I agree that it isn't really in your face.
But there was always damage that couldn't be inspected. When U-505 got tagged by a lucky Lancaster, she limped back into port on the surface if I remember correctly. For the next year, and in spite of numerous returns to base, they never got a handle on everything that was wrong with the boat. Not only couldn't the crew find it, the base repair crews couldn't find all the problems either.
So I don't agree that the crew would always know the complete status of the boat, beyond "we've taken quite a pounding from depth charges. It might be prudent not to exceed 250' until we get back to port." And that is just a guess, not the precise information found on the hull damage meter.
If we're going to have a hull damage meter, lets have a dirty underwear meter. When the meter gets over 80% crew morale suffers and the boat's rudder is only half as effective.
|