William516
08-22-06, 10:23 PM
The Patrol of the Tiger Shark continues, if you have not read the past events feel free to find them here.
U-66 Tiger Shark Story Parts 1-4 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/4841027664)
Hope you enjoy everything once again
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunset Cruise
Slowly the port and the land faded away into the distance as the Tiger shark continued to slice through the water with her bow. The crew is busy inside stowing personal items away and making their racks. I have the minimum crew out for watch because we are still in “safe” waters. I turn to the radio operator and ask him to turn on the gramophone. He puts the machine on and the submarine is filled with big band music. This lightens the fear on the crew and improves moral. I stroll back into the diesel engine compartment to see how our new propulsion units are doing under the stress of a full load.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/TigerSharkSunrise.jpg
**U-66 Bask in the sunlight on a quite evening**
The engine room is a flurry of activity. The sounds of the diesel engine are so loud that it almost hurts my ears and I have to shout ever to the officer in charge.
“How is she holding up?” I yell to the officer in charge, trying to overcome the deafening port and starboard diesel engines.
The officer turns around and to face me, his face and eyes covered in sweat and grease.
“She is doing good, sir.” He responded with a smile on his face.
“All the problems with her have been fixed; you know the minor bugs that you have with any new equipment.” He continued on.
“The only thing is the oil pressure and temperature on the port diesel is a little higher then normal.” He said pointing to a large cluster of gauges.
“Normal temperature should be around here.” He stated as he pointed a finger to the center of the gauge. “We however are running in this range.” He moved his finger pointing towards the red band on the gauge.
“Don’t worry sir, the engine is still new and has not been broken in yet. It does take some time for all the pistons to get a good seal, and until then she will run a little hot.”
The officer continued to explain in detail what would happen over time as the engine broke itself in. I was amazed at how much he was able to tell me.
“Sir, I will keep an eye on it.” He said with such confidence that I was able to walk away without any worry.
I had a good crew and even though some of my crew was green and had never been in combat, I knew they would all do there jobs. As a captain you learn to trust each member of your crew with your life. There is not a choice. Each man in return is doing the same for me. My decisions lead to victory or defeat and my crew follows them without question.
I go back into my small little room and sit on the bed. On a submarine there isn’t any privacy even for the captain. From my small bed I could see the radio operator and sonar control station. Both of these men were hard at work. The only thing that could separate me from the crew was a small little curtain that could be pulled over to give a sense of being in private. Slowly I grabbed the clip board with the orders on it. We were to patrol grid AN33. I reached under the small bed and grabbed a map and began to unravel it.
“AN33?” I mumbled to myself, as a traced my finger across the map that was split into grid sections. The grid section AN33 was located in friendly waters not far from a friendly port. I could not imagine why we were being sent out to patrol a grid so close to home.
Quickly I grabbed the command orders and headed to the command room. I leaned forward and stepped through the small hatch opening and into the command room.
“Plot a course to grid AN33.” I commanded as the navigator started the calculations. He broke out a compass and ruler and laid them neatly on the large map in front of him. Then he began to mark points on the map and lay in a course. Once he had a solution and course that he was happy with, He relayed the information to the XO.
“Rudder twenty three degrees to port, port and starboard engines both at ahead standard.” The XO commanded to the helmsman.
Just then I began to get the feeling that the boat was turning and placed my hand out to brace myself. The Bananas and dried meat swung back and forth as the Tiger shark turned to her new heading.
“Rudder Amidship” The XO ordered about ten degrees from our desired heading. The U-boat slowly straightened out and began to pick up speed once again.
“Sir, estimated time till our patrol zone is approximately 83 hours, at current speed.” the navigator declared without even being asked.
I instructed the crew to inform me of anything out of the ordinary durring the trip and retired to my quarters for a long overdue nap. It was now about 15:35 and I knew the sun would soon begin to set. I had the full watch crew up but did not feel the need to have the flak guns manned. Instead I let all the men that I could rest up. They were on a shift rotation of eight hours. There was not enough room on our ship to accommodate a full crew sleeping arrangements. So if you were an enlisted man your bed was shared with at least one other crew member. Many people on the outside would look down on the sleeping arrangements on the u-boats; however, the crew feels lucky to even have a place to rest after several months at sea.
I sat down on my bed and wrote in my log book about the events of the patrol and how the boat was handling, and then I let myself slowly lie back onto the soft bed and blanket. My eyes began to get heavy and I let myself drift off to the sound of the waves lapping at the hull and big band music playing over the gramophone.
Several hours must have passed since I lay down to sleep and I woke to a sound of laughter. At first I thought I was dreaming but after the grogginess wore off I knew it was real. I rose from my bed stretching and yawning before getting up and walking towards the aft berthing area. In the past this is the area that you could find small parties and games being played by the crew. The odd thing was that the laughter was not coming from the rear berthing compartment; instead it was coming from the command room. I turned around quickly and headed towards the forward hatch that led to the command room, but not before I noticed that half or more of my crew was missing from their quarters. I entered the command room and was greeted with the usual respects given a commanding officer. There was nothing unusual about the activity in the command room; in here it was business as usual.
The sound of laughter was heard again but this time much louder and by a much larger group of people. It seemed as though the sound was coming from above. Quickly I shot a glance upward and saw the conning tower hatch door was opened. I grabbed the ladder rungs and hoisted myself up. I watched above me as the orange light became closer with each ladder rung I reached and then I found myself on the bridge of the Tiger Shark. The site was a scene of pure tranquility and I knew at that moment why my crew was on the deck.
The water was as calm as I had seen it and colored with a beautiful orange reflection from the sky. The Tiger Shark hull continued to slice through the small waves and sure enough we had attracted some attention.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkdolphincruise.jpg
**Dolphins off the starboard Bow, Sir **
I watched intently from the bridge as a small grey head appeared by the bow of the boat and then without any effort leaped into the air and over the wake and back down again. It was an awe inspiring site. Then came a large rush of air next to me and I shot my glance below to the port side of the U-66. I could see a large grey body just under the surface of the water swimming at the same speed as our boat. We were in a school of dolphins and most of the crew had come out to watch these gorgeous animals play in their natural habitat. One of my crew members was taking pictures with his camera. At least twenty dolphins surrounded us now playing with the U-boat. Some would come so close to the boat you could make out every detail on their body even the scars. The orange reflection of the sun glistened off their wet torso making them blend in with the scenery around them. It was a scene from a fairy tale, one of absolute tranquility. It would make even the toughest man forget about the war. Many of my crew had never seen a dolphin before and were amazed that the mammals could swim circles around our boat. They continued to follow us for another hour or more and the crew stood on deck watching the entire time.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkleadstheschoolofdolphins.jpg
** Tiger Shark makes new friends **
The sun continued to set and the orange reflection on the water slowly faded till it was black. The dolphins however continued to ride the wake at the bow of the U-66 Tiger shark. Some of them even sang songs to each other and slapped the water with there large flukes. It was sad to see them go but all good things must end, especially in times of war.
The cheerful songs of the dolphins slowly faded in the distance and soon the Tiger Shark and her crew were alone once more on the vast ocean. Each member of the crew slowly began to retire back below deck when they realized the dolphins were not coming back.
The eight hour rotations were over now and a new watch crew took the bridge. I stayed out on the bridge to admire the stars and the moon that now cast a white reflection on the boat. I took a deep breath, drawing in the salty air through my nose before exhaling though my mouth. It was nights like this that rarely came when commanding a u-boat and I did not want to waste this one. The water was a still as a pond, from the bridge it looked like black glass lit up only by the moon and stars. The only sound that could be heard was the rumble of the diesel engine and soft sound of the bow breaking the waves.
I retired to my quarters after three hours on the bridge keeping watch. It was nice again to feel the comfort of being able to sit down instead of, standing on a steal deck. Once in my rack, I write about the days events in the log book. So far I was very happy with how the boat was doing. The engine problems had subsided, just as the officer had told me, and the new “green” crewmen were making friends with the senior “experienced” men. A captain could not ask for more then this.
Tomorrow would be different though, the Tiger Shark would be in deeper water and it would be time to practice drills. There is no way to prepare men for actual combat, or life and death decision making. So as captain I like to practice drills with my crew. These drills are designed to push the men on this boat to the limit because in a few short weeks they may need to rely on those skills to survive. I wrote down a list of drills I wanted to practice with the crew over the next two days and handed it to the XO to go over.
I rested my head on my pillow listening to my crew talk about the events of the day. They were filled with happiness and could not stop talking about the school of dolphins. I was also able to hear many of them as they talked about there families at home and how they wish they could have seen the beauty. It was nice to overhear a crew in such high spirits; I only pray that it will last as days turn into weeks in the near future.
Practice Makes Perfect
The alarm startled me as I awoke from my slumber. My eyes slowly adjusted to the red light in the submarine and I knew it must still be very early. I walked to the command room and asked my XO for a status report. He ran through all the details of the submarine including fuel, oxygen, compressed air, position, and current radio traffic in the area. I listened to all the data and asked for a check on the depth.
“Yes sir!,” came the fast reply and then the sound of a single ping as it echoed off the ocean floor and reverberated back.
“Sir Depth below keel is 189 meters.” The young officer responded
I told them the drills for today and to prepare for a crash dive. I would not give the crew any warning, because in real combat there isn’t a warning. I had the XO confirm the depth on more time to ensure the safety of the boat and her crew. Durring this crash dive I want you to simulate a damaged bow dive plane. I looked at the XO who had never done these drills since the academy.
“A normal crash dive for this boat is 65 to 70 meters if the crew has not gained control by 150 meters then they fail this test.” I continued to explain “It is better to find out what they can do now then wait when there is no room for mistakes.”
The young XO looked at me and agreed. In the next few minutes the Tiger Shark and her crew would be tested like never before. Most of the crew was still asleep in their bunks, only a skeleton crew was on duty running all essential operations.
I took my position in the command room and placed my hand on the metal bar for support.
“Crash dive on my command!” I exclaimed and then started counting down. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and crash-dive!”
With that command the once tranquil U-66 became a scene of commotion with loud bells sounding in all compartments on the ship. The watch crew flew down the conning tower ladder as the last one secured the hatch.
“Sir, Hatch secure” he exclaimed
“Dive, dive, “came the instructions over the speakers
“Port, Starboard diesel engines ahead flank.
The command room was a deafening sound of men shouting orders back and forth. It was even loud enough to cover the sound of all the hatches being secured.
I continued giving orders
“Ready Electric motors”
“Bow and Stern dive planes twenty degrees down”
“Secure all hatches”
The Tiger Shark took on last look at the morning sun and then plunged to the depths. I tightened my grip on the metal bar as the boat begins to pitch forward.
“Shut down port and starboard diesel engines, now!’ I exclaimed.
“Port and starboard motors ahead one third”
“Make my depth 75 meters”, the commands continued
“Simulate bow dive plane failure, now”
The u-boat continued down at an angle that made standing upright difficult. Items that were not fastened securely flew everywhere. All compartments reported secure and I estimated that our dive time was about 35 seconds. I wanted to see how they would handle the next challenge though. The pressure on the hull now was beginning to make the Tiger Shark groan. It was a frightening sound that many of my crew had never heard before. They still at this time did not know that this was all a test.
The needle on the depth gauge was quickly passing the green zone and moving into the yellow.
“Sir, now passing 85 meters, bow dive planes will not respond”
“Dive planes are frozen” the helmsman reported.
“Sir now passing 95 meters, I have no control of the decent “
I began to shout new orders for the crew based on years of experience from other captains in the flotilla.
“Both motors back emergency” I shouted into the pipe that sends messages to the engine room. Then there was a loud rumbling noise followed by a slight shudder as the motors switched over into full reverse.
“Sir now passing 120 meters” The helmsman said. His eyes widened as the needle pushed further into the yellow zone.
I looked at the XO “Sound collision alarm!”
“Stern dive planes full rise, Blow ballast tank, and trim tanks”
The u-boat continued to descend but it was slowly coming under control. The helmsman, still with a shocked look on his face, announced our depth. “Passing 135 meters sir, but coming under control.”
“Simulate flooding and hull damage in forward torpedo room.” I shouted to the XO. The XO then shouted through the intercom the simulation.
Damage control teams from the compartments rushed into the forward torpedo room closing the hatches behind them. They worked at a hellish pace to control virtual flooding and rig devices to control hull damage. I looked at my stop watch and decided that this drill was over for now. The forward motion of the sub had stopped and I could feel her begin to rise to the surface once again. The depth gauge confirmed my feelings but it was too late. Had this not been a drill the Tiger Shark would have smashed hard into the ocean floor and ruptured her hull. This damage would have caused critical flooding in forward torpedo compartment. This is the least of the damage that would have been caused.
The Tiger shark continued to rise slowly to the surface again, aft end first. I ordered all motors to stop. Then I turned to my XO and told him how critical it was to get these men properly trained.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/u-66tigersharkpic1.jpg
** U-66 Slowly Rises to the surface, after a drill **
“Assemble all the crew in the stern berthing compartment, now!” I hollered across the command room.
“Yes, Sir” he responded and then ordered all crews to report to the designated area. One by one the sealed hatches were opened, and the men covered in sweat and grease walked through the command room and into the berthing area.
I waited for the entire crew to assemble before stepping in.
“Captain on deck, attention!” my XO exclaimed in a thunderous voice. Slowly I walked into the room and stood in front of the men.
“At ease men” I said allowing the tired men to relax. “Who in this room was in the forward torpedo compartment?” I questioned.
Slowly about 10 hands went up.
“You are all dead!”, “every one of you are dead!” I took a quick look around the room again.
“Who was in the forward berthing area?” Again slowly hands went up this time about 15.
“You are also all dead!”, “Gentleman be glad this was a drill or no one would be going home” I continued on now that I had everyone’s attention.
“Here is what happened.”
“We were surprised by an aircraft and did an immediate crash-dive.”
“Crash-dive time was ok, could be better”
“We then took damage from a bomb that exploded close to the dive planes”
“Dive planes are now frozen and could not be moved”
“The sub continues to drop pushing closer to crush depth, I gave you 150 meters to get her under control and we passed 175 before rising.”
“We would have then hit the ocean floor at a minimum speed of 5 knots and at full 20 degree angle. Then the submarine would have structural damage to the hull and forward compartments, hence the drill for controlling flooding and hull damage.”
I raised my voice louder. “The biggest mistake made was a small one but cost the lives of half the ship. The last person to enter the flooding area should have shut the damn door and dogged it.”
“You are not in the academy anymore; if this was real we would be dead!”
“You must pull your head out of your asses”, “When that alarm goes off you get your ass in gear.”
“No excuses!”
“We will continue to practice drills like this for as long as it takes, I want each of your moves to be automatic.” “You should not think about this, you should do it”
“I want each electrician to be able to fix engines, each torpedo crewman to know how to fix batteries, because you never know if the man next to you will be standing.”
“This ship is only as good as its crew and at this point none of us would be going home!”
“I don’t want this to turn into a ***** session, that is not why I’m here, and for those of you that think these drills are to hard or unrealistic should consider the fact that is was based on a real attack.” At this point the crews’ eyes widened and there was not a sound from a person on this U-66. I continued with my lecture and explained to those who were not around what happened durring the last patrol.
“For those of you that are new to this boat let me explain something.”
“Durring the last patrol the same thing happened that I just simulated and the only reason I am here to tell you about it is because of a damn hard working and dedicated crew.”
“That was a time that tested us all.”
“Many of those men are not here today because of the willingness to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the crew” As I continued the speech I could see those faces in my mind, the ones that dies in front of me. I did not want to go through it again.
“Take a look at the men around you!” I shouted as I pointed to a few people in the hot and sweaty room.
“When you are onboard, this is your family, and when the **** happens these are the men who will decide if you get to go home.”
“We work as a team and each of us must be able to count on those standing beside us”
“Some of you will have to give your lives for the sake of the crew and boat, and I expect no less from anyone in this room.”
“If we work together as a team then we will survive to make it back home but as you have seen if one person messes up then it will affect us all.” I watched as one of the smaller crew members in front of me started to turn white and tremble. It was the same one that had forgot to close the forward hatch durring the drill. I resumed the lecture trying not to make this man feel worse then he already did.
“We are human and yes we will make mistakes but, as a team each member must look out for the man next to him.”
“If he fails to do the right thing then, step in and do it!” “It may be the only thing that brings you back home.”
“Don’t forget that next time it might be you that makes the mistake, and that is why each person must be aware of all that goes on around him.”
“Durring our last patrol the quick work of the ship’s crew saved her from certain destruction, and I expect no less from any of you!” I repeated myself on more time to drive the point home.
“Gentleman this is not the academy, mistakes out here cost lives.”
“Remember that, whenever you feel the need to cut corners or slack off.”
“We will continue to run drills and practices throughout our patrol; I expect a hell of a lot of improvement next time!”
I pointed to the men in the room once more and then called them all to attention.
“Crew attention!” I said in a commanding voice, as the entire crew snapped their feet together and stood perfectly erect.
“Remember what I said about working as a team, I can not stress this enough.”
“Dismissed, now get back to your assigned stations.’ My long ***** session to the crew had come to an end I could only pray that my words had hit home. The crew quickly disbanded and went back to their assigned stations as instructed. I walked back to the command room.
We were at 35 meters and rising very slow astern. I ordered the helmsman to bring us to periscope depth so I could take a quick peak. The submarine slowly maneuvered into a level position where I could take a view using the observation scope. According to the navigator we were still in friendly waters but I always like to play it safe. Slowly the mechanical hydraulics lifted the scope into position and I took a view. I did a full sweep first starboard and then port, and finally checking all 360 degrees surrounding the Tiger Shark. The entire area was clear, not a ship in site so I ordered the crew to surface.
There was a short burst from the electric motors and then the boat pulled into a positive pitch. The depth gauge slowly rose from 25 meters, and then came the welcoming sound of the sea splashing on the hull of the U-66. It was a welcoming sound for anyone who has been under the sea for any period of time.
“Sir ship surfaced, bow and aft dive planes at zero degrees” Came a voice from beside me.
“Watch crew on the bridge” I quickly ordered and the crew assigned to the watch started to climb the steel ladder to the bridge.
I looked at the XO and ordered him to follow are plotted course and set the diesel engines to standard speed. When I was finished giving orders, I grabbed the cold wet metal rails and began the climb to the bridge.
The air outside had turned a much cooler temperature then yesterday and I knew that soon we would find ourselves in stormy conditions. I did not need to look at the horizon to tell me what the weather was going to be like. When you have been out on the sea for so long you just know. The horizon in front of us faded into a very dark blue color and that told me everything I needed to know.
Time continue to pass very slowly on this trip and other then the dolphins and a few planes we did not see anything. The sun was beginning to set on yet another day and again we were giving a beautiful sunset to watch. The only difference was the darker band on the horizon. I knew that soon the Tiger Shark and her crew would soon be facing some rough conditions. I enjoyed the sunset for as long as I could and then retired to my quarters.
The crew of the U-66 also had a very rough day. They were drilled and tested most of the day. I had them practice everything that I could think of that was essential to a good crew and survival of the u-boat. I ran several drills using the deck gun and flak gun crews. I would push them to get into position and have all the guns ready to fire. The crew showed substantial improvement from the first drill and I knew that my, our little talk had sunk in. They were working as a team.
Slowly I drifted off to sleep listening to my men as they told stories of family life back at home. I’m not sure what song was on the gramophone but it was very soothing and slow. It fit right in with the water rushing past the hull. Sometimes it almost seemed that they were in unison. My eyelids started to feel heavy and I closed them blocking out the red light of the interior of the U-66.
Tiger Sharks First Victim
I awoke from my sleep to my XO telling me that the watch crew had spotted a ship. I didn’t think much of it at first because we were still well within friendly waters. I rose quickly from my rack and headed towards the command room. The steel rails were cold when I grabbed them and began my climb to the bridge.
It must have dropped about twenty or more degrees outside and was still very dark. The wind had increased to 6 meters per second and changed directions. Waves slowly crashed over the bow of the Tiger Shark and would splash could sea water onto the bridge. The watch officer handed me a pair of binoculars.
“Sir unidentified ship, bearing 295 degrees to Port.”; He stated pointing a finger in the approximate direction. I wiped the sea water from the lens and tried to look in the direction he was pointing. My eyes had not adjusted yet to the darkness outside and thus made it hard to see anything. The moon was also covered by an overcast sky and did not provide much help. A minute or so passed and I finally could see a silhouette of a small ship in the distance. I would estimate about three thousand or more away from us. I scanned the small ship with my binoculars from fore to aft looking for any sign of identification. I was not able to find any and all the ships lights were doused. The flag waved in the wind but without the proper light I was not able to identify nationality.
“Port and starboard diesels slow ahead.” I ordered down the tubes and instantly the engines slowed.
“Rudder ten degrees to port”
The U-66 slowly turned to port. I was trying to keep the bow of the U-boat perpendicular to the unidentified contact. This would minimize the profile of our ship and make it harder to see.
