Graf Paper
01-22-08, 01:17 PM
Ob. Ltn. z. S. Josef Schutz, reporting in from my seventh patrol, Herr Donitz!
This patrol lasted 13 days from June 10 - 23, 1940. Sank 6 merchants for 40,912 tonnes and one warship, an ASW Trawler, for 1,100 tonnes. Total tonnage for this patrol was 42,012.
My initial patrol grid was AN18 for a duration of 24 hours, as per orders. Enemy activity was light and merchant shipping extremely sparse. Only a single small merchant sighted and sunk.
After my mission requirements were met, I ranged farther out in hopes of finding more active shipping lanes. I proceeded to just east of the Orkneys where I had several contacts of lone merchants. Sighted and sank all. The single escorted merchant was accompanied by an ASW Trawler. I struck both targets simultaneously with a wide-angle salvo from tubes 1 and 4. The escort was left dead in the water but still afloat while I finished off the merchant with a second torpedo from the stern tube. I engaged in a gun battle with the escort which resulted in its being blown in half and my own boat receiving minor damage from enemy machinegun fire. No casualties among the crew.
There you go, fellow Kaleuns! It took me a while to sail on my seventh patrol as I got sidetracked playing around with some of the SH3 mod tools. It was a somewhat boring patrol with most of the action occuring in the last five days at sea. I suppose I should be thankful U-47 only went a week with no contacts other than the occasional coastal patrol or lone destroyer. I've read of even longer dry spells.
This patrol earned my crew a few medals and promotions and I received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Seems like everyone in my crew is getting promoted except for myself, though. Then again, I've only held my current rank for nine months but, at this rate, my officers will soon outrank me!
My next assigned patrol is grid AM53, right in the heart of where three of the major northern convoy routes branch! I sure hope this will give me a chance at my first ever 100k ton patrol! Wish me luck!
This patrol lasted 13 days from June 10 - 23, 1940. Sank 6 merchants for 40,912 tonnes and one warship, an ASW Trawler, for 1,100 tonnes. Total tonnage for this patrol was 42,012.
My initial patrol grid was AN18 for a duration of 24 hours, as per orders. Enemy activity was light and merchant shipping extremely sparse. Only a single small merchant sighted and sunk.
After my mission requirements were met, I ranged farther out in hopes of finding more active shipping lanes. I proceeded to just east of the Orkneys where I had several contacts of lone merchants. Sighted and sank all. The single escorted merchant was accompanied by an ASW Trawler. I struck both targets simultaneously with a wide-angle salvo from tubes 1 and 4. The escort was left dead in the water but still afloat while I finished off the merchant with a second torpedo from the stern tube. I engaged in a gun battle with the escort which resulted in its being blown in half and my own boat receiving minor damage from enemy machinegun fire. No casualties among the crew.
There you go, fellow Kaleuns! It took me a while to sail on my seventh patrol as I got sidetracked playing around with some of the SH3 mod tools. It was a somewhat boring patrol with most of the action occuring in the last five days at sea. I suppose I should be thankful U-47 only went a week with no contacts other than the occasional coastal patrol or lone destroyer. I've read of even longer dry spells.
This patrol earned my crew a few medals and promotions and I received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Seems like everyone in my crew is getting promoted except for myself, though. Then again, I've only held my current rank for nine months but, at this rate, my officers will soon outrank me!
My next assigned patrol is grid AM53, right in the heart of where three of the major northern convoy routes branch! I sure hope this will give me a chance at my first ever 100k ton patrol! Wish me luck!