Minute of Silence

CapZap1970 · 06-25-07, 02:11 PM

Lasty night, as making my 27th patrol, U-123 was sunk, all hands lost.
I had to imagine the odds were against me last night. Left Kiel at Oct/1941 on my way to patrol grid AL29. The problems begun right after I left Scotland 20 Km behind me.
First, a DD comes out of nowhere, and beeing unable to dive due to shallow water, I engage the DD with my deck gun. After some 2 or 3 minutes of duel, the DD finally sinks, but it leaves my u-boat with 65% of hull integrity, 2 officers and 1 petty officer dead. They were under my command from patrol 1. At that point, while letting their bodies slip to the cold water, I realized how much we, as skippers, get attached to our crew members, even if it is supposed to be a game. Believe it or not, it's not easy to let them go.
Still far from my patorl grid, I decided to go forward and have the job done. About 70 Kilometers away from our patrol grid, we stumbbled upon a convoy in the middle of the night, with rough waters, rain and heavy fog. The warning came too late, when they were 400 meters away. Suddenly hell broke loose. Searchlights and starflares everywhere. It gave us almost no time to dive, but we managed to do so even if it was too late, since we had been spotted already by an escort. Managed to fire the 4 bow tubes, sinking 1 DD and and a C3, but failed to detect a destroyer approaching from my tail due to the pandemonium.
Got depthcharged and without any chance to run away, not even at flank speed, we sustained heavy flooding, and most of my crew died almost immediately.
Seconds after that, we passed the crushing depth limit....
Few hours later at BdU ,U-123 was reported as "Lost At Sea", all hands lost.....

I feel so sad....
CapZap

Lzs von swe · 06-25-07, 02:25 PM

I salute your crew and join you in a minute of silence.

kiwi_2005 · 06-25-07, 02:53 PM

Amen.

ReM · 06-25-07, 02:55 PM

They have a place reserved in the Walhalla for you and your proud warriors...

kiwi_2005 · 06-25-07, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReM

They have a place reserved in the Walhalla for you and your proud warriors...

Bro they are on eternal patrol!

Submariners dont die they just keep on hunting!

abel29a · 06-25-07, 03:27 PM

27 patrols in two years!?! wow, they deserved their rest, but not in that fashion.

06-25-07, 02:11 PM	#1
CapZap1970 Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: La Paz, Bolivia Posts: 1,965 Downloads: 277 Uploads: 51	Minute of Silence Lasty night, as making my 27th patrol, U-123 was sunk, all hands lost. I had to imagine the odds were against me last night. Left Kiel at Oct/1941 on my way to patrol grid AL29. The problems begun right after I left Scotland 20 Km behind me. First, a DD comes out of nowhere, and beeing unable to dive due to shallow water, I engage the DD with my deck gun. After some 2 or 3 minutes of duel, the DD finally sinks, but it leaves my u-boat with 65% of hull integrity, 2 officers and 1 petty officer dead. They were under my command from patrol 1. At that point, while letting their bodies slip to the cold water, I realized how much we, as skippers, get attached to our crew members, even if it is supposed to be a game. Believe it or not, it's not easy to let them go. Still far from my patorl grid, I decided to go forward and have the job done. About 70 Kilometers away from our patrol grid, we stumbbled upon a convoy in the middle of the night, with rough waters, rain and heavy fog. The warning came too late, when they were 400 meters away. Suddenly hell broke loose. Searchlights and starflares everywhere. It gave us almost no time to dive, but we managed to do so even if it was too late, since we had been spotted already by an escort. Managed to fire the 4 bow tubes, sinking 1 DD and and a C3, but failed to detect a destroyer approaching from my tail due to the pandemonium. Got depthcharged and without any chance to run away, not even at flank speed, we sustained heavy flooding, and most of my crew died almost immediately. Seconds after that, we passed the crushing depth limit.... Few hours later at BdU ,U-123 was reported as "Lost At Sea", all hands lost..... I feel so sad.... CapZap __________________

06-25-07, 02:25 PM	#2
Lzs von swe Ace of the Deep Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Norrkoping, Sweden Posts: 1,074 Downloads: 66 Uploads: 0	I salute your crew and join you in a minute of silence. __________________

06-25-07, 02:53 PM	#3
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	Amen. __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

06-25-07, 02:55 PM	#4
ReM Commodore Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Brewsky, Galore Posts: 618 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	They have a place reserved in the Walhalla for you and your proud warriors... __________________ Daddy cool

06-25-07, 03:27 PM	#6
abel29a Helmsman Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Trondheim, Norway Posts: 101 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	27 patrols in two years!?! wow, they deserved their rest, but not in that fashion. __________________ "Sieben Tankern schlug die letze Stund, die U-Falle sank träger. Zwei Frachter liegen mit auf Grund, Versenkt vom Paukenschläger." - Reinhard Hardegen, U-123 GWX 1.03 and loving it....