“What would the best way be to attack the target?” I thought quietly to myself as I once again glanced over the small boat in the distance. There were several tactics that could be used but at this time we were to close to the contact and had not identified nationality. This could be a friendly ship or neutral so I could not risk opening fire blind. My eyes strained to see the symbol on the tiny flag, but with no light it made it impossible. We would have to close the distance.
“All stop, switch to electric engines” I ordered, and the noise from the diesel stopped instantly. For a few minutes the only sound of the night was the hull slicing through the water. I listened closely and could now hear the engines of the boat we were stalking. The contact still had not noticed us and we continued to close the distance.
“Port and starboard motors ahead, silent speed” I again commanded to my XO who passed the word down the wire. Now the electric motors had kicked in and we could approach silently.
“Keep our bow 90 degrees to the target and minimize our profile”
“Man the deck gun, crew to assigned areas!” I called down into the conning tower and within seconds men began to climb the ladder and make there way onto the bridge. Several men climbed down from the bridge onto the forward deck. They ran and unlocked the waterproof ammunition and loaded the breech of the forward deck gun. Slowly then turned the deck gun to match the contact bearing. They now were awaiting my orders to open fire.
I could still not make out the nationality of the contact and did not want to fire blind shot. The contact continued unaware that we were tracking every move.
“Sir closing on contact, range now 1300 meters;” The watch officer replied. My eyes strained, as they focused through the binoculars at the flag the craft was flying.
“Stand by to fire on my command” I ordered to the deck gun crew. They now had the small ship bracketed in the gun sites.
After what seemed like an eternity, the watch officer called out.
“Contact identified as an enemy range 900” I glanced through the binoculars and was able to barely make out the red “X”. It was in fact an enemy ship but I had to make sure before opening up on it.
“Engage target, fire at will!” I ordered to the gun crew and before I could even finish the sentence the first round was fired away.
The Tiger Shark shook and the once quite night echoed with gun fire. The muzzle flash from the deck gun was so bright it blinded me for a second. The empty shell hit the deck and slowly rolled off into the water. It sizzled as it slowly sank out of site.
I watched as the tracer continued towards it target and then a second explosion as the round struck the targets starboard bow. A shower of sparks and debris emitted from the impact point. The small craft now surged forward at flank speed but it would not be able to run from us.
The second round was quickly loaded into the breach and fired away. The loud explosion again rocked the U-66 and her crew. A cloud of black smoke billowed up over the conning tower after every shot from the large deck gun. I would have to hold my breath and close my eyes with every shot. The second tracer quickly flew through the air and struck the small craft just below the water line. There was a small plume of water as the second round tore into the hull of the ship.
The deck gun crew prepped to fire a third shot, quickly the repositioned the gun, aimed, and then fired. The red tracer flew through the air and impacted the hull again. This time it was different though as the round actually pierced the ships hull and engine compartment. The small ship now began to decelerate, slowly succumbing to its wounds. A small fire was also forming on the aft portion of the vessel.
Through my binoculars I was able to witness the brave souls trying to fight the fire and save their ship. They small black figures rushed forward and aft trying to douse the flames. I was glad that I could not see any faces because I knew that soon these men would perish into the depths of the sea.
My vision turned white from the mussel flash as the fifth and final shell headed towards the small vessel. I regained focus and was able to see the final shell strike the powerless ship. It cut down two of the crew instantly as it slammed into the hull of ship. A large explosion followed that actually lifted the small vessel out of the water. I removed my binoculars and placed them at my side. The large fireball consumed the vessel and several of the crew was hurled through the air like toys. Some of there clothes set ablaze by the burning oil. The crew that was not already dead would wish that they were soon enough.
A second explosion rocked through the ship, this one far larger then the first. It lit up the night sky with a bright orange haze. The explosion sent pieces of burning debris everywhere, some landing near the Tiger Sharks bow. A large black oil slick formed around the boat and soon ignited into flames. The remainder of the tiny vessel slowly sank into the sea.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/TigerSharkPreyatNightTugFireball.jpg
** A Small Enemy ship explodes after a deck gun shell pierces the fuel tank **
The only thing that could be seen within a few minutes was the burning oil slick and it continued to light up the night sky. Overtop the cheering of my crew came the haunting sounds of me screaming in agony. I removed my cap and placed it at my side. I know they are the enemy but every dying man deserves respect and dignity. Every man who is a soldier or sailor deserves at least that.
The horrible sounds of the men slowly faded away and I knew that it was because the sea had taken them.
“Return to course, secure electrics and ready the diesel” I ordered to the crew as I placed the cap back onto my head. I knew this was the first of many encounters soon to come but it was hard to accept the death of anyone on my conscience.
The U-66 began a slow turn to port and veered away from the floating debris and fire. The gun crew secured the deck gun and quickly entered the submarine. I took one final glance at the wreckage floating in the water. There was nothing left of the ship and only a few bodies floating. It was a grotesque site but one I had better get used to. The crew was in high spirits over their first kill. It wasn’t much tonnage at all but it served to keep the crews spirits high and that’s all that mattered to me. The light of the burning oil slicks on the water slowly faded into the darkness leaving the U-66 alone once again. I climbed down from the bridge back into the submarine. I could hear the crew members talking amongst themselves, sharing there experiences of the events that just unfolded. They were happy laughing and making sound effects. As captain this is the type of crew that you want aboard your boat. I decided to let the crew enjoy their celebration and even told the radio operator to turn on the gramophone.
Soon the U-66 was full of crew members rejoicing and dancing wildly in the small quarters. Despite all the celebrations going on around me I couldn’t help but think why an enemy ship was found in friendly waters. Were the German forces doing this bad in the war or did the ship get lucky and sneak by our defenses. No matter what the reason the truth was that the U-66 and her crew would have to be on the watch at all times. There were no more safe havens.
I looked at the clock next to me; it said it was almost midnight. The second rotation men sat in the command room waiting to take there place on the bridge as watch crew. I ordered an additional man to the top side watch and ordered them to report anything unusual directly to me.
I waited for the second watch crew to climb down the ladder and return to there quarters. They reported that the visibility was dropping and the winds speeds had increased. Placing my hand on the ladder I began to climb top side to see the weather for myself. The watch crew was correct the visibility had dropped substantially and the winds had increased to seven meters per second. The ocean waves were now cresting over the bow of the submarine. In the distance bright white lightning could be seen lighting up the entire sky. I did not hear any thunder so the storm was still a ways off, but soon we would have to face her. The watch crew climbed the ladder behind me and took their positions on the bridge. I climbed back down the ladder and headed to my quarters. I grabbed the log book and my pen and wrote down the first kill of our patrol. It was a good feeling to see the crew in such high spirits as many of them still continued to clown around, but I knew that soon things would change and the hunter would become the hunted. Then I wonder how the crew will react.
The Tiger Shark continued to pitch up and down, each wave seemed to be bigger then the last. The items sitting on the small dresser next to me would begin to move. I grabbed them and placed them in the drawer. I laid back and settled into my bed trying to catch some sleep before the storm hit with full force. In the background the crew was changing to the third shift positions. The submarine fell quite with only the diesel engines chugging along in the background.
