William516
08-08-06, 10:47 AM
Well here it is after a long wait for everyone and several computer crashes later this is part 4. Hopefully it will allow the pictures to be seen easily. Just a note about part 4 of my story, it deals with alot of time at the port, it is not actioned packed like story parts 1,2,and 3 so just a little warning hope you enjoy.
For those of you who have not read past parts you can find them at the following locations.
U-66 Part 1 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/4451089304)
U-66 Part 2 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/2311001404)
U-66 Part 3 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/8431010704?r=9391006804#9391006804)
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It has been almost two months since the badly damaged U-66 has been towed into port. The memories of the events that led us to this point still are on my mind. I still see all the men that died in my head and in my dreams. Something I just can’t stop thinking about. I knew that being a captain would mean making hard decisions but nothing had prepared me for this. All the training in the world to command the feared U-boat but they never taught us to deal with the death. They never taught us how to step off a boat and confront the family and friends of those that never made it back, and they certainly never taught us how to deal with the “why not me” syndrome.
I helped carry some of my injured crew off the stricken U-boat and onto the destroyer escort. They all looked at me and reached out to me with their hands trying to hold mine. The ships surgeon told me that at least six of my men would not make the trip back to port. Many of my men were fresh out of training in their early 20’s.
The trip back to port took about 23 days, twenty three long days. Behind our ship you could barely see the other escort towing the crippled U-66 back to port. Just as the doctor predicted six of my crew never made it back home. I can clearly see the face of each crew member that died on that long trip back home. The images burned into my mind, I often wonder if I am going crazy. Maybe I have now lost it, after seeing the real reality of war. Realizing in war people die, when I make a mistake that my crew dies. I can not help but think that all this was my fault, that had my decisions been different maybe all the crew would make it home to rejoice with there families.
Durring the trip back to port the escorts came under air attack and the rear escort to minor damage to the aft deck. U-66 still remained in tow but now it could not be seen from all the black smoke pouring from the rear escort.
“Sir” came a voice from behind me, stirring me from my vision of the past. I turned around quick and snapped back into reality.
“Ship is ready for inspection, Sir” He stated as he snapped me a salute.
I returned the salute and told him thank you. The young officer turned around and walked out the door. I could tell that he was uneasy taking the place of my deceased XO. I could not really blame him it would only be his second or third trip out to sea since training. The BDU was now resorting to younger officers to fill in the ranks of the more experienced deceased officers. Slowly the shape exited out the door and disappeared in to the morning sun and I was left alone again for a few minutes to gain my composure.
I stepped outside and was greeted with the warm air of a new morning. The sun cast an orange glow across the port water and it was an awe inspiring site. Slowly I walked down to the dock area saluting those men that stood at attention to acknowledge my rank. Slowly the U-66 came into view as I approached the dock.
Attention, I commanded to my men as they all dropped what they were doing and stood erect and poised.
I motioned for the XO to come to me. He approached me, uneasy as to what I was going to tell him.
“I need you to get this boat ship shape, I want all gear, provisions, and ammunition stored onboard.” “I need a thorough inspection completed on all areas of this boat.”
My XO looked at me and snapped back a salute.
“Yes Sir!”
He then turned around and began shouting out my orders.
The U-66 slowly rose up and down as the slow waves came into the port. With each wave I could hear the water slapping on the hull. She was a beautiful ship to behold. The repairs were completed and now she looked ready for war once again. They changed the coning tower on my ship. Now the U-66 is armed with two light flack guns and one heavy flack gun. The dock workers removed the damaged engines and replaced them with new diesel engines. The ship looked brand new in all respects other then a few paint specs and dings in the hull. I stood back and let the sun rays reflect of the new camouflage paint job. Her crew has nicknamed her the “Tiger shark” after the paint scheme. Even after the death and destruction on our patrol my crew found ways to boost morale. She looks ready to fight, ready for revenge, and ready for the hunt. The dark red paint they used on the mouth adds depth to the sharp white teeth painted on the bow. Dark paint now covers the upper deck and hull area of the U-66. I can’t help but feel the joy building up inside of me as I watch my crew working together as they load the torpedoes into the bow compartments.
I’m content with the way my crew is working together so I turn to head back to my office to start the difficult job of selecting replacement crew members. It’s not a long walk back but it always seems to take forever. I go up the slight embankment and open the door to my office. In the distance I can see the U-66 and small dots about the size of ants scurrying around on the dock side. Once inside my office I close the door and walk across the wooden floor and over to the little wooden chair and desk. Pulling out the files of each enlisted crew member and spreading them on my desk takes no time at all. In just a few minutes my desk is covered under seaman and officer records. I lean back in my chair and begin to draw in a deep breath preparing myself for the tough task at hand.
(Flashback / illusion)
The dock is a bustle of activity as family and friends have gathered to cheer the arrival of the U-66 and her crew. Even from the Destroyer escort I could see the look on the face of those standing on the docks.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/u-66IXCintowfromdocview.jpg
**Crippled U-66 towed by destroyer escort **
Faces of disbelief and shock filled the crowd when the destroyer escort towing the badly damaged U-66 behind it rounded the corner to enter the port. The destroyer itself was still smoking from the damage sustained durring the air attack. The stricken U-66 was slowly
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/U-66IXCintowFromDE.jpg
**Damaged U-66 as seen from Escort **
sinking even while being towed. The aft deck was partially submerged under water now and it looked as if the U-66 would sink in the port before it could be repaired. The Destroyer escort pulled up to the dock and slowed to a full stop.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/u-66IXCintowfromU-66.jpg
**Bow of U-66 with tow lines to Destroyer Escort**
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/u-66IXCintowabove.jpg
**View of U-66 towed into harbor taken from patroling aircraft**
Once at a full stop the gang plank was lowered and my crew began to get off the rocking ship. Family, friends, and onlookers now began moving from the docks where the U-66 was expected, towards the dock that we stopped at. The vast crowd of people was approaching fast, the noise of the crowd growing with every passing second. The crowd arrived as all of the U-66 crew had exited the destroyer escort and set foot on land. Some of the crew even got down on there knees and kissed the ground several times to show how glad they were to be alive and on solid ground. Behind us slowly came the bodies of the deceased carried on stretchers covered in white sheets that had brown stains of blood on them. The cheers and clamoring of the crowd came to an eerie silence as the stretchers were slowly carried off the ship one by one. Soon they turned to sounds of remorse and crying.
