[UKönig]

"Come to the mittelmeer", they said.
"It'll be fun." they said.
For the life of me, I can't remember why we thought it was a good idea to transfer to the 29th fleet to help out the macaronis.
I liked to think it was because I was lending a hand to my old friend Erwin and his Afrika Korps, but could just as easily been something I said out of context back at fleet HQ. Either way La Spezia is our home for the time being.
This is our 3rd patrol here and our 16th overall.
We departed La Spezia at 10:21 am, the morning of June, 18, 1942. While we were in base, after our last outing, the naval armaments office added a few upgrades to our boat (U99, too bad about Kretschmer)and we are just looking them over now. The most important of all (besides some of the prototype torpedos) is the new advance in electro-engineering, the Fumo-29b radar. Previously, radar was too large and bulky to have on anything other than a heavy cruiser on up, or a land installation. It looks so small and unworthy and I am doubtful, but maybe it will surprise us and prove itself.
As we left port I noticed something different. Maybe it's nothing, but it seems like a bad omen. In France, even Norway, the navy band plays us off. Out here in Italy, no music for u-boats.
We learned a few things about our new radar set. It worked fairly well, helped us keep track of a few friendlies in the dark, so we feel if we had to rely on it we could, and, it doesn't like salt water. Who knew? Ok, so we can't use it unless the sea is reasonably calm, or else the thing shorts out. Fine, we still have our ears.
One of the things that makes me happy this patrol is that my contacts at HQ managed to secure me a consignment of the new zaunkönig "acoustic seeking" torpedos, 4 in fact. 3rd time in a row he's done it. I don't care how or whose strings are being pulled, just as long as they keep coming in. I have found them to be immensely useful and am reluctant to end a patrol until the last one is fired...
June 21. Patrol is complete with no shipping sighted. Totally routine. Decided to check out Malta. The last time we were in the area of Valletta, we left behind 4 sunken warships and 2 tankers. The place is probably getting a bad name, but I know a few tricks.
Afternoon, June 21. Malta. Through the lens I see pretty much what I was expecting. Apparently the Tommie skippers had been spoken to about shoddy seamanship because now the heat is on. 5 DDs I count. My sonar man tells me about 3 more outside of visual range. Nope, not today I think. Even 4 seekers would not sink enough of them before the others finished the job. I have nightmares about this...
"Helm, set new course". "Keep us close to the island, but get us out of here".
"Jawohl, Herr Kaleun".
Cursing our misfortune, we leave Malta behind, in search of shipping elsewhere.
June 23, 12:18pm, lunchtime. Our 1WO spotted smoke on the water. Bright sunny day, flat seas, winds calm. Deck gun weather. Perfect. A slow smile brightens my face. I head below and work out the charts with the OberSteuermann and before long we have the range and speed for intercept. "Prepare for surface action, gunnery crew to the bridge".
In a clear moment, the 3 man crew dashes up the ladder, and down to the foredeck, quickly strapping themselves on to the gun. Loading the High explosive ammunition they await the order to fire. On the bridge, with the 1WO, I raise my binoculars and scan the enemy ship for evidence I can use against it. Looks like... coastal merchant, 2000 tons. Greek. Good. A target. What's that? There on the after deck. A gun! Great, she's armed we can claim 'self defense' -a snicker. Decks loaded with crates, don't really care what's in 'em. "Range?"
"3000m, sir".
"Gun crew!" "Aim for their bridge." "Try to put their helm and radio out of action". "Let's cause some confusion over there."
Feuer frei!
The boatswain rips at the firing lanyard and with a roar, the 88mm cuts loose with the first HE shell. "Counting...3, 2, 1 Hit!" "Nice shot!" "Quickly, a few more while the range is good!"
Our luck is good and our aim is true, and as a result, we got a little sloppy. No worries, I assure the chief engineer blithely, as he directs the damage control parties, I will gloss over this in the war diary...
Seems some of those Greek sailors were paying attention in naval gunnery class and they managed, much to my chagrin, to return some of our "medicine". Fortunately for us, the damage was more severe to my pride, rather than our hull. Dashing back to the bridge I survey the scene. We are laying on some speed now, pulling ahead. The merchant is on fire and his bridge is smashed, but his turret still works and I guess the helm wheel is not on the bridge, because he is still taking evasive action. Through the UZO, I see he is 1300m at 210 degrees.
"Open tube 5, set 4m, aim...and...loss!"
Normally the seeker would only be sensitive to targets going 12 knots or faster and this guy is only doing 9, but he's starting to lay on the speed, and he's on a bearing favorable to our attack anyway at this point. Just as expected our seeker does its job and slams into the props and rudder of the merchant as he tried to turn a broadside on us to keep shooting.
Raising the glasses, I see the plume of water jetting up the side, aft, of the merchant, glittering as it falls back down. Soon fire, smoke. Was pretty sure I saw the gun crew get blasted from their mount but was too hard to confirm with the confusion. Within minutes, an oily slick and a few burned crates are all that's left.
After the damage is repaired and the spare externals hoisted in readiness, we resume course towards Gibraltar.
June 24th, 6am, surfaced.
Up enjoying some fresh air, while we can, because, well...you never know...
W/T message sir. Cargo ship in the area, be on the lookout for opportunity.
Worked it over with the Navigation officer again.
"Take us to periscope depth"!
Clips pulled, vents closed, crew piling into the forward torpedo compartment to hasten the sinking, U99 slips beneath the waves, until the surface is peaceful and quiet again.
Our hydrophone guy has a good set of ears and once below, has our bearing worked out for us. Sounds big. Heavy. Engine labouring even though the seas are fairly calm. I ask for a weather report. Calm enough for the deck gun? Yes, comes the reply. Looking back into the control room from the radio shack, I still see the signs of our last encounter. Broken glass, missing bulbs, a few blown bolts. Pretty sure I can hear a dripping coming from somewhere, but nevermind that now, how's that freighter doing?
"Range, 4500, bearing red 340, speed, 7 knots"
"We'll stay under" "open tubes 2 and 3", set 9 meters, standby to fire"
I hop up the ladder and take my seat at the captain's saddle. Up scope.
Papenburg shows 13.5m. Let's have a look. Eye to the lens I see a C2 class merchant edging into range. Greek. Aft turret. Again seems to be cargo. Range, 2950. Not yet. Just a little closer. The angle looks off, and if I fire these fish now, they almost certainly will not hit. I study the target a little more to kill some time to go. Looks old, worn, a workhorse. Probably why the engine is working so hard even though the seas are pretty nice today. And those stacks on her decks, she must weigh in at 6000 tons, easily. Choice morsel for the lack of success lately. Oh my! what time is it? Better check the range...
2100 meters and closing, bearing 350, solution positive for firing.
"Tube 2, fire!" Waits 5 seconds "Tube 3, fire!"
The boat shudders as the fish leave their tubes, and the diving officer has to put on the trim so that the bows won't break the surface, giving our position away. Down scope. Back down the ladder. Sharing an earphone with the hydrophones guy, I notice his cheek is rather scratchy and he has an odd smell, likely the colibri that he got from the watchman.
Listening... waiting... counting down the minutes...
Times up! first fish... impact! Second fish... impact!
Checking the observation scope because it's closer, I get the lens up in time to watch an abandon ship operation in progress. Note time and position in the log, so that when feasible, we will radio that information to help facilitate the rescue of the survivors...
"Helm, resume course to Gibraltar". "We'll stay under for now".