GoldenRivet
07-07-07, 01:47 AM
After sinking an escort carrier and two troop ships during my final patrol, my latest career is over.
On 14 October 1943, U-90 dived to evade escorts after attacking and sinking two troop ships (the S.S. Montague and the S.S. Sharpsburg) in grid square CG72 at 0517 hours. The escorts sound located U-90 at 0530 but lost contact several times due to decoys being launched by the U-boat. Several depth charge and hedgehog attacks were made against U-90 by the HMS Wrestler however the U-boat managed to escape and evade each attack. Finally, at approximately 0615 hours, after diving to 240 meters to evade attack and detection, U-90 suffered damage from a well placed depth charge attack. Flooding recovery was attempted on the U-boat but with little success. The U-boat began a descent which was nearly uncontrollable. the commander of the sub, Kapitanleutnant Jon Wintergarten made a difficult choice; "Blow the ballast, surface the boat... place scuttling charges and prepare to abandon ship."
Within a few short minutes the sub was on the surface amidst a shower of gunfire.
To the date, U-90 and her crew had claimed 86 merchants, 23 warships and one airplane for a total of 728,698 tons.
thankfully - the "journal" i kept only had 6 pages remaining. It will make for good reading later - maybe i can keep the next guy alive through to the end of the war!
On 14 October 1943, U-90 dived to evade escorts after attacking and sinking two troop ships (the S.S. Montague and the S.S. Sharpsburg) in grid square CG72 at 0517 hours. The escorts sound located U-90 at 0530 but lost contact several times due to decoys being launched by the U-boat. Several depth charge and hedgehog attacks were made against U-90 by the HMS Wrestler however the U-boat managed to escape and evade each attack. Finally, at approximately 0615 hours, after diving to 240 meters to evade attack and detection, U-90 suffered damage from a well placed depth charge attack. Flooding recovery was attempted on the U-boat but with little success. The U-boat began a descent which was nearly uncontrollable. the commander of the sub, Kapitanleutnant Jon Wintergarten made a difficult choice; "Blow the ballast, surface the boat... place scuttling charges and prepare to abandon ship."
Within a few short minutes the sub was on the surface amidst a shower of gunfire.
To the date, U-90 and her crew had claimed 86 merchants, 23 warships and one airplane for a total of 728,698 tons.
thankfully - the "journal" i kept only had 6 pages remaining. It will make for good reading later - maybe i can keep the next guy alive through to the end of the war!