Many of my crew had already located there families and friends and were hugging and kissing them. Wives were reunited with husbands and children with fathers. The long trip had taken its toll on the crew and most of them had long beards and were battered and dirty. We all needed a good hot meal and a long hot shower. Luxuries that I had taken for granted for so long until I joined the service. I slowly walked off the docking area and began to go to my office. I wandered through the large crowd pushing my way through them. Many of the faces were bright with happiness from seeing so many of us come back alive. I did what I could to avoid the crowd and the questions that I knew they would have for me. I had a ton of work to do before we would set sail again, one of the many task was informing the families of my deceased crew. This was a task that I did not want to do but I knew it was my responsibility. I was the one in command of the submarine and I am the one that all faults would fall on. I knew this very well when I decided to accept the command of my very first submarine. I have had injuries before but never a fatality while in command, and there was nothing to prepare me for the process of dealing with it. A few short minutes later I saw a grieving face that I recognized and I felt a tug on my uniform. It was my XO’s wife. She looked at me with tears streaming down her face. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress that he had bought her a week before we had received orders to ship out. Her stomach seemed a little larger then I remember but it never hit me until she told me why.
“Where is m m my husband?” She sobbed; she grabbed me and pulled me closer to her.
“William, what h h happened to him?” I didn’t even need to tell her what happened she could see it in my eyes and facial expressions. I began to tell her the story of what happened to her husband who help save the ship the U-66 and her crew. She just buried her head in my uniform and began to wail and sob uncontrollably. I just embraced her and remained strong trying not to show how hurt I was to lose a personal and close friend.
I told her the whole story of the events of the U-66 and how here husband had saved us and the ship. Her husband was a hero and I would make sure he was remembered as such.
“What am I going to do now, what will we do now?’ She questioned and at first I thought she was referring to me and then she pointed to her stomach.
“He always wanted to be a father; he was going to make a great father.” She wailed only to look up at me to inhale some air and then returned to cry on my shoulder. There was nothing I could do but be there for her. It seemed like only yesterday that the three of us were out at the bar discussing our future plans. It was always Johns dream to have a family and he told me about settling down as soon as he was finished with the service. At the time he said it, I never would have thought that only a few months later I would be holding him in my arms at he took his final breath.
The two of us continued talking for awhile about my deceased XO and her husband. I guess we were trying to put the bad memory behind us by only remembering the good times that we had together with him. Out the corner of my eye I watched several other families some with small children walk over to the stretchers that contained the bodies other crew members. It was a hard site to watch so I turned away. I gave Marissa I final hug of friendship and sadness and told her that I had to get back to work.
The walk seemed even further now and time stood still for me. I turned again to see the badly damaged U-66 being released from its tow ropes and being guided into a slip in the port. Her aft end now almost completely submerged down to what we left of her coning tower. A small trail of oil following behind her as they attached floats to keep her stern afloat.
“She was a tough boat.” I whispered to myself
The sun had all but gone down at this point and cast a beautiful orange and pink glow on everything around me. It was hard to believe that with such a gorgeous day could come so much anguish. As I walked up the embankment to my office and slowly heard the crowds cries of sorrow and cheer fade away, I twisted my head enough to see the last few bodies loaded into the back of a troop carrier. Behind the troop carried about fifteen of twenty souls that were hugging and crying. The orange reflection off the water and sky now cast everywhere even on the side of the troop carrier that was made to be an ambulance. Everything looked so dream like, as if I would wake up any minute and get a chance to do it all over. However; I knew that in my heart this was not a dream and that this memory and picture would be burned into my mind forever.
The seagulls swooped low over the water and cried out, it even seemed like they were casting sympathy down to the poor souls still crying by the docks edge. Then without warning I felt a drop of water hit the top of my hat. Then another landed by my feet. Slowly it started to rain and replaced the orange and pink textured sky with a dark grey haze that fit the days profile better. I wiped the slowly forming tear from my eye and went inside. The rain continued to patter on the roof of the small building that I lived and worked in. I reached inside my desk drawer pulled out some paper and a utensil to write with and began the somber process of trying to console the living. (Flashback end)
Springing back to life I awoke from my troublesome dream of the past. It was late now and all that could be heard was the sound of crickets and the ever so calming lapping of water against the docks. It took me about five minutes to remember what I needed to do and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I needed to find my replacement crew members. I began to search through the vast list of new recruits that had finished the academy. Most of the replacements have never been in real combat and had no idea what lied ahead for them. I chose from the list all my replacements and submitted it to the BdU.
It was a long night so I decided to get some shuteye. However; before doing so I went into the head and decided to take one last hot shower never knowing if it would be my last. The water felt so good that the minutes just ticked away. Some of the simplest pleasures in life I had taken for granted until I joined the service, now they are a luxury to me. Before climbing into bed I took one final look out the window and down at the dock. The moon basks on the hull of all the ships moored and created a serene feeling of peace and tranquility. The waves in the harbor were so small that it looked more like a pond. It was the most peaceful I had ever felt in a long time. Down the hill was the U-66 silhouetted in the moonlight peacefully sitting there with a devilish grin or her bow. Her teeth where about the only part of the paint scheme that could be seen from the distance. She looked ready to fight but for now she lay and waits her turn. Tomorrow was only a few hours away and soon I would be standing on the bridge of the rebuilt ship in command again. Ready to make the decisions that could mean life or death for my men and me. I gazed at the submarine a little longer knowing it would be the last time that I ever would view her from this angle again. She was striking to say the least, a pride of the fleet, better looking in my opinion then the XXI, and a sleek and low profile. I felt a grin slowly form on my lips at the thought of commanding such a great ship. The crew effectively named her the “Tiger shark”.
The next morning came fast and I found myself awakening to the warmth of the sunlight shinning through my window. Slowly I rose from my bed and walked over to the head again. I pulled out my razor and shaved myself clean of all the facial hair. It was time to be captain again it was time to be the father of my crew. I finished my last warm shave before the trip to sea, yet another thing I had always taken for granted. I grabbed my uniform from the closet and placed my rank upon my chest. I took a final glance at my room and office then headed out the door.
