U-Boat Debacle

Sailor Steve · 07-05-10, 11:27 AM

I found another entertaining, frustrating and frightening, tale.

On the night of October 22, 1943, U-68 under Oblt. z.S. Albert Lauzemis attacked the tanker SS Litiopa. Two torpedoes missed, and U-68 was counterattacked by the armed trawler HMS Orfasy. While being depth-charged Lauzemis torpedoed Orfasy and sank her with all hands.

Just after midnight U-68 fired a FAT at the tanker, which also missed. They then fired a torpedo from the stern tube, but it very prematurely detonated only 50 meters behind the u-boat.

The u-boat then surfaced and maneuvered into position once again. Starting at 0427 U-68 shelled Litopa for twenty minutes. At 0448 U-68 fired another torpedo which was a circle-runner. Luckily it missed them.

Shelling recommenced at 0459. At 0541 another torpedo was fired, but it missed. At 0552 a seventh torpedo was fired at the tanker, which also missed. At 0600 shelling resumed for another twenty-seven minutes.

The twenty-six year old Litiopa sank after 58 rounds had been fired, of which at least 50 were seen to hit. Her crew had taken to the lifeboats early on, and they all survived.
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3116.html

On their next patrol U-68 was lost with all hands.

07-05-10, 11:27 AM	#1
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	U-Boat Debacle I found another entertaining, frustrating and frightening, tale. On the night of October 22, 1943, U-68 under Oblt. z.S. Albert Lauzemis attacked the tanker SS Litiopa. Two torpedoes missed, and U-68 was counterattacked by the armed trawler HMS Orfasy. While being depth-charged Lauzemis torpedoed Orfasy and sank her with all hands. Just after midnight U-68 fired a FAT at the tanker, which also missed. They then fired a torpedo from the stern tube, but it very prematurely detonated only 50 meters behind the u-boat. The u-boat then surfaced and maneuvered into position once again. Starting at 0427 U-68 shelled Litopa for twenty minutes. At 0448 U-68 fired another torpedo which was a circle-runner. Luckily it missed them. Shelling recommenced at 0459. At 0541 another torpedo was fired, but it missed. At 0552 a seventh torpedo was fired at the tanker, which also missed. At 0600 shelling resumed for another twenty-seven minutes. The twenty-six year old Litiopa sank after 58 rounds had been fired, of which at least 50 were seen to hit. Her crew had taken to the lifeboats early on, and they all survived. http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3116.html On their next patrol U-68 was lost with all hands. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo