The Diary of U389 (Warning Lots of photos) - Page 3

mia389 · 09-08-11, 01:47 PM

Monday, May 26, 1941
05:14 Willi reports diesels are holding up great.
08:36 Have received a report of a large enemy convoy within 200 kms of us.
08:36 We will continue to head to the Bismark.
15:15 We are still 14 hours away from Bismark. Earlier calculations were wrong.
15:15 We will get there at 0500 tomorrow
17:42 U556 has arrived and reports 1 Battleship and Aircraft carrier.
20:13 Emil is getting new position. U556 has eyes on enemy in BE 5332.
20:29 New course 199
20:31 New ETA 6:12

Tuesday, May 27, 1941
00:59 Bismark is now in BE6155
01:01 Received radio message that the Bismark has been sunk! This is a very sad day.
01:01 We are now to do search and rescue operations from B6277 to BE6192
01:01 We were a little to late. I can't help to think how much closer we would be if our helmsman kept us on course earlier in this patrol.
06:05 Have arrived at S&R area.
06:05 Speed 10 knots. Search pattern
18:55 Searched all day for survivors and found nothing. Am returning to hunting
19:00 New course 30
23:28 Crew morale is very low. Lets hope we find some elephants to sink. That always makes things better.

Taken the morning of 27th searching for survivors from the Bismark.

mia389 · 09-13-11, 07:17 PM

Wednesday, May 28, 1941
04:59 We are already down to 2/3 of our fuel. Trying to help the Bismark sucked up alot of our fuel.
05:06 Weather: Skys - clear, Fog - medium, Precip- none, Seas - moderate
07:38 Performed daily trim dive.
11:22 My men are eager to get back at the British. So am I
11:23 Fog is pretty think.
11:23 Dieter smells smoke.
11:23 New depth 40m
11:24 Speed 5 knots
11:25 All Stop
11:25 Contact! Warship! B046 Long Range
11:27 Sounds like a single destroyer. Fog is to think to try to engage a destroyer.
11:27 Surface the boat
11:28 Ahead full
11:29 Speed 11 knots
12:50 Make depth 30m
12:52 All Stop
12:52 Surface the boat. No sound contact
12:53 About half way to our patrol area.
12:53 Speed 11 knots
12:53 Hope this fog lifts soon

Thursday, May 29, 1941
00:09 Emil is getting our position.
00:39 Navigator: Calculated position is N 52° 45' W 13° 21'
07:09 Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None. Wind Speed 12 meters per second, direction 317.
07:09 Fog has finally lifted. Seas have picked up even more though.
11:51 Performed daily trim dive.
16:42 We have entered our patrol area once again. Lets hope not to go on a wild goose chase this time.
16:42 Speed 9 knots.
16:47 Start patrol pattern.
20:39 Sound Contact! Merchant B340 moving fast!
20:39 Surface the boat. Make heading 340. Ahead Flank!
20:39 Finally, The hunt is on!
21:15 Make depth 40
21:16 All stop
21:17 New course 090. Shes a fast mover!
21:17 Ahead Flank, Surface the boat
21:39 New Depth 30m
21:39 Sound contact was faint. I am hoping we have gained ground on her.
21:40 All Stop!
21:42 Surface the boat. Ahead Flank!
21:42 Shes out running us. What kind of merchant is this.
22:13 New depth 30m
22:14 All Stop.
22:14 No sound contact.........
22:14 Surface the boat. Continue patrol pattern.
22:15 Dammit!!!!
22:15 Emil is getting fix.
22:16 Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None. Wind Speed 12 meters per second, direction 270.
22:16 Speed 9 knots.
22:27 Navigator: Calculated position is N 56° 5' W 11° 38'

mia389 · 09-14-11, 08:31 PM

Talk about a frustrating patrol so far. My men and I really need a convoy

Friday, May 30, 1941
06:30 Clouds Partial, Precipitations None, Fog None. Wind Speed 5 meters per second, direction 85.
07:43 Performed Daily trim dive.
07:43 Emil is getting our fix.
07:55 Navigator: Calculated position is Lat: 56° 32' N Long: 11° 6' W
14:56 Have entered a squall.
22:01 Sound Contact! B314 Long range, moving away!
22:01 Shes a Merchant! Finally we might get some tonnage.
22:02 New course 035! Ahead Flank! Surface the boat!
22:40 Set Depth 30m
22:40 All Stop
22:43 We passed it..
22:43 Mark Time, B200
22:54 Mark Time, B204
23:07 Mark Time, B208
23:07 Surface the Boat. Ahead Flank
23:07 Make course 215
23:14 Mark Time
23:16 Surface the boat, Ahead Flank
23:17 After getting 4 bearings we have learned we are about 10km away. Shes moving away 9 knots on a course of 215. We are now moving to intercept.
23:58 Dieter has spotted a ship!

Saturday, May 31, 1941
00:03 Man Battle Stations!
00:13 You have got to be kidding me!!. Its a damn hospital ship!
00:14 New speed 9 knots. Make net heading 085.

Picture taken of the 4 bearing plot.

Taken from bridge at full speed intercepting merchant.

Picture of the hospital ship taken from UZO.