The air outside was humid and warm. I began to sweat shortly after walking out the door and down the hill to the docks. The sun was only halfway in the sky and the gulls were singing there morning tune. A destroyer escort was on the way out of the port. The men onboard waving to the onlookers gathered on the dock. Sometimes it would seem that there was not a war but yet in the heart you could never forget the many men at sea fighting an unseen war. I also knew in my heart that soon we would be back in the Atlantic fighting this war, a war that word had it we were beginning to lose. My men were busy loading the final items on the U-66. They worked at a grueling pace loading the last of the food items into the hull. They were climbing up and down the deck and coning tower, some loading rounds of ammunition for the additional flack gun, other loading personal belongings into the berthing space onboard. On the ground I had found a picture of a young woman and child. It must have fallen from one of my crews personal belongings. I picked it up off the ground and placed into one of the pockets on my uniform.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkfromcraneviewinport.jpg
**View of U-66 Tiger shark from crane operator**
A large crowd had gathered around the dock area awaiting our departure. The one thing I can say about the people of this town is that they support the men and crew that serve here. I did a quick spot inspection of the ship, again in awe of what the crew had achieved. The teeth of the “Tiger shark” glowed a bright white from the reflection of the sun of the water. The camouflage scheme painted on the hull was magnificent and resembled a photo of young tiger shark in the water. It also seemed to change color based on the angle that it was viewed and the time of day. The Emblem placed on the U-66 “Tiger Shark” was also very special and like none other found in the fleet. As I continued to look at the rebuilt submarine a women came up to me. She had a gift that she wanted to give me. I believe it is the first time that I had received a gift from anyone other then my parents and friends. I looked at the old paper thin box with desire and tore it open. Inside the box was a folded blanket that I held in the air and let unfold almost touching the ground. To my amazement I saw a picture of tiger shark stitched into the blanket with the number of the boat and the work Tiger shark sown into it. I held it up and turned to the crew who was intently watching on. They all began to cheer and shout when they saw it. It must have been a gift from the crew and a surprise for me. I said thank you to the women who presented it to me and to all those who helped make this blanket. This blanket would go on my captain’s bed onboard the U-66 “Tiger shark” and would serve as a symbol of the love of the town and crew. Another member of the crew brought up a bottle of wine and gave it to me. With this bottle I rechristened the U-66 and gave it the name that was being cheered all around the dock area, “Tiger Shark.”
The sensation in the air was a feeling of joy and happiness even though many of the crew new what awaited them once out past friendly waters. It was a sign of the spirit of the “Tiger shark” and her crew. I boarded the gangplank and climbed aboard the submarine. The inspection of the ship continued, I walked on the forward deck and checked the deck gun and the mounting. All the bow hatches were open and I could see the crew working below me in the torpedo room. They quickly looked up and acknowledged my presence and returned to work. The submarine gently rocked back and fourth as I walked past the coning tower on the narrow walkway. The stern deck was also a bustle of activity with men running all over the deck forming chains as they loaded the sub full of food and supplies. All the deck hatches on the stern of the U-66 were open and I was able to see into each compartment from above. Again they crew would acknowledge my presence and continue with there work. The ship looked perfect from the topside. I turned around again and climbed the ladder to take a look at the new flak gun placement added to the submarine. Should we come under air attack the combined power of the flak guns would prove to be a menace to any attacking plane. The flak gun was new and polished most of the parts of the sub did not even appear weathered. The bridge was my next stop as I reached the top of the ladder. All the bullet holes from the attack had been removed and the deck was clean. I quick image shot into my mind of the bridge riddled with bullet holes and pools of blood. Quickly I shuffled the image out of my mind and gained my composure. The compass and all the instruments were new and calibrated. It was time to climb down the ladder into the coning tower interior and then the command room.
The smell of the command room reminded me of a small machinery shop. The stench of death and burnt flesh had vanished and was replaced by the strong smell of oil and paint. At a glance the command room looked like it did the very first time the U-66 was placed in service. The forward berthing compartment also looked new. The stench of stale vomit and blood removed from the compartment. The racks were fixed and the only thing that appeared worn was the sheets on the bunks. I moved out of the way of two men who carried a big box of oranges by me followed by a second carrying bananas. The forward torpedo compartment, which suffered severe damage when hitting the bottom was repaired, and all the manual cranes and load out racks were fixed. I stood behind another crew member intent on making sure the torpedo tubes and machinery were well lubricated and ready to operate at any moment. The seamen did not even notice me standing behind him admiring his work. I decided not to bother this man who was hard at work.
The hatches for each compartment were open as and I had a clear view from the bow torpedo door all the way to the engine room. It is amazing how large and yet how small these submarines can be. I ducked my head and walked past the control room and climbed through another open hatch and into the radio and sonar room. The new equipment on the boat stood out like a sore thumb among the aged equipment covered in oil and dirty handprints. Over my left shoulder was my small bunk and private place to rest. I gently placed the blanket that I had just received on the bed and rolled it out, folding it neatly under the small bed. This would be the place I spent countless hours in, nothing like home or the office.
The rear berthing compartment was the next place I entered. It did not look much different then I remembered it. The crew in front of me was busy packing there personal items into a small locker and storage space no bigger then a large lunchbox. These men truly gave up everything to serve Germany.
One the crew quickly snapped to attention and saluted me while belting out
“Captain on deck!” and with that all the men in the compartment stopped what they were doing and snapped to attention.
“Continue on men.” I gently replied to them allowing them to finish there business.
The next compartment I stopped at was the electric motor room. The room still smelled of burnt wires and was hot as hell. The electric motors were replaced after we were towed into port. I guess all electric motors smell the same. My new chief was down below in the battery compartment checking the battery condition when he saw me. He climbed out of the compartment and stood erect in front of me while snapping a salute.
“Yes Sir!” He yelled out to me as if still in the academy.
I shot him a snappy salute back and replied. “Give me a rundown on the current status of the ships propulsion.” He then began to go over all the small details of the motors and engines.
“Electric batteries are holding charge at 95%, electric generators have been fully tested and are operational, electric motors have been tested and are operational, battery amperage output seems a little low but we are trying to push them a little harder then needed. The officer continued to talk about all the aspects of the boat as it were his best friend.
“All the seawater from the compartment has been bailed out, electric control and distribution panels have been fixed or replaced, all damaged wiring was replaced and tested.”
We walked back into the diesel engine compartment where men were scurrying around the engines and gauges.
“Diesel engines have been tested to maximum rpm’s but may still need some time to break them in.”
The officer then pointed to a gauge continuing on his little speech
“Port diesel oil pressure has been running a tad low but this may be due to the engine being so new and also we have water coming through the port shaft seal.” He pointed his finger to an area in the bilge where the shaft exits the hull and goes into the water.”
Concerned I interrupted him “Is this a major problem or something that can be fixed?”
“Sir the port shaft seal will seal up once we pressurize the submarine, it is leaking now because they had to replace the whole shaft assembly into the gear casing.” He then quickly added.
“I have a man down there right now working on the packing; we will be ready to go when you are, captain.”
With that I gave him permission to return to his work and make the necessary preparations to start the diesel engines.
It was nice to see such dedication to me and the crew from this officer and then serving under him. Most of the engine crew died on the last patrol so many were new faces and some had never set sail in a real combat situation. I hope that this composure will hold up when the **** hits the fan.
Crouching down again I walked back past the berthing quarters, radio and sonar stations, and into the command room, grabbed a hold of the ladder and climbed out onto the bridge of the “Tiger shark.”
From the bridge I watched as the last of the provisions was unloaded off the truck, and then the truck drove off down the dirt road. The crowd of onlookers now looked intently at the U-66 and her crew. They knew that in a few short hours we would be on our way out of the port and into enemy territory. What all of us did not know was if we would make it back home again. I turned around, grabbed the metal ladder, climbed down the coning tower, and stepped onto the deck. Slowly I walked across the gangplank and onto the dock.
There I stood at attention and began to call for my crew.
“Crew, all hands fall in!” I yelled so that even the ones below deck could here me. I listened closely as I heard people relaying my orders to those that were in closed sections of the ship.
Quickly men emerged from all areas of the U-66 and took station standing from box to stern, those on the dock stood fast.
“Attention1” I again yelled as the men fell silent and stood motionless.
“Listen up,” I began “We are to set sail in two hours, this is not wish but a command from headquarters.” “I want all the hatches on the deck closed and sealed, all provisions and personal belonging squared away and stored properly.” “I want final maintenance checks done on all primary systems and if something is not working I want it fixed with no excuses.”
With that I then tried to motivate the crew a little to get the spirits where they needed to be to do the job right
“We have been given a chance to turn the tables on our enemy.” “They thought the U-66 and her crew was dead, but we have survived.” “We have survived and have a chance to strike back at those that killed our friends, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.” “Not just on this boat but in the towns where the bombs have fallen.” “We have the chance to make a difference.” “To serve Germany, and those that trust in us.”
Taking a deep breath I continued on as many people now were taking mental notes on what I was saying.
“We have been given a great boat, a boat that was built and rebuilt on blood, sweat, and tears.” “I have been given a great crew and one that takes pride in their boat” “We have named her the “Tiger shark” “A fierce predator that comes out of the deep, small, fast and agile we will strike our prey.” “She is the pride of the German navy.” “Now let us be the pride of the German navy.” “God be with us and bring all of us home safely.”
Those final words I really meant and then without wasting any more time I pulled out the picture I found and held it up in front for everyone to see.
“I found this on the ground, I know to someone it means a lot, please step forward and claim it.” I announced holding the picture high and slowly panning it left to right. A small 20 year old seaman slowly stepped forward. He appeared to be afraid to claim the picture as his own, maybe afraid of being punished.
“Captain,” came a small voice from the young man “The picture is mine.” I asked him who it was in the picture.
He replied, “Sir, it’s my wife and young son.”
I slowly placed the picture into his hand and reminded him.
“Always hold on to the ones you cherish and love, they can bring you home when it all feels hopeless.”
With that the young man took his place back on the dock and stood fast at attention.
“Crew, dismissed” I announced “We set sail in less then two hours let get everything ready!” With those final words all the crew members came to life and resumed their duties.
The sun was at the highest point in the sky as the time arrived to leave the port. It was casting a beautiful yellow and white reflection on the water surface and everything else that it could touch. The seagulls swooped by trying to pick up the crumbs of anything that may have fallen out of the baskets during the restocking of the ship. On the dock was the largest crowd of people I had seen in a long time to see us off. The military band was also playing tribute music to us.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkfarewellfromdock.jpg
**Departing ceremony for U-66 Tiger shark and crew**
I walked onto the gangplank and my foot left the last piece of land that I would feel for months behind. Now I was onboard the deck of the U-66 “Tiger shark” and moving towards the ladder that would lead to the bridge. Several crew remained on the forward and aft deck awaiting my commands.
“Start port diesel engine.” I said speaking into the tube that carried my message to the engine compartment. With the there was a low rumble in the boat followed by thick black smoke coming out the exhaust. The “Tiger shark” shook slightly as she began to wake up from her long nap.
“Port diesel engine running sir” came the reply of my XO who was passing the information from the engine room to me.
“Start starboard diesel” I commanded and again the ship shuttered as the starboard diesel turned over and came to life.
“Starboard diesel engine running sir” came the message from my XO.
“Remove the gangplank” I instructed the deck hand as he placed the gangplank on the dock.
“Sir, gangplank secured” came the replay from the deckhand
I continued down my personal checklist of all major system on the U-66. I wanted them to fail at the dock and not in combat.
“Bow and stern dive planes, set to crash dive positions” With that there was a low hum and the bow dive planes moved into the set position for an emergency dive.
“Dive planes in crash dive position, sir” responded my Xo
“Set bow and stern dive planes at full rise position, emergency blow” Now I watched the dive planes on the bow move the exact opposite position.
“Dive planes in full rise, sir” replied my XO
“Set dive planes zero degrees, surface cruise” I commanded again to the helm control.
“Dive planes at zero degrees, fore and aft, sit”
The checklist continued on down all the items that are essential to the U-boats survival. Items included: Rudder control, torpedo door both fore and aft, snorkel, electric motors, attack and observation periscopes and last but not least the air compressor. Once all the checks were complete I gave the final orders.
“Cast off bow moorings” I exclaimed to the forward deckhand and with the I removed the rope from the cleat on the U-66 and coiled it neatly on the dock. Once he finished his task he replied
“Bow moorings clear, sir”
The next command was for the stern moorings to be removed so I gave the command and I watched the stern deckhand perform the same process to precision.
“Stern moorings clear, sir” He replied.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkmissessaysgoodbye.jpg
**A crewman's wife throws flowers while waving goodbye just before the Tiger shark pulls away from the dock**
Now the “Tiger shark” was floating free and the crowd began waiving there hands in goodbye gestures. Some were even crying. I returned the gesture as did the four deckhands and watch crew.
“Port diesel, ahead slow.” I commanded to the engine room and the “Tiger shark” inched forward leaving a small bubbly trail behind her.
“Starboard diesel, ahead slow” was my final command to get underway. With that final command the starboard engine came to life and the prop began to spin kicking up some mud from the soft bottom below.
Slowly the U-66 “Tiger shark” crept away from port, the sounds of the crowd fading in the distance. We were underway finally leaving the world we know behind in our wake. We passed a group of small fishing boats out trying to catch a living and waved to their crew.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkleavingportseenfromship.jpg
**U-66 Tiger shark Departs from port passing several fishing vesels**
Slowly we continued passing all the docked ships in the port before coming to the end of the piers and factories.
“Both main engines ahead one third”, I commanded down to the command room. I could here the diesel engines speeding up and the “Tiger shark” began to pick up speed. The bow slicing through the waves like a knife.
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**Tiger shark slices through the water as engines are pushed to 1/3 power**
The gulls were still following us pestering us with there cries, but I knew in a few months I would give anything to hear the horrid sound again.
The U-66 “Tiger shark” and her crew were back in the fight and hungry for revenge
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**U-66 Tiger shark passes the final land mark of the port.**
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I hope you enjoyed the story well atleast this part of it and hopefully you didn't fall asleep too much. More comming as the U-66 Tiger shark career continues.
http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/clap.gif
William
Captain
U-66
"Tiger Shark"
Part 5 Comming Soon
I invite all comments good or bad and hope you like her paint job. If anyone knows if there is a way to make this a thread that I can just keep adding to almost like a book please let me know.
