[UKönig]

Part 2.
June 25, 1942. 13:46hrs. Seas, moderate. Sky, medium fog. We're submerged at 40 meters. Not long after we left our last victim, we had surfaced to refresh the air, and because the weather rushed up in a sudden squall, I had decided it was better to find smoother sailing under the waves.
Checking the map, we found ourselves at grid CH76, when our soundman caught a tramp steamer in his hydrophones.
Going to periscope depth and taking a look through the "pencil" we see a lone, small merchantman, of about 2400 tons. British. Probably on his way to Gibraltar. Angle and range are O.K., so with a bit of careful plotting, we work out a more favorable solution.
Torpedo depth setting, 6m. Range 2.5km. AoB-66 to port.
"Open tube 4"
Just..a..few..more..seconds..
"Fire!"
This time I watch at the scope and time the run, until I see the effects of our torpedo strike, confident that in these seas, our scope will remain undetected.
With a single, massive explosion, the torp strikes home just under the midships. Engine and boiler rooms. Like gutting a fish, the critical parts were instantly torn out, and with neither time for an SOS call or evacuation by lifeboat, the steamer heels over and sinks without a trace.
June 26, 1942. 10:00hrs. Seas, dead calm. Sky clear, winds slight breeze from the south east, visibility, perfect. Surfaced. Map reference, CG96, close to land. Given our location, I take the precaution of manning the surface weapons, with the explicit warning to be watchful of aircraft. Expecting my orders to be obeyed, I head back down below to my 'office', to compile my reports.
I'm barely 15 minutes into my paperwork, when a jarring blast sends me against the writing table. Near miss, but not by much...
"What the hell!?"
Climbing through the hatch to the control room, I lock eyes with the Chief. We trade concerned glances, and I continue on up to the bridge. Poking my head through the upper conning tower hatch, I see our 1WO crouching behind the dubious safety of the tower bulkhead.
"What the hell, man!" "I said watch out for aircraft!".
Coming out fully on to the bridge I too duck below the the tower structure. Not that I think it will protect me, I just want to be less of a target as now that I am forced to deal with this situation.
Quickly scanning the skies I see 2 flights of 2 British hurricane fighter/bombers. One set outbound, obviously the ones who just attempted to bomb us, and one set inbound, looking to fix the aim of the first two.
Our AA guys are a bit new at the job. Still getting used to firing at airplanes from a tiny submarine platform. Over and over we hear the jack hammering of the AA guns as they swivel and fire at the British fighters. We've gone through about 4 magazines when the lower platform AA gunner hit his first target. Looks like through the cockpit. No fire, no smoke, no fuel tank explosion. I raise the glasses to see the stricken fighter pull a snap roll to the right, and fall silently into the sea.
I think to myself 'I'm gonna put that guy down for a medal when all this is over. If I remember his name...'
When all of a sudden, a sharp blast grabs my attention, and I look up in time to see the upper tower AA guy bag his first kill. The Brit was flying just ahead and our guy must have tagged him in the fuel tank, because he just came apart in a massive explosion. Close enough off our starboard bow, that we could feel the heat from the wreckage, as the main fuselage, minus the wings and tail, fell in a crumpled heap, into the sea.
Looks like I have at least 2 new medals to award. Funny thing, but I don't recall these crewmen. I can't remember them before today...
Seeing that two of their wingmen got shot down so quickly, the remaining fighters left the area. Within 2 minutes, the sky is clear and the sea is peaceful.
Which means they're flying off to get reinforcements. Keep an even sharper lookout now. Expect to see aircraft and destroyers.
I look at the watch officer, "I'm going below to finish my reports. Keep the speed at maximum so we can get out of this area a.s.a.p. Give us 1 hour and if nothing else by then, dive."