Historical Question U-869?

Mowinz · 07-04-07, 10:33 PM

Hi folks!

I read this book a few years ago and never seen the television documentary but am still curious about this boat. My first question for you naval historians is why? Why would a U-boat venture so close to enemy territory in early 1945? They had to know the war was basically over and coming to an end soon? No? Were they on a suicide mission or did they just want to surrender?

We know this boat was sunk off of New Jersey.

From PBS...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostsub/tour.html#

From the U.S Coast Guard...

http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBCUTTE...ow_Koiner.html

From what I read so far, the Kriegsmarine thought this boat was lost thousands of miles away. By Feb.1945, everyone in the German Military had to know they were losing fast. This mission makes no sense to me whatsoever!

A few months later, U-858 was the first submarine to surrender to the United States Navy after the cessation of hostilities with Germany in May of 1945. And the surrender took place about forty miles off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey.

U-858 had been out on patrol for six weeks and had torpedoed 16 Allied
ships when her commander, Kapitanleutenant (that's equal to a Lieutenant Commander) Thilo Bode received word from his wireless operator that Germany had capitulated and all naval vessels were ordered to stand down and surrender as soon as possible. Kapitan Bode immediately signaled his intention to turn over his vessel to American forces, and on Tuesday, May 15, 1945 he rendezvoused with a task-group from the US Atlantic Fleet, just east of Cape May.

Naturally, newsmen and photographers were on hand to document the historic moment. They reported that the crew of U-858 seemed quite young (the average age for U-boat crewmen was 20 years of age). They said the men looked unkempt and a bit ragged, but six weeks of traveling in what has been described as a sewer pipe with valves (German subs of that era had no showers or laundry facilities) could make any group of men less than fresh.

The reporters at the transfer of command noted that the 27-year-old Bavarian Kapitan Bode was tall, smooth-shaven, and pasty-faced, with a keen wit about him. When journalists asked the German skipper for his reaction to the surrender orders, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "We expected it. What was the use of going on? We hadn't seen any ships to attack." Kapitan Bode added, "Give me my submarine, my crew and I'd like to help fight the Japs with the US Navy."

http://www.capemay.com/capemayarchives/germansub.html

Seriously about U-869...suicide mission or surrender? I believe it was indeed completely suicide for a U-Boat to get so close to U.S shores in 1945 when they didn't have to. So I think they had to be surrendering and instead got some heat. Of course I could be all wrong...yeah...it's a mystery and I'm clueless and no one REALLY knows. What do you guys think?

Cheers

07-04-07, 10:33 PM	#1
Mowinz Gunner Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 100 Downloads: 123 Uploads: 0	Historical Question U-869? Hi folks! I read this book a few years ago and never seen the television documentary but am still curious about this boat. My first question for you naval historians is why? Why would a U-boat venture so close to enemy territory in early 1945? They had to know the war was basically over and coming to an end soon? No? Were they on a suicide mission or did they just want to surrender? We know this boat was sunk off of New Jersey. From PBS... http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostsub/tour.html# From the U.S Coast Guard... http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBCUTTE...ow_Koiner.html From what I read so far, the Kriegsmarine thought this boat was lost thousands of miles away. By Feb.1945, everyone in the German Military had to know they were losing fast. This mission makes no sense to me whatsoever! A few months later, U-858 was the first submarine to surrender to the United States Navy after the cessation of hostilities with Germany in May of 1945. And the surrender took place about forty miles off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey. U-858 had been out on patrol for six weeks and had torpedoed 16 Allied ships when her commander, Kapitanleutenant (that's equal to a Lieutenant Commander) Thilo Bode received word from his wireless operator that Germany had capitulated and all naval vessels were ordered to stand down and surrender as soon as possible. Kapitan Bode immediately signaled his intention to turn over his vessel to American forces, and on Tuesday, May 15, 1945 he rendezvoused with a task-group from the US Atlantic Fleet, just east of Cape May. Naturally, newsmen and photographers were on hand to document the historic moment. They reported that the crew of U-858 seemed quite young (the average age for U-boat crewmen was 20 years of age). They said the men looked unkempt and a bit ragged, but six weeks of traveling in what has been described as a sewer pipe with valves (German subs of that era had no showers or laundry facilities) could make any group of men less than fresh. The reporters at the transfer of command noted that the 27-year-old Bavarian Kapitan Bode was tall, smooth-shaven, and pasty-faced, with a keen wit about him. When journalists asked the German skipper for his reaction to the surrender orders, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "We expected it. What was the use of going on? We hadn't seen any ships to attack." Kapitan Bode added, "Give me my submarine, my crew and I'd like to help fight the Japs with the US Navy." http://www.capemay.com/capemayarchives/germansub.html Seriously about U-869...suicide mission or surrender? I believe it was indeed completely suicide for a U-Boat to get so close to U.S shores in 1945 when they didn't have to. So I think they had to be surrendering and instead got some heat. Of course I could be all wrong...yeah...it's a mystery and I'm clueless and no one REALLY knows. What do you guys think? Cheers