For those of you who have not read past parts you can find them at the following locations.
U-66 Part 1 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/4451089304)
U-66 Part 2 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/2311001404)
U-66 Part 3 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/8431010704?r=9391006804#9391006804)
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It has been almost two months since the badly damaged U-66 has been towed into port. The memories of the events that led us to this point still are on my mind. I still see all the men that died in my head and in my dreams. Something I just can’t stop thinking about. I knew that being a captain would mean making hard decisions but nothing had prepared me for this. All the training in the world to command the feared U-boat but they never taught us to deal with the death. They never taught us how to step off a boat and confront the family and friends of those that never made it back, and they certainly never taught us how to deal with the “why not me” syndrome.
I helped carry some of my injured crew off the stricken U-boat and onto the destroyer escort. They all looked at me and reached out to me with their hands trying to hold mine. The ships surgeon told me that at least six of my men would not make the trip back to port. Many of my men were fresh out of training in their early 20’s.
The trip back to port took about 23 days, twenty three long days. Behind our ship you could barely see the other escort towing the crippled U-66 back to port. Just as the doctor predicted six of my crew never made it back home. I can clearly see the face of each crew member that died on that long trip back home. The images burned into my mind, I often wonder if I am going crazy. Maybe I have now lost it, after seeing the real reality of war. Realizing in war people die, when I make a mistake that my crew dies. I can not help but think that all this was my fault, that had my decisions been different maybe all the crew would make it home to rejoice with there families.
Durring the trip back to port the escorts came under air attack and the rear escort to minor damage to the aft deck. U-66 still remained in tow but now it could not be seen from all the black smoke pouring from the rear escort.
“Sir” came a voice from behind me, stirring me from my vision of the past. I turned around quick and snapped back into reality.
“Ship is ready for inspection, Sir” He stated as he snapped me a salute.
I returned the salute and told him thank you. The young officer turned around and walked out the door. I could tell that he was uneasy taking the place of my deceased XO. I could not really blame him it would only be his second or third trip out to sea since training. The BDU was now resorting to younger officers to fill in the ranks of the more experienced deceased officers. Slowly the shape exited out the door and disappeared in to the morning sun and I was left alone again for a few minutes to gain my composure.
I stepped outside and was greeted with the warm air of a new morning. The sun cast an orange glow across the port water and it was an awe inspiring site. Slowly I walked down to the dock area saluting those men that stood at attention to acknowledge my rank. Slowly the U-66 came into view as I approached the dock.
Attention, I commanded to my men as they all dropped what they were doing and stood erect and poised.
I motioned for the XO to come to me. He approached me, uneasy as to what I was going to tell him.
“I need you to get this boat ship shape, I want all gear, provisions, and ammunition stored onboard.” “I need a thorough inspection completed on all areas of this boat.”
My XO looked at me and snapped back a salute.
“Yes Sir!”
He then turned around and began shouting out my orders.
The U-66 slowly rose up and down as the slow waves came into the port. With each wave I could hear the water slapping on the hull. She was a beautiful ship to behold. The repairs were completed and now she looked ready for war once again. They changed the coning tower on my ship. Now the U-66 is armed with two light flack guns and one heavy flack gun. The dock workers removed the damaged engines and replaced them with new diesel engines. The ship looked brand new in all respects other then a few paint specs and dings in the hull. I stood back and let the sun rays reflect of the new camouflage paint job. Her crew has nicknamed her the “Tiger shark” after the paint scheme. Even after the death and destruction on our patrol my crew found ways to boost morale. She looks ready to fight, ready for revenge, and ready for the hunt. The dark red paint they used on the mouth adds depth to the sharp white teeth painted on the bow. Dark paint now covers the upper deck and hull area of the U-66. I can’t help but feel the joy building up inside of me as I watch my crew working together as they load the torpedoes into the bow compartments.
I’m content with the way my crew is working together so I turn to head back to my office to start the difficult job of selecting replacement crew members. It’s not a long walk back but it always seems to take forever. I go up the slight embankment and open the door to my office. In the distance I can see the U-66 and small dots about the size of ants scurrying around on the dock side. Once inside my office I close the door and walk across the wooden floor and over to the little wooden chair and desk. Pulling out the files of each enlisted crew member and spreading them on my desk takes no time at all. In just a few minutes my desk is covered under seaman and officer records. I lean back in my chair and begin to draw in a deep breath preparing myself for the tough task at hand.
(Flashback / illusion)
The dock is a bustle of activity as family and friends have gathered to cheer the arrival of the U-66 and her crew. Even from the Destroyer escort I could see the look on the face of those standing on the docks.
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**Crippled U-66 towed by destroyer escort **
Faces of disbelief and shock filled the crowd when the destroyer escort towing the badly damaged U-66 behind it rounded the corner to enter the port. The destroyer itself was still smoking from the damage sustained durring the air attack. The stricken U-66 was slowly
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**Damaged U-66 as seen from Escort **
sinking even while being towed. The aft deck was partially submerged under water now and it looked as if the U-66 would sink in the port before it could be repaired. The Destroyer escort pulled up to the dock and slowed to a full stop.
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**Bow of U-66 with tow lines to Destroyer Escort**
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**View of U-66 towed into harbor taken from patroling aircraft**
Once at a full stop the gang plank was lowered and my crew began to get off the rocking ship. Family, friends, and onlookers now began moving from the docks where the U-66 was expected, towards the dock that we stopped at. The vast crowd of people was approaching fast, the noise of the crowd growing with every passing second. The crowd arrived as all of the U-66 crew had exited the destroyer escort and set foot on land. Some of the crew even got down on there knees and kissed the ground several times to show how glad they were to be alive and on solid ground. Behind us slowly came the bodies of the deceased carried on stretchers covered in white sheets that had brown stains of blood on them. The cheers and clamoring of the crowd came to an eerie silence as the stretchers were slowly carried off the ship one by one. Soon they turned to sounds of remorse and crying.
Many of my crew had already located there families and friends and were hugging and kissing them. Wives were reunited with husbands and children with fathers. The long trip had taken its toll on the crew and most of them had long beards and were battered and dirty. We all needed a good hot meal and a long hot shower. Luxuries that I had taken for granted for so long until I joined the service. I slowly walked off the docking area and began to go to my office. I wandered through the large crowd pushing my way through them. Many of the faces were bright with happiness from seeing so many of us come back alive. I did what I could to avoid the crowd and the questions that I knew they would have for me. I had a ton of work to do before we would set sail again, one of the many task was informing the families of my deceased crew. This was a task that I did not want to do but I knew it was my responsibility. I was the one in command of the submarine and I am the one that all faults would fall on. I knew this very well when I decided to accept the command of my very first submarine. I have had injuries before but never a fatality while in command, and there was nothing to prepare me for the process of dealing with it. A few short minutes later I saw a grieving face that I recognized and I felt a tug on my uniform. It was my XO’s wife. She looked at me with tears streaming down her face. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress that he had bought her a week before we had received orders to ship out. Her stomach seemed a little larger then I remember but it never hit me until she told me why.
