The Panama Canal turned out to nothing like the Suez... easy in, easy out. I had to shed my trusty VIIC for a type IX... the fuel mileage you know.
Entered Colon at 0015 on 19 July 1942 at the north entrance to the canal. 5-6 merchants docked with no active patrols and a few fishing boats working the harbor. Out of sheer boredom I put 4 torpedoes into a Liberty Cargo (3 hits + 1 dud)... but never got credit so she might still be floating at the dock.
The interior was devoid of any signs of life or the enemy... of course it was pretty early in the morning and they were probably all drunk...
Balboa was a ghost port... with zero ships docked or anchored and not even a single fishing boat to be found anywhere. Exited Balboa harbor at 0505 with a total transit time for the Panama Canal of just under 5 hours.
Ah the freedom of the open sea... now where is that coveted Iron Cross with crossed sluice gates... and all the frauleins?