Part 6 Comming Soon
------------------------------------------------
Again hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment
William
Captain
U-66
"Tiger Shark"
U-66 Tiger Shark Story Parts 1-4 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/857101043/m/4841027664)
Hope you enjoy everything once again
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunset Cruise
Slowly the port and the land faded away into the distance as the Tiger shark continued to slice through the water with her bow. The crew is busy inside stowing personal items away and making their racks. I have the minimum crew out for watch because we are still in “safe” waters. I turn to the radio operator and ask him to turn on the gramophone. He puts the machine on and the submarine is filled with big band music. This lightens the fear on the crew and improves moral. I stroll back into the diesel engine compartment to see how our new propulsion units are doing under the stress of a full load.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/TigerSharkSunrise.jpg
**U-66 Bask in the sunlight on a quite evening**
The engine room is a flurry of activity. The sounds of the diesel engine are so loud that it almost hurts my ears and I have to shout ever to the officer in charge.
“How is she holding up?” I yell to the officer in charge, trying to overcome the deafening port and starboard diesel engines.
The officer turns around and to face me, his face and eyes covered in sweat and grease.
“She is doing good, sir.” He responded with a smile on his face.
“All the problems with her have been fixed; you know the minor bugs that you have with any new equipment.” He continued on.
“The only thing is the oil pressure and temperature on the port diesel is a little higher then normal.” He said pointing to a large cluster of gauges.
“Normal temperature should be around here.” He stated as he pointed a finger to the center of the gauge. “We however are running in this range.” He moved his finger pointing towards the red band on the gauge.
“Don’t worry sir, the engine is still new and has not been broken in yet. It does take some time for all the pistons to get a good seal, and until then she will run a little hot.”
The officer continued to explain in detail what would happen over time as the engine broke itself in. I was amazed at how much he was able to tell me.
“Sir, I will keep an eye on it.” He said with such confidence that I was able to walk away without any worry.
I had a good crew and even though some of my crew was green and had never been in combat, I knew they would all do there jobs. As a captain you learn to trust each member of your crew with your life. There is not a choice. Each man in return is doing the same for me. My decisions lead to victory or defeat and my crew follows them without question.
I go back into my small little room and sit on the bed. On a submarine there isn’t any privacy even for the captain. From my small bed I could see the radio operator and sonar control station. Both of these men were hard at work. The only thing that could separate me from the crew was a small little curtain that could be pulled over to give a sense of being in private. Slowly I grabbed the clip board with the orders on it. We were to patrol grid AN33. I reached under the small bed and grabbed a map and began to unravel it.
“AN33?” I mumbled to myself, as a traced my finger across the map that was split into grid sections. The grid section AN33 was located in friendly waters not far from a friendly port. I could not imagine why we were being sent out to patrol a grid so close to home.
Quickly I grabbed the command orders and headed to the command room. I leaned forward and stepped through the small hatch opening and into the command room.
“Plot a course to grid AN33.” I commanded as the navigator started the calculations. He broke out a compass and ruler and laid them neatly on the large map in front of him. Then he began to mark points on the map and lay in a course. Once he had a solution and course that he was happy with, He relayed the information to the XO.
“Rudder twenty three degrees to port, port and starboard engines both at ahead standard.” The XO commanded to the helmsman.
Just then I began to get the feeling that the boat was turning and placed my hand out to brace myself. The Bananas and dried meat swung back and forth as the Tiger shark turned to her new heading.
“Rudder Amidship” The XO ordered about ten degrees from our desired heading. The U-boat slowly straightened out and began to pick up speed once again.
“Sir, estimated time till our patrol zone is approximately 83 hours, at current speed.” the navigator declared without even being asked.
I instructed the crew to inform me of anything out of the ordinary durring the trip and retired to my quarters for a long overdue nap. It was now about 15:35 and I knew the sun would soon begin to set. I had the full watch crew up but did not feel the need to have the flak guns manned. Instead I let all the men that I could rest up. They were on a shift rotation of eight hours. There was not enough room on our ship to accommodate a full crew sleeping arrangements. So if you were an enlisted man your bed was shared with at least one other crew member. Many people on the outside would look down on the sleeping arrangements on the u-boats; however, the crew feels lucky to even have a place to rest after several months at sea.
I sat down on my bed and wrote in my log book about the events of the patrol and how the boat was handling, and then I let myself slowly lie back onto the soft bed and blanket. My eyes began to get heavy and I let myself drift off to the sound of the waves lapping at the hull and big band music playing over the gramophone.
Several hours must have passed since I lay down to sleep and I woke to a sound of laughter. At first I thought I was dreaming but after the grogginess wore off I knew it was real. I rose from my bed stretching and yawning before getting up and walking towards the aft berthing area. In the past this is the area that you could find small parties and games being played by the crew. The odd thing was that the laughter was not coming from the rear berthing compartment; instead it was coming from the command room. I turned around quickly and headed towards the forward hatch that led to the command room, but not before I noticed that half or more of my crew was missing from their quarters. I entered the command room and was greeted with the usual respects given a commanding officer. There was nothing unusual about the activity in the command room; in here it was business as usual.
The sound of laughter was heard again but this time much louder and by a much larger group of people. It seemed as though the sound was coming from above. Quickly I shot a glance upward and saw the conning tower hatch door was opened. I grabbed the ladder rungs and hoisted myself up. I watched above me as the orange light became closer with each ladder rung I reached and then I found myself on the bridge of the Tiger Shark. The site was a scene of pure tranquility and I knew at that moment why my crew was on the deck.
The water was as calm as I had seen it and colored with a beautiful orange reflection from the sky. The Tiger Shark hull continued to slice through the small waves and sure enough we had attracted some attention.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkdolphincruise.jpg
**Dolphins off the starboard Bow, Sir **
I watched intently from the bridge as a small grey head appeared by the bow of the boat and then without any effort leaped into the air and over the wake and back down again. It was an awe inspiring site. Then came a large rush of air next to me and I shot my glance below to the port side of the U-66. I could see a large grey body just under the surface of the water swimming at the same speed as our boat. We were in a school of dolphins and most of the crew had come out to watch these gorgeous animals play in their natural habitat. One of my crew members was taking pictures with his camera. At least twenty dolphins surrounded us now playing with the U-boat. Some would come so close to the boat you could make out every detail on their body even the scars. The orange reflection of the sun glistened off their wet torso making them blend in with the scenery around them. It was a scene from a fairy tale, one of absolute tranquility. It would make even the toughest man forget about the war. Many of my crew had never seen a dolphin before and were amazed that the mammals could swim circles around our boat. They continued to follow us for another hour or more and the crew stood on deck watching the entire time.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/Tigersharkleadstheschoolofdolphins.jpg
** Tiger Shark makes new friends **
The sun continued to set and the orange reflection on the water slowly faded till it was black. The dolphins however continued to ride the wake at the bow of the U-66 Tiger shark. Some of them even sang songs to each other and slapped the water with there large flukes. It was sad to see them go but all good things must end, especially in times of war.
The cheerful songs of the dolphins slowly faded in the distance and soon the Tiger Shark and her crew were alone once more on the vast ocean. Each member of the crew slowly began to retire back below deck when they realized the dolphins were not coming back.