“Where is m m my husband?” She sobbed; she grabbed me and pulled me closer to her.
“William, what h h happened to him?” I didn’t even need to tell her what happened she could see it in my eyes and facial expressions. I began to tell her the story of what happened to her husband who help save the ship the U-66 and her crew. She just buried her head in my uniform and began to wail and sob uncontrollably. I just embraced her and remained strong trying not to show how hurt I was to lose a personal and close friend.
I told her the whole story of the events of the U-66 and how here husband had saved us and the ship. Her husband was a hero and I would make sure he was remembered as such.
“What am I going to do now, what will we do now?’ She questioned and at first I thought she was referring to me and then she pointed to her stomach.
“He always wanted to be a father; he was going to make a great father.” She wailed only to look up at me to inhale some air and then returned to cry on my shoulder. There was nothing I could do but be there for her. It seemed like only yesterday that the three of us were out at the bar discussing our future plans. It was always Johns dream to have a family and he told me about settling down as soon as he was finished with the service. At the time he said it, I never would have thought that only a few months later I would be holding him in my arms at he took his final breath.
The two of us continued talking for awhile about my deceased XO and her husband. I guess we were trying to put the bad memory behind us by only remembering the good times that we had together with him. Out the corner of my eye I watched several other families some with small children walk over to the stretchers that contained the bodies other crew members. It was a hard site to watch so I turned away. I gave Marissa I final hug of friendship and sadness and told her that I had to get back to work.
The walk seemed even further now and time stood still for me. I turned again to see the badly damaged U-66 being released from its tow ropes and being guided into a slip in the port. Her aft end now almost completely submerged down to what we left of her coning tower. A small trail of oil following behind her as they attached floats to keep her stern afloat.
“She was a tough boat.” I whispered to myself
The sun had all but gone down at this point and cast a beautiful orange and pink glow on everything around me. It was hard to believe that with such a gorgeous day could come so much anguish. As I walked up the embankment to my office and slowly heard the crowds cries of sorrow and cheer fade away, I twisted my head enough to see the last few bodies loaded into the back of a troop carrier. Behind the troop carried about fifteen of twenty souls that were hugging and crying. The orange reflection off the water and sky now cast everywhere even on the side of the troop carrier that was made to be an ambulance. Everything looked so dream like, as if I would wake up any minute and get a chance to do it all over. However; I knew that in my heart this was not a dream and that this memory and picture would be burned into my mind forever.
The seagulls swooped low over the water and cried out, it even seemed like they were casting sympathy down to the poor souls still crying by the docks edge. Then without warning I felt a drop of water hit the top of my hat. Then another landed by my feet. Slowly it started to rain and replaced the orange and pink textured sky with a dark grey haze that fit the days profile better. I wiped the slowly forming tear from my eye and went inside. The rain continued to patter on the roof of the small building that I lived and worked in. I reached inside my desk drawer pulled out some paper and a utensil to write with and began the somber process of trying to console the living. (Flashback end)
Springing back to life I awoke from my troublesome dream of the past. It was late now and all that could be heard was the sound of crickets and the ever so calming lapping of water against the docks. It took me about five minutes to remember what I needed to do and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I needed to find my replacement crew members. I began to search through the vast list of new recruits that had finished the academy. Most of the replacements have never been in real combat and had no idea what lied ahead for them. I chose from the list all my replacements and submitted it to the BdU.
It was a long night so I decided to get some shuteye. However; before doing so I went into the head and decided to take one last hot shower never knowing if it would be my last. The water felt so good that the minutes just ticked away. Some of the simplest pleasures in life I had taken for granted until I joined the service, now they are a luxury to me. Before climbing into bed I took one final look out the window and down at the dock. The moon basks on the hull of all the ships moored and created a serene feeling of peace and tranquility. The waves in the harbor were so small that it looked more like a pond. It was the most peaceful I had ever felt in a long time. Down the hill was the U-66 silhouetted in the moonlight peacefully sitting there with a devilish grin or her bow. Her teeth where about the only part of the paint scheme that could be seen from the distance. She looked ready to fight but for now she lay and waits her turn. Tomorrow was only a few hours away and soon I would be standing on the bridge of the rebuilt ship in command again. Ready to make the decisions that could mean life or death for my men and me. I gazed at the submarine a little longer knowing it would be the last time that I ever would view her from this angle again. She was striking to say the least, a pride of the fleet, better looking in my opinion then the XXI, and a sleek and low profile. I felt a grin slowly form on my lips at the thought of commanding such a great ship. The crew effectively named her the “Tiger shark”.
The next morning came fast and I found myself awakening to the warmth of the sunlight shinning through my window. Slowly I rose from my bed and walked over to the head again. I pulled out my razor and shaved myself clean of all the facial hair. It was time to be captain again it was time to be the father of my crew. I finished my last warm shave before the trip to sea, yet another thing I had always taken for granted. I grabbed my uniform from the closet and placed my rank upon my chest. I took a final glance at my room and office then headed out the door.
The air outside was humid and warm. I began to sweat shortly after walking out the door and down the hill to the docks. The sun was only halfway in the sky and the gulls were singing there morning tune. A destroyer escort was on the way out of the port. The men onboard waving to the onlookers gathered on the dock. Sometimes it would seem that there was not a war but yet in the heart you could never forget the many men at sea fighting an unseen war. I also knew in my heart that soon we would be back in the Atlantic fighting this war, a war that word had it we were beginning to lose. My men were busy loading the final items on the U-66. They worked at a grueling pace loading the last of the food items into the hull. They were climbing up and down the deck and coning tower, some loading rounds of ammunition for the additional flack gun, other loading personal belongings into the berthing space onboard. On the ground I had found a picture of a young woman and child. It must have fallen from one of my crews personal belongings. I picked it up off the ground and placed into one of the pockets on my uniform.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkfromcraneviewinport.jpg
**View of U-66 Tiger shark from crane operator**
A large crowd had gathered around the dock area awaiting our departure. The one thing I can say about the people of this town is that they support the men and crew that serve here. I did a quick spot inspection of the ship, again in awe of what the crew had achieved. The teeth of the “Tiger shark” glowed a bright white from the reflection of the sun of the water. The camouflage scheme painted on the hull was magnificent and resembled a photo of young tiger shark in the water. It also seemed to change color based on the angle that it was viewed and the time of day. The Emblem placed on the U-66 “Tiger Shark” was also very special and like none other found in the fleet. As I continued to look at the rebuilt submarine a women came up to me. She had a gift that she wanted to give me. I believe it is the first time that I had received a gift from anyone other then my parents and friends. I looked at the old paper thin box with desire and tore it open. Inside the box was a folded blanket that I held in the air and let unfold almost touching the ground. To my amazement I saw a picture of tiger shark stitched into the blanket with the number of the boat and the work Tiger shark sown into it. I held it up and turned to the crew who was intently watching on. They all began to cheer and shout when they saw it. It must have been a gift from the crew and a surprise for me. I said thank you to the women who presented it to me and to all those who helped make this blanket. This blanket would go on my captain’s bed onboard the U-66 “Tiger shark” and would serve as a symbol of the love of the town and crew. Another member of the crew brought up a bottle of wine and gave it to me. With this bottle I rechristened the U-66 and gave it the name that was being cheered all around the dock area, “Tiger Shark.”
