjoy
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Chapter 7
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It was so hard for me to stand that I also tied myself off to the conning tower and held on as tightly as I could. The bow of the U-66 would appear and then disappear as if being swallowed by the sea. The young man had now cautiously climbed out onto the pitching deck and tied off. He took out the home made patch and tried to apply it to the where the radio antenna enters the U-boat. I watched the man, probably no more then twenty years old, do a job that most men twice his age could not do on the best of days. The small figure disappeared behind the deluge of rain water as the storm strength increased.
I’m not sure but for some reason I decided to turn and look again at the bow as it crashed through the pounding surf. I could barely see the bow of the boat through the drenching rain and I could no longer see the horizon. I squinted my eyes and wiped the water away for a better view, but still could not see a thing. The horizon was gone, completely covered by a wall of water, a wall of water that was quickly moving in our direction.
I screamed as loud as I could, “Wave Hang on!” as I tightened my grip and ducked down, but I doubt the man heard me. A few seconds later I was thrown forward smashing into the UZO mounting brackets before being tossed to the hard deck. A torrent of water washed over me and I felt as if I had fallen overboard. I grabbed the harness that was wrapped around my waist. I was still alive and onboard.
My mind raced to the thought of the man trying to fix the leak. I came to my senses and stood up. My heart skipped a beat, as gazed on the lifeless body of the young crew member. His harness still firmly attached to his body and the boat. His body slammed into the hull with each passing wave, like that of docking bumper. I yelled down into the command room for some help. Two sopping wet bodies came crawling up the ladder to greet me. Within a few seconds the three of us created a plan to bring the lifeless body back onboard. A second huge wave crashed over the U-66 tossing the three of us onto the metal deck. I helped the two men up and tied them off using some rope that was stashed away for docking. The two men standing next to me were older then most of the crew but were very experienced and I knew that they could handle the job. I once had to place my life in there hands and I never doubted that they would save me. Now it was there turn to pass that gift on to someone else. We formed a human chain that reached from the bridge over to the swinging body. It took several tries before we eventually managed to undo the harness and slowly pass the crewmember back towards me. I took my numb hands and grabbed the lifeless body from them. I struggled as it took all my might to pull him back onto the bridge and lay him down. I looked him over and could not find any signs of life. The poor kid looked like hell though. His entire body was battered from head to toe and the harness had actually begun to cut into his skin. His forehead had a large laceration that was bleeding out and down his face. I felt pity for the young man who was only doing his job.
I screamed for a medic, who only seconds later was there to at the top of ladder. He reached up through the entrance of the coning tower signaling us to pass the body on down to him. Below him was another line of men, also here to aid their fellow crew member. It only took about five minutes and the lifeless body was hauled back onboard and taken back sick bay.
The storm strength continued increase, impressing even me with its furry. I ordered everyone to go below deck and we closed and locked the hatch. It was a very risky thing to do but I had no choice. To leave any crew on the bridge would be an act of madness and a waste. Within seconds they could be tossed from the bridge into the frigid sea and without a second to even cry for help. The swells in the ocean were already swallowing the entire submarine. It was then that I made the decision to head back towards home. The U-66 was useless in battle until the repairs could be made. We were as blind as a bat and could only navigate above water on a clear day. I made my announcement to the crew and could see the mixed emotional responses among the cheering and gripes. For the seasoned crew members it was a sigh of relief. It was a chance to go home and see friends and family, if even for a few days. To the recruits and green members it was a postponement of combat that they had trained for.
The Tiger Shark began a shallow turn towards our new heading and home. She shook violently as each wave smashed her hull. The vibrations felt like that of depth charges as they explode nearby. The smallest task onboard the boat was now a chore. We could not stand up, walk, or even sit firmly on our seats without holding on to something. As long as this storm kept up, we were in for a long ride back to port.
It was a very slow process indeed; with our engines at half thrust we could only make two maybe four knots. I sat up in my bed, steadied myself, and then proceeded to walk to the command room. On the way I stopped by the sonar and radio crew stations. The crew sat with there heads buried in their hands, exhausted and sick. Work on the hydrophone and sonar continued but the machines were still dead. The electricians had tried everything to bring these important machines back on-line and failed. There was nothing they could really do for it but they continued to try and why not. There was nothing to do for most of the crew who were not on duty. I had suspended all practice drills due to the violent weather. It was hard enough for me to walk around the confined spaces of the sub without falling. Just before leaving the sonar station I glanced aft, the crews sprits were down and it was easy to tell. The laughter, card playing, cheering, and joking had been replaced with silence. Many of the crew clung to the racks trying to sleep, while others just seemed lost. The sea sickness among the crew continued to grow, and only the toughest of men could resist the nauseating feeling deep inside. There were times I just had to stop and force myself to keep it together. Just imagine the worst feeling in the world you have had when on a boat in rough seas, now simply triple that, that’s how it felt. When your on a boat, if you wish you can still go outside and view the your surroundings maybe even take in a little fresh air. On a submarine you rock back and forth and have no bearing on where you are. There is no fresh air once the hatches are closed so when the first person vomits the smell only gets worse. The smell has gotten really bad in this boat since the storm.