The eight hour rotations were over now and a new watch crew took the bridge. I stayed out on the bridge to admire the stars and the moon that now cast a white reflection on the boat. I took a deep breath, drawing in the salty air through my nose before exhaling though my mouth. It was nights like this that rarely came when commanding a u-boat and I did not want to waste this one. The water was a still as a pond, from the bridge it looked like black glass lit up only by the moon and stars. The only sound that could be heard was the rumble of the diesel engine and soft sound of the bow breaking the waves.
I retired to my quarters after three hours on the bridge keeping watch. It was nice again to feel the comfort of being able to sit down instead of, standing on a steal deck. Once in my rack, I write about the days events in the log book. So far I was very happy with how the boat was doing. The engine problems had subsided, just as the officer had told me, and the new “green” crewmen were making friends with the senior “experienced” men. A captain could not ask for more then this.
Tomorrow would be different though, the Tiger Shark would be in deeper water and it would be time to practice drills. There is no way to prepare men for actual combat, or life and death decision making. So as captain I like to practice drills with my crew. These drills are designed to push the men on this boat to the limit because in a few short weeks they may need to rely on those skills to survive. I wrote down a list of drills I wanted to practice with the crew over the next two days and handed it to the XO to go over.
I rested my head on my pillow listening to my crew talk about the events of the day. They were filled with happiness and could not stop talking about the school of dolphins. I was also able to hear many of them as they talked about there families at home and how they wish they could have seen the beauty. It was nice to overhear a crew in such high spirits; I only pray that it will last as days turn into weeks in the near future.
Practice Makes Perfect
The alarm startled me as I awoke from my slumber. My eyes slowly adjusted to the red light in the submarine and I knew it must still be very early. I walked to the command room and asked my XO for a status report. He ran through all the details of the submarine including fuel, oxygen, compressed air, position, and current radio traffic in the area. I listened to all the data and asked for a check on the depth.
“Yes sir!,” came the fast reply and then the sound of a single ping as it echoed off the ocean floor and reverberated back.
“Sir Depth below keel is 189 meters.” The young officer responded
I told them the drills for today and to prepare for a crash dive. I would not give the crew any warning, because in real combat there isn’t a warning. I had the XO confirm the depth on more time to ensure the safety of the boat and her crew. Durring this crash dive I want you to simulate a damaged bow dive plane. I looked at the XO who had never done these drills since the academy.
“A normal crash dive for this boat is 65 to 70 meters if the crew has not gained control by 150 meters then they fail this test.” I continued to explain “It is better to find out what they can do now then wait when there is no room for mistakes.”
The young XO looked at me and agreed. In the next few minutes the Tiger Shark and her crew would be tested like never before. Most of the crew was still asleep in their bunks, only a skeleton crew was on duty running all essential operations.
I took my position in the command room and placed my hand on the metal bar for support.
“Crash dive on my command!” I exclaimed and then started counting down. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and crash-dive!”
With that command the once tranquil U-66 became a scene of commotion with loud bells sounding in all compartments on the ship. The watch crew flew down the conning tower ladder as the last one secured the hatch.
“Sir, Hatch secure” he exclaimed
“Dive, dive, “came the instructions over the speakers
“Port, Starboard diesel engines ahead flank.
The command room was a deafening sound of men shouting orders back and forth. It was even loud enough to cover the sound of all the hatches being secured.
I continued giving orders
“Ready Electric motors”
“Bow and Stern dive planes twenty degrees down”
“Secure all hatches”
The Tiger Shark took on last look at the morning sun and then plunged to the depths. I tightened my grip on the metal bar as the boat begins to pitch forward.
“Shut down port and starboard diesel engines, now!’ I exclaimed.
“Port and starboard motors ahead one third”
“Make my depth 75 meters”, the commands continued
“Simulate bow dive plane failure, now”
The u-boat continued down at an angle that made standing upright difficult. Items that were not fastened securely flew everywhere. All compartments reported secure and I estimated that our dive time was about 35 seconds. I wanted to see how they would handle the next challenge though. The pressure on the hull now was beginning to make the Tiger Shark groan. It was a frightening sound that many of my crew had never heard before. They still at this time did not know that this was all a test.
The needle on the depth gauge was quickly passing the green zone and moving into the yellow.
“Sir, now passing 85 meters, bow dive planes will not respond”
“Dive planes are frozen” the helmsman reported.
“Sir now passing 95 meters, I have no control of the decent “
I began to shout new orders for the crew based on years of experience from other captains in the flotilla.
“Both motors back emergency” I shouted into the pipe that sends messages to the engine room. Then there was a loud rumbling noise followed by a slight shudder as the motors switched over into full reverse.
“Sir now passing 120 meters” The helmsman said. His eyes widened as the needle pushed further into the yellow zone.
I looked at the XO “Sound collision alarm!”
“Stern dive planes full rise, Blow ballast tank, and trim tanks”
The u-boat continued to descend but it was slowly coming under control. The helmsman, still with a shocked look on his face, announced our depth. “Passing 135 meters sir, but coming under control.”
“Simulate flooding and hull damage in forward torpedo room.” I shouted to the XO. The XO then shouted through the intercom the simulation.
Damage control teams from the compartments rushed into the forward torpedo room closing the hatches behind them. They worked at a hellish pace to control virtual flooding and rig devices to control hull damage. I looked at my stop watch and decided that this drill was over for now. The forward motion of the sub had stopped and I could feel her begin to rise to the surface once again. The depth gauge confirmed my feelings but it was too late. Had this not been a drill the Tiger Shark would have smashed hard into the ocean floor and ruptured her hull. This damage would have caused critical flooding in forward torpedo compartment. This is the least of the damage that would have been caused.
The Tiger shark continued to rise slowly to the surface again, aft end first. I ordered all motors to stop. Then I turned to my XO and told him how critical it was to get these men properly trained.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/u-66tigersharkpic1.jpg
** U-66 Slowly Rises to the surface, after a drill **
“Assemble all the crew in the stern berthing compartment, now!” I hollered across the command room.
“Yes, Sir” he responded and then ordered all crews to report to the designated area. One by one the sealed hatches were opened, and the men covered in sweat and grease walked through the command room and into the berthing area.
I waited for the entire crew to assemble before stepping in.
“Captain on deck, attention!” my XO exclaimed in a thunderous voice. Slowly I walked into the room and stood in front of the men.
“At ease men” I said allowing the tired men to relax. “Who in this room was in the forward torpedo compartment?” I questioned.
Slowly about 10 hands went up.
“You are all dead!”, “every one of you are dead!” I took a quick look around the room again.
“Who was in the forward berthing area?” Again slowly hands went up this time about 15.
“You are also all dead!”, “Gentleman be glad this was a drill or no one would be going home” I continued on now that I had everyone’s attention.
“Here is what happened.”
“We were surprised by an aircraft and did an immediate crash-dive.”
“Crash-dive time was ok, could be better”
“We then took damage from a bomb that exploded close to the dive planes”
“Dive planes are now frozen and could not be moved”
“The sub continues to drop pushing closer to crush depth, I gave you 150 meters to get her under control and we passed 175 before rising.”