The sensation in the air was a feeling of joy and happiness even though many of the crew new what awaited them once out past friendly waters. It was a sign of the spirit of the “Tiger shark” and her crew. I boarded the gangplank and climbed aboard the submarine. The inspection of the ship continued, I walked on the forward deck and checked the deck gun and the mounting. All the bow hatches were open and I could see the crew working below me in the torpedo room. They quickly looked up and acknowledged my presence and returned to work. The submarine gently rocked back and fourth as I walked past the coning tower on the narrow walkway. The stern deck was also a bustle of activity with men running all over the deck forming chains as they loaded the sub full of food and supplies. All the deck hatches on the stern of the U-66 were open and I was able to see into each compartment from above. Again they crew would acknowledge my presence and continue with there work. The ship looked perfect from the topside. I turned around again and climbed the ladder to take a look at the new flak gun placement added to the submarine. Should we come under air attack the combined power of the flak guns would prove to be a menace to any attacking plane. The flak gun was new and polished most of the parts of the sub did not even appear weathered. The bridge was my next stop as I reached the top of the ladder. All the bullet holes from the attack had been removed and the deck was clean. I quick image shot into my mind of the bridge riddled with bullet holes and pools of blood. Quickly I shuffled the image out of my mind and gained my composure. The compass and all the instruments were new and calibrated. It was time to climb down the ladder into the coning tower interior and then the command room.
The smell of the command room reminded me of a small machinery shop. The stench of death and burnt flesh had vanished and was replaced by the strong smell of oil and paint. At a glance the command room looked like it did the very first time the U-66 was placed in service. The forward berthing compartment also looked new. The stench of stale vomit and blood removed from the compartment. The racks were fixed and the only thing that appeared worn was the sheets on the bunks. I moved out of the way of two men who carried a big box of oranges by me followed by a second carrying bananas. The forward torpedo compartment, which suffered severe damage when hitting the bottom was repaired, and all the manual cranes and load out racks were fixed. I stood behind another crew member intent on making sure the torpedo tubes and machinery were well lubricated and ready to operate at any moment. The seamen did not even notice me standing behind him admiring his work. I decided not to bother this man who was hard at work.
The hatches for each compartment were open as and I had a clear view from the bow torpedo door all the way to the engine room. It is amazing how large and yet how small these submarines can be. I ducked my head and walked past the control room and climbed through another open hatch and into the radio and sonar room. The new equipment on the boat stood out like a sore thumb among the aged equipment covered in oil and dirty handprints. Over my left shoulder was my small bunk and private place to rest. I gently placed the blanket that I had just received on the bed and rolled it out, folding it neatly under the small bed. This would be the place I spent countless hours in, nothing like home or the office.
The rear berthing compartment was the next place I entered. It did not look much different then I remembered it. The crew in front of me was busy packing there personal items into a small locker and storage space no bigger then a large lunchbox. These men truly gave up everything to serve Germany.
One the crew quickly snapped to attention and saluted me while belting out
“Captain on deck!” and with that all the men in the compartment stopped what they were doing and snapped to attention.
“Continue on men.” I gently replied to them allowing them to finish there business.
The next compartment I stopped at was the electric motor room. The room still smelled of burnt wires and was hot as hell. The electric motors were replaced after we were towed into port. I guess all electric motors smell the same. My new chief was down below in the battery compartment checking the battery condition when he saw me. He climbed out of the compartment and stood erect in front of me while snapping a salute.
“Yes Sir!” He yelled out to me as if still in the academy.
I shot him a snappy salute back and replied. “Give me a rundown on the current status of the ships propulsion.” He then began to go over all the small details of the motors and engines.
“Electric batteries are holding charge at 95%, electric generators have been fully tested and are operational, electric motors have been tested and are operational, battery amperage output seems a little low but we are trying to push them a little harder then needed. The officer continued to talk about all the aspects of the boat as it were his best friend.
“All the seawater from the compartment has been bailed out, electric control and distribution panels have been fixed or replaced, all damaged wiring was replaced and tested.”
We walked back into the diesel engine compartment where men were scurrying around the engines and gauges.
“Diesel engines have been tested to maximum rpm’s but may still need some time to break them in.”
The officer then pointed to a gauge continuing on his little speech
“Port diesel oil pressure has been running a tad low but this may be due to the engine being so new and also we have water coming through the port shaft seal.” He pointed his finger to an area in the bilge where the shaft exits the hull and goes into the water.”
Concerned I interrupted him “Is this a major problem or something that can be fixed?”
“Sir the port shaft seal will seal up once we pressurize the submarine, it is leaking now because they had to replace the whole shaft assembly into the gear casing.” He then quickly added.
“I have a man down there right now working on the packing; we will be ready to go when you are, captain.”
With that I gave him permission to return to his work and make the necessary preparations to start the diesel engines.
It was nice to see such dedication to me and the crew from this officer and then serving under him. Most of the engine crew died on the last patrol so many were new faces and some had never set sail in a real combat situation. I hope that this composure will hold up when the **** hits the fan.
Crouching down again I walked back past the berthing quarters, radio and sonar stations, and into the command room, grabbed a hold of the ladder and climbed out onto the bridge of the “Tiger shark.”
From the bridge I watched as the last of the provisions was unloaded off the truck, and then the truck drove off down the dirt road. The crowd of onlookers now looked intently at the U-66 and her crew. They knew that in a few short hours we would be on our way out of the port and into enemy territory. What all of us did not know was if we would make it back home again. I turned around, grabbed the metal ladder, climbed down the coning tower, and stepped onto the deck. Slowly I walked across the gangplank and onto the dock.