I reached the command room and ducked through the hatch. The demeanor inside was the same as that of the crew. My officer greeted me as he always did and informed me of our status and situation. I looked to my left and fumbled with the wet chart showing our position. We did not make much headway in the last six hours. I walked to the center of the room and climbed into the conning tower. I grabbed my shirt and wiped the lenses of the observation scope off. The observation scope slowly rose out of its protective housing and I saw the bow of the U-boat come into view. We must have entered some very dense fog durring our trip. The observation scope shook and then all I could see water. I raised the scope a few more meters to get a better view and keep it from being constantly swallowed by the raging sea. I circled a full 360 degrees but could not see anything. If the scope wasn’t looking at thick fog then it was simply covered by a large swell. I lowered the scope back into the protective housing and climbed down into the command room.
I tapped my XO on the back and asked for his opinion.
“If we continue to burn fuel at this rate, we may not have enough to make it back.” He looked at me now inquisitively, and I know I had his undivided attention.
“We are running the engines now at standard and only making two knots” I pulled him over to the chart. I placed my finger on the map and drew an imaginary line back to port, while continuing to talk.
“If the storm continues then we will use more fuel then we have, I’m thinking about shutting down the engines now and waiting this storm out. If we do that we are sure to have ample fuel to make it home.”
The officer looked at me and nodded his head in approval to the plan.
“All stop” I ordered the engine room.
Slowly the lights started to dim as the large diesel engines wound down.
“Keep the rudder centered and bow pointed into the wind”
I explained the new plan to the officers and crew in the command room.
“We can not keep fighting this storm, at the rate we are consuming fuel we would not make it home” I continued my little speech, “So we are going to wait the storm out, we will keep the bow pointed into the wind and waves. This will keep the rolling to a minimum. We will then switch over to battery power for all electrical needs. The only time I want the diesel engines to run is for recharging the batteries.” I want a watch crew to man the observation scope at all times, but no one is to go out on the bridge.”
My crew went to work the minute I finished speaking and did not ask a single question. I guess they saw the wisdom in my plan or simply just trusted me. It didn’t matter; my crew always knew that I would not gamble with their lives. We had been through hell and back and learned to rely on each other through it all.
My mind raced back into a time where I was about twenty years old and was serving as an officer onboard the U-21 She was an older boat, a VII class that the crew had lovingly given the name “The Leaky Teaky.” I learned a lot on that small boat, everything from swabbing the decks to commanding her crew, and everything in between. I also remember learning to trust your fellow mates and especially your commanding officers. There were times that they would shout out orders that were crazy, sometimes even deadly. I would stand there and bite my tongue as my mind crazily raced around for the answer. The one time I did open my big mouth ended with a stern reprimand, swift punch to my gut, and two weeks of cleaning detail upon returning to port. That also did not include the time spent onboard cleaning out the bilge area. After that I never questioned authority again, well at least not out loud. When we first went into combat onboard “The Leaky Teaky” I learned that the captain was not the heartless soul he appeared to be on the outside, but rather cared about each and every person on his boat. He would not risk his crew unless it was a matter of life or death. From that point on I decided this was the way to run a boat and to make it my goal to do it better then those who taught me.
I wondered if my crew on the U-66 understood my decisions and took them to heart, or if they viewed me like a “heartless soul.” Were they following orders because they were afraid of punishment, or had they learned to trust me even with their lives. Its questions like these that can keep a captain awake at night.
“Captain, I need to speak with you for a minute.”
The words cut into my thoughts and practically startled me. I had become so used to the somber atmosphere and quietness that the man had to ask a second time before I acknowledged his presence.
“Sir, can I have a word please?”
I gazed over at an older man that had started to go grey. The sad thing is that the man was only in has early thirties. I guess sometimes this job can really get to you; I’m surprised my hair is still on my head. The medic signaled me over to the next compartment. I stepped through the hatch and could instantly see what he wanted. To the left of me was a small bed with blood stained sheets covering it. The smell of stale blood instantly overtook me and I starting taking shallow breaths through my mouth. The blood stained sheet covered all but the mans head, but his head was also wrapped in a bandage.
It was the same man whom, hours earlier was trying to save the vessel. He now lay motionless in the bed. IVs were hung from a makeshift stand and the lines ran down disappearing under the bloody sheets. His face was unrecognizable; the smile the young man had been wearing days ago had disappeared, replaced by a comatose scowl. His eyes, though bloodshot, struggled to focus on me. I could not believe that he had survived such a punishment and my heart broke for the man. The medic also seemed to gaze upon the man with amazement. He reached over and pulled back the sheets to reveal an even more traumatizing display. I knew earlier that the harness had cut into the man waist when we pulled him to safety, but with his shirt on I could not tell how bad. More bandages cover the mans waist and they too were saturated in blood. The medic reached down and pulled the bandages from the man. The injured boy never even winced in pain as the bandages were slowly pulled away from the open wound. I wanted to look away but I knew the doctor wanted me to see this. The image that I saw was one of pure horror and would remain in the mind for all time.
The minute the pressure was released from the wound it began to hemorrhage. The medic grabbed my hand and placed in on the wound.
“Hold your hand here and keep pressure on the wound, while I grab a new bandage.”
I did as I was told and placed my hand over the gaping wound. The blood felt warm to the touch and the injured man struggled to breath. With every breath the wound would open wide. I turned my head the other way to avoid the horrid site. The image of the gapping wound was just too much. I looked for the medic but he was no where to be found. I turned my head back and saw my hand completely covered in blood. I applied even more pressure to the wound but not matter what I did I could not stop the bleeding. The medic finally appeared with some new dressings and began placing them on the injured man.
“You can move you hand now, sir”
I slowly pulled my blood stained hand away from the wound as the doctor quickly placed the dressing over the injury.
“Sir, here you go!” The medic said as he tossed me a damp rag. I began rubbing my hands furiously together and tried to wipe the mans blood onto the rag. My mind began thinking thoughts that held me directly accountable for the injuries to this man lying in front of me. It took several tries but I manage to successfully remove all the blood from my hands. The medic pulled me aside and began speaking.
“Amazing the harness saved his life but is now slowly killing the man.” He paused and looked my straight in the eyes.
“I don’t think that I need to tell you but this man will die if we do not get him back to port.”
“I have done all I can, Sir” but can not stop the bleeding from the abdomen area.” The doctor looked back across his shoulder trying to hide his tears.
“I have given him morphine for the pain, enough to make him comfortable, but it’s all I can do.”
I put my hands on the doctor’s shoulder
“I know your doing the best you can, keep up the good work.”
“Keep me informed on his condition”
The older man seemed comforted by my words but I know in my heart, he felt helpless and responsible. I guess as captain I am not the one with the hardest job after all. I also knew that this man would probably die before we reached the port. I cleared my head of the thought and the grotesque images and stepped back into the command room.
Several days passed before the storm subsided enough for me to post a lookout crew on the bridge. It was one hell of a ride until that day. Durring the trip there were several injuries but nothing serious. Most of the injuries were cause from items that were not tied down, the others from crew that were literally thrown from their post or racks. As for the U-66 she remained battered and bruised but made it with only slight damage to the forward deck and observation scope. We were now only several hours away from home and the boat had a new sound. It was the sound of hope and relief. Preparations had begun to dock and I had only a skeleton crew on watch. The calm sea was a beautiful site and one that I missed for the last week. The gulls had come back to scream and torment us as we slowly crept forward. We still did not have our radio or hydrophone but we were in friendly waters now and only a few hours from being home. Let the engineers and technical people deal with that. I had a long awaited appointment with my comfortable bed and hot meal. Well I had an appointment with a lot more then that but they were what I craved the most. I should also add the hot shower into that list. I walked back to my quarters and began packing up my belongings.
I had a huge grin on my face at the thought of home and all the things I used to take for granted. I made the bed and grabbed the captain’s log placing it in my leather bag.
“Aircraft spotted sir, long range” The watch crew called down into the command room. This was something I was used to hearing the closer we got to port. I paid it no mind and continued packing my things, a few minutes later the message was repeated.
I slowly got up and walked towards the command room. I asked for a status report. The XO responded.
“Sir, watch crew has reported several aircraft long range.”
The urgency in his voice suggested a problem and I decided to take a look myself. I climbed the ladder and took a look with my binoculars. The watch officer pointed his finger in the direction I needed to focus. I placed the binoculars up to my eyes and focused them. A large group of aircraft was coming in from the north but I could not tell what kind they were or the markings.
The noise of the piston engines continued to grow louder by the minute and I strained to see the make of the aircraft, but still was not able to. In the distance I could see the port and several cruisers, it all seemed very tranquil and no one else seemed to be alarmed.
“Keep an eye out, they must be ours out practicing formation flying.” I ordered the watch officer. I turned to view the port through the binoculars and I could see the people on the docks. It was a sight that almost brought tears to my eyes. We were home finally; we had survived yet another mission from hell. I went back to my thoughts of family, friends, warm showers, hot meals, and all the other things I missed and took for granted. I watched the port slowly emerge from the fog. It grew bigger by every passing minute. Every moment we came closer to setting our feet on dry land.
A huge explosion erupted behind me and I spun around to catch the last glimpse of fire erupted out the large guns on the destroyer. A second explosion came from the main guns and then the anti aircraft guns opened up. The once peaceful scene was turning chaotic and I still had no idea what was going on. Then I felt a piercing pain, a pain I never felt before in my life in my left shoulder. I screamed in pain and dropped onto the metal deck. Next to me, was what was left of my watch officer’s body, completely shredded by bullets. His blood and flesh spattered all over the bridge and me. A second wave of bullets could be heard ricocheting all around me and a third crewman screamed in agony. The sparks of the bullets hitting the U-66 blinded me or maybe it was the severe pain in my side. I didn’t know what it was or what had happened. I did know one thing for sure. We were under attack!
“All hands to your stations, we are under attack!” I tried to scream through the agonizing pain
“This is not a drill!”
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To be continued.....
William
Captain
U-66
"Tiger Shark"
If you would like a copy of the U-66 Patrol log / story please feel free to PM me.