09-08-11, 01:47 PM	#31
mia389 中国水兵 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dayton OH Posts: 271 Downloads: 130 Uploads: 0	Monday, May 26, 1941 05:14 Willi reports diesels are holding up great. 08:36 Have received a report of a large enemy convoy within 200 kms of us. 08:36 We will continue to head to the Bismark. 15:15 We are still 14 hours away from Bismark. Earlier calculations were wrong. 15:15 We will get there at 0500 tomorrow 17:42 U556 has arrived and reports 1 Battleship and Aircraft carrier. 20:13 Emil is getting new position. U556 has eyes on enemy in BE 5332. 20:29 New course 199 20:31 New ETA 6:12 Tuesday, May 27, 1941 00:59 Bismark is now in BE6155 01:01 Received radio message that the Bismark has been sunk! This is a very sad day. 01:01 We are now to do search and rescue operations from B6277 to BE6192 01:01 We were a little to late. I can't help to think how much closer we would be if our helmsman kept us on course earlier in this patrol. 06:05 Have arrived at S&R area. 06:05 Speed 10 knots. Search pattern 18:55 Searched all day for survivors and found nothing. Am returning to hunting 19:00 New course 30 23:28 Crew morale is very low. Lets hope we find some elephants to sink. That always makes things better. Taken the morning of 27th searching for survivors from the Bismark.

09-13-11, 07:17 PM	#32
mia389 中国水兵 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dayton OH Posts: 271 Downloads: 130 Uploads: 0	Wednesday, May 28, 1941 04:59 We are already down to 2/3 of our fuel. Trying to help the Bismark sucked up alot of our fuel. 05:06 Weather: Skys - clear, Fog - medium, Precip- none, Seas - moderate 07:38 Performed daily trim dive. 11:22 My men are eager to get back at the British. So am I 11:23 Fog is pretty think. 11:23 Dieter smells smoke. 11:23 New depth 40m 11:24 Speed 5 knots 11:25 All Stop 11:25 Contact! Warship! B046 Long Range 11:27 Sounds like a single destroyer. Fog is to think to try to engage a destroyer. 11:27 Surface the boat 11:28 Ahead full 11:29 Speed 11 knots 12:50 Make depth 30m 12:52 All Stop 12:52 Surface the boat. No sound contact 12:53 About half way to our patrol area. 12:53 Speed 11 knots 12:53 Hope this fog lifts soon Thursday, May 29, 1941 00:09 Emil is getting our position. 00:39 Navigator: Calculated position is N 52° 45' W 13° 21' 07:09 Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None. Wind Speed 12 meters per second, direction 317. 07:09 Fog has finally lifted. Seas have picked up even more though. 11:51 Performed daily trim dive. 16:42 We have entered our patrol area once again. Lets hope not to go on a wild goose chase this time. 16:42 Speed 9 knots. 16:47 Start patrol pattern. 20:39 Sound Contact! Merchant B340 moving fast! 20:39 Surface the boat. Make heading 340. Ahead Flank! 20:39 Finally, The hunt is on! 21:15 Make depth 40 21:16 All stop 21:17 New course 090. Shes a fast mover! 21:17 Ahead Flank, Surface the boat 21:39 New Depth 30m 21:39 Sound contact was faint. I am hoping we have gained ground on her. 21:40 All Stop! 21:42 Surface the boat. Ahead Flank! 21:42 Shes out running us. What kind of merchant is this. 22:13 New depth 30m 22:14 All Stop. 22:14 No sound contact......... 22:14 Surface the boat. Continue patrol pattern. 22:15 Dammit!!!! 22:15 Emil is getting fix. 22:16 Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None. Wind Speed 12 meters per second, direction 270. 22:16 Speed 9 knots. 22:27 Navigator: Calculated position is N 56° 5' W 11° 38'

09-14-11, 08:31 PM	#33
mia389 中国水兵 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dayton OH Posts: 271 Downloads: 130 Uploads: 0	Talk about a frustrating patrol so far. My men and I really need a convoy Friday, May 30, 1941 06:30 Clouds Partial, Precipitations None, Fog None. Wind Speed 5 meters per second, direction 85. 07:43 Performed Daily trim dive. 07:43 Emil is getting our fix. 07:55 Navigator: Calculated position is Lat: 56° 32' N Long: 11° 6' W 14:56 Have entered a squall. 22:01 Sound Contact! B314 Long range, moving away! 22:01 Shes a Merchant! Finally we might get some tonnage. 22:02 New course 035! Ahead Flank! Surface the boat! 22:40 Set Depth 30m 22:40 All Stop 22:43 We passed it.. 22:43 Mark Time, B200 22:54 Mark Time, B204 23:07 Mark Time, B208 23:07 Surface the Boat. Ahead Flank 23:07 Make course 215 23:14 Mark Time 23:16 Surface the boat, Ahead Flank 23:17 After getting 4 bearings we have learned we are about 10km away. Shes moving away 9 knots on a course of 215. We are now moving to intercept. 23:58 Dieter has spotted a ship! Saturday, May 31, 1941 00:03 Man Battle Stations! 00:13 You have got to be kidding me!!. Its a damn hospital ship! 00:14 New speed 9 knots. Make net heading 085. Picture taken of the 4 bearing plot. Taken from bridge at full speed intercepting merchant. Picture of the hospital ship taken from UZO.