There I stood at attention and began to call for my crew.
“Crew, all hands fall in!” I yelled so that even the ones below deck could here me. I listened closely as I heard people relaying my orders to those that were in closed sections of the ship.
Quickly men emerged from all areas of the U-66 and took station standing from box to stern, those on the dock stood fast.
“Attention1” I again yelled as the men fell silent and stood motionless.
“Listen up,” I began “We are to set sail in two hours, this is not wish but a command from headquarters.” “I want all the hatches on the deck closed and sealed, all provisions and personal belonging squared away and stored properly.” “I want final maintenance checks done on all primary systems and if something is not working I want it fixed with no excuses.”
With that I then tried to motivate the crew a little to get the spirits where they needed to be to do the job right
“We have been given a chance to turn the tables on our enemy.” “They thought the U-66 and her crew was dead, but we have survived.” “We have survived and have a chance to strike back at those that killed our friends, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers.” “Not just on this boat but in the towns where the bombs have fallen.” “We have the chance to make a difference.” “To serve Germany, and those that trust in us.”
Taking a deep breath I continued on as many people now were taking mental notes on what I was saying.
“We have been given a great boat, a boat that was built and rebuilt on blood, sweat, and tears.” “I have been given a great crew and one that takes pride in their boat” “We have named her the “Tiger shark” “A fierce predator that comes out of the deep, small, fast and agile we will strike our prey.” “She is the pride of the German navy.” “Now let us be the pride of the German navy.” “God be with us and bring all of us home safely.”
Those final words I really meant and then without wasting any more time I pulled out the picture I found and held it up in front for everyone to see.
“I found this on the ground, I know to someone it means a lot, please step forward and claim it.” I announced holding the picture high and slowly panning it left to right. A small 20 year old seaman slowly stepped forward. He appeared to be afraid to claim the picture as his own, maybe afraid of being punished.
“Captain,” came a small voice from the young man “The picture is mine.” I asked him who it was in the picture.
He replied, “Sir, it’s my wife and young son.”
I slowly placed the picture into his hand and reminded him.
“Always hold on to the ones you cherish and love, they can bring you home when it all feels hopeless.”
With that the young man took his place back on the dock and stood fast at attention.
“Crew, dismissed” I announced “We set sail in less then two hours let get everything ready!” With those final words all the crew members came to life and resumed their duties.
The sun was at the highest point in the sky as the time arrived to leave the port. It was casting a beautiful yellow and white reflection on the water surface and everything else that it could touch. The seagulls swooped by trying to pick up the crumbs of anything that may have fallen out of the baskets during the restocking of the ship. On the dock was the largest crowd of people I had seen in a long time to see us off. The military band was also playing tribute music to us.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkfarewellfromdock.jpg
**Departing ceremony for U-66 Tiger shark and crew**
I walked onto the gangplank and my foot left the last piece of land that I would feel for months behind. Now I was onboard the deck of the U-66 “Tiger shark” and moving towards the ladder that would lead to the bridge. Several crew remained on the forward and aft deck awaiting my commands.
“Start port diesel engine.” I said speaking into the tube that carried my message to the engine compartment. With the there was a low rumble in the boat followed by thick black smoke coming out the exhaust. The “Tiger shark” shook slightly as she began to wake up from her long nap.
“Port diesel engine running sir” came the reply of my XO who was passing the information from the engine room to me.
“Start starboard diesel” I commanded and again the ship shuttered as the starboard diesel turned over and came to life.
“Starboard diesel engine running sir” came the message from my XO.
“Remove the gangplank” I instructed the deck hand as he placed the gangplank on the dock.
“Sir, gangplank secured” came the replay from the deckhand
I continued down my personal checklist of all major system on the U-66. I wanted them to fail at the dock and not in combat.
“Bow and stern dive planes, set to crash dive positions” With that there was a low hum and the bow dive planes moved into the set position for an emergency dive.
“Dive planes in crash dive position, sir” responded my Xo
“Set bow and stern dive planes at full rise position, emergency blow” Now I watched the dive planes on the bow move the exact opposite position.
“Dive planes in full rise, sir” replied my XO
“Set dive planes zero degrees, surface cruise” I commanded again to the helm control.
“Dive planes at zero degrees, fore and aft, sit”
The checklist continued on down all the items that are essential to the U-boats survival. Items included: Rudder control, torpedo door both fore and aft, snorkel, electric motors, attack and observation periscopes and last but not least the air compressor. Once all the checks were complete I gave the final orders.
“Cast off bow moorings” I exclaimed to the forward deckhand and with the I removed the rope from the cleat on the U-66 and coiled it neatly on the dock. Once he finished his task he replied
“Bow moorings clear, sir”
The next command was for the stern moorings to be removed so I gave the command and I watched the stern deckhand perform the same process to precision.
“Stern moorings clear, sir” He replied.
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**A crewman's wife throws flowers while waving goodbye just before the Tiger shark pulls away from the dock**
Now the “Tiger shark” was floating free and the crowd began waiving there hands in goodbye gestures. Some were even crying. I returned the gesture as did the four deckhands and watch crew.
“Port diesel, ahead slow.” I commanded to the engine room and the “Tiger shark” inched forward leaving a small bubbly trail behind her.
“Starboard diesel, ahead slow” was my final command to get underway. With that final command the starboard engine came to life and the prop began to spin kicking up some mud from the soft bottom below.
Slowly the U-66 “Tiger shark” crept away from port, the sounds of the crowd fading in the distance. We were underway finally leaving the world we know behind in our wake. We passed a group of small fishing boats out trying to catch a living and waved to their crew.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkleavingportseenfromship.jpg
**U-66 Tiger shark Departs from port passing several fishing vesels**
Slowly we continued passing all the docked ships in the port before coming to the end of the piers and factories.
“Both main engines ahead one third”, I commanded down to the command room. I could here the diesel engines speeding up and the “Tiger shark” began to pick up speed. The bow slicing through the waves like a knife.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/TigersharkIXD2frontprofile.jpg
**Tiger shark slices through the water as engines are pushed to 1/3 power**
The gulls were still following us pestering us with there cries, but I knew in a few months I would give anything to hear the horrid sound again.
The U-66 “Tiger shark” and her crew were back in the fight and hungry for revenge
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/TigersharkIXD2Passinglighthouse.jpg
**U-66 Tiger shark passes the final land mark of the port.**
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I hope you enjoyed the story well atleast this part of it and hopefully you didn't fall asleep too much. More comming as the U-66 Tiger shark career continues.
http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/clap.gif
William
Captain
U-66
"Tiger Shark"
Part 5 Comming Soon
I invite all comments good or bad and hope you like her paint job. If anyone knows if there is a way to make this a thread that I can just keep adding to almost like a book please let me know.