Leopoldville Anniversary - 12/24/1944

iambecomelife · 12-24-23, 10:02 AM

Posting in remembrance of a bleak Christmas Eve, 1944. In the USA, some people remember 12/24/1944 as the day Glen Miller died in a plane crash near the front - sadly, a much worse tragedy was going on in the English Channel.

U-486 torpedoed the transport SS Leopoldville in the English Channel. 800 American soldiers and Allied sailors were killed. Many died needlessly because emergency services were foolishly at Christmas parties, and the abandon ship order was not given in time:

https://leopoldville.org/

https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/3399.html

British captain of her escort destroyer, HMS Brilliant, was unfairly blamed - even though he and his men saved nearly 1000 lives. To my knowledge, the US army officers on shore who mishandled the evacuation of Leopoldville were never punished.

Less than a year later U-486's men were also dead - a reminder of war's mutual destructiveness.

May the men of the Leopoldville and U-486 rest in peace.

Jimbuna · 12-24-23, 12:03 PM

Fair winds and following seas

Platapus · 12-24-23, 01:28 PM

Wow talk about a lack of coordination, communication, and command.

Unfortunately, would not be the first time that people would die due to comms on different frequencies.

12-24-23, 10:02 AM	#1
iambecomelife Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4,706 Downloads: 300 Uploads: 0	Leopoldville Anniversary - 12/24/1944 Posting in remembrance of a bleak Christmas Eve, 1944. In the USA, some people remember 12/24/1944 as the day Glen Miller died in a plane crash near the front - sadly, a much worse tragedy was going on in the English Channel. U-486 torpedoed the transport SS Leopoldville in the English Channel. 800 American soldiers and Allied sailors were killed. Many died needlessly because emergency services were foolishly at Christmas parties, and the abandon ship order was not given in time: https://leopoldville.org/ https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/3399.html British captain of her escort destroyer, HMS Brilliant, was unfairly blamed - even though he and his men saved nearly 1000 lives. To my knowledge, the US army officers on shore who mishandled the evacuation of Leopoldville were never punished. Less than a year later U-486's men were also dead - a reminder of war's mutual destructiveness. May the men of the Leopoldville and U-486 rest in peace. __________________ https://www.facebook.com/WolvesoftheKaiser/

12-24-23, 12:03 PM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Fair winds and following seas __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-24-23, 01:28 PM	#3
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Wow talk about a lack of coordination, communication, and command. Unfortunately, would not be the first time that people would die due to comms on different frequencies. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

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