“We would have then hit the ocean floor at a minimum speed of 5 knots and at full 20 degree angle. Then the submarine would have structural damage to the hull and forward compartments, hence the drill for controlling flooding and hull damage.”
I raised my voice louder. “The biggest mistake made was a small one but cost the lives of half the ship. The last person to enter the flooding area should have shut the damn door and dogged it.”
“You are not in the academy anymore; if this was real we would be dead!”
“You must pull your head out of your asses”, “When that alarm goes off you get your ass in gear.”
“No excuses!”
“We will continue to practice drills like this for as long as it takes, I want each of your moves to be automatic.” “You should not think about this, you should do it”
“I want each electrician to be able to fix engines, each torpedo crewman to know how to fix batteries, because you never know if the man next to you will be standing.”
“This ship is only as good as its crew and at this point none of us would be going home!”
“I don’t want this to turn into a ***** session, that is not why I’m here, and for those of you that think these drills are to hard or unrealistic should consider the fact that is was based on a real attack.” At this point the crews’ eyes widened and there was not a sound from a person on this U-66. I continued with my lecture and explained to those who were not around what happened durring the last patrol.
“For those of you that are new to this boat let me explain something.”
“Durring the last patrol the same thing happened that I just simulated and the only reason I am here to tell you about it is because of a damn hard working and dedicated crew.”
“That was a time that tested us all.”
“Many of those men are not here today because of the willingness to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the crew” As I continued the speech I could see those faces in my mind, the ones that dies in front of me. I did not want to go through it again.
“Take a look at the men around you!” I shouted as I pointed to a few people in the hot and sweaty room.
“When you are onboard, this is your family, and when the **** happens these are the men who will decide if you get to go home.”
“We work as a team and each of us must be able to count on those standing beside us”
“Some of you will have to give your lives for the sake of the crew and boat, and I expect no less from anyone in this room.”
“If we work together as a team then we will survive to make it back home but as you have seen if one person messes up then it will affect us all.” I watched as one of the smaller crew members in front of me started to turn white and tremble. It was the same one that had forgot to close the forward hatch durring the drill. I resumed the lecture trying not to make this man feel worse then he already did.
“We are human and yes we will make mistakes but, as a team each member must look out for the man next to him.”
“If he fails to do the right thing then, step in and do it!” “It may be the only thing that brings you back home.”
“Don’t forget that next time it might be you that makes the mistake, and that is why each person must be aware of all that goes on around him.”
“Durring our last patrol the quick work of the ship’s crew saved her from certain destruction, and I expect no less from any of you!” I repeated myself on more time to drive the point home.
“Gentleman this is not the academy, mistakes out here cost lives.”
“Remember that, whenever you feel the need to cut corners or slack off.”
“We will continue to run drills and practices throughout our patrol; I expect a hell of a lot of improvement next time!”
I pointed to the men in the room once more and then called them all to attention.
“Crew attention!” I said in a commanding voice, as the entire crew snapped their feet together and stood perfectly erect.
“Remember what I said about working as a team, I can not stress this enough.”
“Dismissed, now get back to your assigned stations.’ My long ***** session to the crew had come to an end I could only pray that my words had hit home. The crew quickly disbanded and went back to their assigned stations as instructed. I walked back to the command room.
We were at 35 meters and rising very slow astern. I ordered the helmsman to bring us to periscope depth so I could take a quick peak. The submarine slowly maneuvered into a level position where I could take a view using the observation scope. According to the navigator we were still in friendly waters but I always like to play it safe. Slowly the mechanical hydraulics lifted the scope into position and I took a view. I did a full sweep first starboard and then port, and finally checking all 360 degrees surrounding the Tiger Shark. The entire area was clear, not a ship in site so I ordered the crew to surface.
There was a short burst from the electric motors and then the boat pulled into a positive pitch. The depth gauge slowly rose from 25 meters, and then came the welcoming sound of the sea splashing on the hull of the U-66. It was a welcoming sound for anyone who has been under the sea for any period of time.
“Sir ship surfaced, bow and aft dive planes at zero degrees” Came a voice from beside me.
“Watch crew on the bridge” I quickly ordered and the crew assigned to the watch started to climb the steel ladder to the bridge.
I looked at the XO and ordered him to follow are plotted course and set the diesel engines to standard speed. When I was finished giving orders, I grabbed the cold wet metal rails and began the climb to the bridge.
The air outside had turned a much cooler temperature then yesterday and I knew that soon we would find ourselves in stormy conditions. I did not need to look at the horizon to tell me what the weather was going to be like. When you have been out on the sea for so long you just know. The horizon in front of us faded into a very dark blue color and that told me everything I needed to know.
Time continue to pass very slowly on this trip and other then the dolphins and a few planes we did not see anything. The sun was beginning to set on yet another day and again we were giving a beautiful sunset to watch. The only difference was the darker band on the horizon. I knew that soon the Tiger Shark and her crew would soon be facing some rough conditions. I enjoyed the sunset for as long as I could and then retired to my quarters.
The crew of the U-66 also had a very rough day. They were drilled and tested most of the day. I had them practice everything that I could think of that was essential to a good crew and survival of the u-boat. I ran several drills using the deck gun and flak gun crews. I would push them to get into position and have all the guns ready to fire. The crew showed substantial improvement from the first drill and I knew that my, our little talk had sunk in. They were working as a team.
Slowly I drifted off to sleep listening to my men as they told stories of family life back at home. I’m not sure what song was on the gramophone but it was very soothing and slow. It fit right in with the water rushing past the hull. Sometimes it almost seemed that they were in unison. My eyelids started to feel heavy and I closed them blocking out the red light of the interior of the U-66.
Tiger Sharks First Victim
I awoke from my sleep to my XO telling me that the watch crew had spotted a ship. I didn’t think much of it at first because we were still well within friendly waters. I rose quickly from my rack and headed towards the command room. The steel rails were cold when I grabbed them and began my climb to the bridge.
It must have dropped about twenty or more degrees outside and was still very dark. The wind had increased to 6 meters per second and changed directions. Waves slowly crashed over the bow of the Tiger Shark and would splash could sea water onto the bridge. The watch officer handed me a pair of binoculars.
“Sir unidentified ship, bearing 295 degrees to Port.”; He stated pointing a finger in the approximate direction. I wiped the sea water from the lens and tried to look in the direction he was pointing. My eyes had not adjusted yet to the darkness outside and thus made it hard to see anything. The moon was also covered by an overcast sky and did not provide much help. A minute or so passed and I finally could see a silhouette of a small ship in the distance. I would estimate about three thousand or more away from us. I scanned the small ship with my binoculars from fore to aft looking for any sign of identification. I was not able to find any and all the ships lights were doused. The flag waved in the wind but without the proper light I was not able to identify nationality.
“Port and starboard diesels slow ahead.” I ordered down the tubes and instantly the engines slowed.
“Rudder ten degrees to port”
The U-66 slowly turned to port. I was trying to keep the bow of the U-boat perpendicular to the unidentified contact. This would minimize the profile of our ship and make it harder to see.
“What would the best way be to attack the target?” I thought quietly to myself as I once again glanced over the small boat in the distance. There were several tactics that could be used but at this time we were to close to the contact and had not identified nationality. This could be a friendly ship or neutral so I could not risk opening fire blind. My eyes strained to see the symbol on the tiny flag, but with no light it made it impossible. We would have to close the distance.
“All stop, switch to electric engines” I ordered, and the noise from the diesel stopped instantly. For a few minutes the only sound of the night was the hull slicing through the water. I listened closely and could now hear the engines of the boat we were stalking. The contact still had not noticed us and we continued to close the distance.
“Port and starboard motors ahead, silent speed” I again commanded to my XO who passed the word down the wire. Now the electric motors had kicked in and we could approach silently.
“Keep our bow 90 degrees to the target and minimize our profile”
“Man the deck gun, crew to assigned areas!” I called down into the conning tower and within seconds men began to climb the ladder and make there way onto the bridge. Several men climbed down from the bridge onto the forward deck. They ran and unlocked the waterproof ammunition and loaded the breech of the forward deck gun. Slowly then turned the deck gun to match the contact bearing. They now were awaiting my orders to open fire.
I could still not make out the nationality of the contact and did not want to fire blind shot. The contact continued unaware that we were tracking every move.
“Sir closing on contact, range now 1300 meters;” The watch officer replied. My eyes strained, as they focused through the binoculars at the flag the craft was flying.
“Stand by to fire on my command” I ordered to the deck gun crew. They now had the small ship bracketed in the gun sites.
After what seemed like an eternity, the watch officer called out.
“Contact identified as an enemy range 900” I glanced through the binoculars and was able to barely make out the red “X”. It was in fact an enemy ship but I had to make sure before opening up on it.
“Engage target, fire at will!” I ordered to the gun crew and before I could even finish the sentence the first round was fired away.
The Tiger Shark shook and the once quite night echoed with gun fire. The muzzle flash from the deck gun was so bright it blinded me for a second. The empty shell hit the deck and slowly rolled off into the water. It sizzled as it slowly sank out of site.
I watched as the tracer continued towards it target and then a second explosion as the round struck the targets starboard bow. A shower of sparks and debris emitted from the impact point. The small craft now surged forward at flank speed but it would not be able to run from us.
The second round was quickly loaded into the breach and fired away. The loud explosion again rocked the U-66 and her crew. A cloud of black smoke billowed up over the conning tower after every shot from the large deck gun. I would have to hold my breath and close my eyes with every shot. The second tracer quickly flew through the air and struck the small craft just below the water line. There was a small plume of water as the second round tore into the hull of the ship.
The deck gun crew prepped to fire a third shot, quickly the repositioned the gun, aimed, and then fired. The red tracer flew through the air and impacted the hull again. This time it was different though as the round actually pierced the ships hull and engine compartment. The small ship now began to decelerate, slowly succumbing to its wounds. A small fire was also forming on the aft portion of the vessel.
Through my binoculars I was able to witness the brave souls trying to fight the fire and save their ship. They small black figures rushed forward and aft trying to douse the flames. I was glad that I could not see any faces because I knew that soon these men would perish into the depths of the sea.
My vision turned white from the mussel flash as the fifth and final shell headed towards the small vessel. I regained focus and was able to see the final shell strike the powerless ship. It cut down two of the crew instantly as it slammed into the hull of ship. A large explosion followed that actually lifted the small vessel out of the water. I removed my binoculars and placed them at my side. The large fireball consumed the vessel and several of the crew was hurled through the air like toys. Some of there clothes set ablaze by the burning oil. The crew that was not already dead would wish that they were soon enough.
A second explosion rocked through the ship, this one far larger then the first. It lit up the night sky with a bright orange haze. The explosion sent pieces of burning debris everywhere, some landing near the Tiger Sharks bow. A large black oil slick formed around the boat and soon ignited into flames. The remainder of the tiny vessel slowly sank into the sea.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n79/william516/TigerSharkPreyatNightTugFireball.jpg
** A Small Enemy ship explodes after a deck gun shell pierces the fuel tank **
The only thing that could be seen within a few minutes was the burning oil slick and it continued to light up the night sky. Overtop the cheering of my crew came the haunting sounds of me screaming in agony. I removed my cap and placed it at my side. I know they are the enemy but every dying man deserves respect and dignity. Every man who is a soldier or sailor deserves at least that.
The horrible sounds of the men slowly faded away and I knew that it was because the sea had taken them.
“Return to course, secure electrics and ready the diesel” I ordered to the crew as I placed the cap back onto my head. I knew this was the first of many encounters soon to come but it was hard to accept the death of anyone on my conscience.
The U-66 began a slow turn to port and veered away from the floating debris and fire. The gun crew secured the deck gun and quickly entered the submarine. I took one final glance at the wreckage floating in the water. There was nothing left of the ship and only a few bodies floating. It was a grotesque site but one I had better get used to. The crew was in high spirits over their first kill. It wasn’t much tonnage at all but it served to keep the crews spirits high and that’s all that mattered to me. The light of the burning oil slicks on the water slowly faded into the darkness leaving the U-66 alone once again. I climbed down from the bridge back into the submarine. I could hear the crew members talking amongst themselves, sharing there experiences of the events that just unfolded. They were happy laughing and making sound effects. As captain this is the type of crew that you want aboard your boat. I decided to let the crew enjoy their celebration and even told the radio operator to turn on the gramophone.
Soon the U-66 was full of crew members rejoicing and dancing wildly in the small quarters. Despite all the celebrations going on around me I couldn’t help but think why an enemy ship was found in friendly waters. Were the German forces doing this bad in the war or did the ship get lucky and sneak by our defenses. No matter what the reason the truth was that the U-66 and her crew would have to be on the watch at all times. There were no more safe havens.
I looked at the clock next to me; it said it was almost midnight. The second rotation men sat in the command room waiting to take there place on the bridge as watch crew. I ordered an additional man to the top side watch and ordered them to report anything unusual directly to me.
I waited for the second watch crew to climb down the ladder and return to there quarters. They reported that the visibility was dropping and the winds speeds had increased. Placing my hand on the ladder I began to climb top side to see the weather for myself. The watch crew was correct the visibility had dropped substantially and the winds had increased to seven meters per second. The ocean waves were now cresting over the bow of the submarine. In the distance bright white lightning could be seen lighting up the entire sky. I did not hear any thunder so the storm was still a ways off, but soon we would have to face her. The watch crew climbed the ladder behind me and took their positions on the bridge. I climbed back down the ladder and headed to my quarters. I grabbed the log book and my pen and wrote down the first kill of our patrol. It was a good feeling to see the crew in such high spirits as many of them still continued to clown around, but I knew that soon things would change and the hunter would become the hunted. Then I wonder how the crew will react.
The Tiger Shark continued to pitch up and down, each wave seemed to be bigger then the last. The items sitting on the small dresser next to me would begin to move. I grabbed them and placed them in the drawer. I laid back and settled into my bed trying to catch some sleep before the storm hit with full force. In the background the crew was changing to the third shift positions. The submarine fell quite with only the diesel engines chugging along in the background.
Part 6 Comming Soon
------------------------------------------------
Again hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment
William
Captain
U-66
"Tiger Shark"