War Diary: U-189

[Ducimus]

Patrol 1
U-189, IXC/40, 2nd Flotilla
Left at: January 5, 1942, 22:52
From: Lorient
Mission Orders: Patrol grid CA28
Remarks:
These orders are insane. Our first patrol and command in their infinate wisdom gives us a grid so close to shore we could reach out and punch Mickey mouse in the nose, and i said as much to the rest of the officers.


29 Jan 1942
0941 CA 28 Ship sunk! Small Tanker, 4316 tons
Remarks:
We have made the transatlantic trip without incident and scored our first kill in this damn sector. This is insane, echo sounds come back at 30 to 50 meters. If we are detected here, i have my doubts of being able to escape or evade. I have ordered silence in the boat at all times until further notice.

My prior Mickey mouse wisecrack has become the running joke of the boat. The men are uneasy, but morale is high. Some of them have taken to drawing mickey mouse with a black eye on the torpedo's. As soon as our alloted time is up, will move the boat further south to safer waters.



02 Feb 1942
1854 DC 12 Ship sunk! Small Tanker, 4317 tons
1859 DC 12 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 11672 tons
Remarks:
Have left that damnable sector, heading south to the florida keys and the carribean. Hope to find more tankers such as these. Used two torpedo's, and deck gun.




07 Feb 1942
1055 DB 98 Ship sunk! Small Tanker, 4318 tons
Remarks:
Going to loiter in DB98, as it is beleived to be a shipping route.



08 Feb 1942
1728 DB 98 Ship sunk! Trawler, 99 tons
Remarks:
Ran on surface at flank speed for end around attack on sound contact. Upon diving for hydrophone check, discovered target has zigged. Again ran at flank speed and aquired new firing position. Boat was poised and ready for another fat tanker. Instead a trawler appears in the periscopes, as if by some cruel joke made upon us by the enemy.

Being in an akward mood, i decided that i would not be outdone by this joke the fates had let upon us and instructed the flak gunners to dress like pirates. They quickly sized upon the idea and came back from the aft quarters wearing head bandannas, clinching steak knives in their teeth. U189 surfaced along side the trawler, as the flak gunners sprang out of the conning tower looking very meancing. I then shouted over in english that they had better jump ship or be ridinig it down to davy jone's locker. Flak gunners then raked the trawler with gunfire. Before the survivors approached us, my 1st WO came up to me with a makeshift eyepatch. Goign along with the joke i wore the makeshift item as we gave them directions and a small 2 man dingy to get to shore with.

Morale remains high on the boat.



10 Feb 1942
0921 DB 98 Ship sunk! C2 Cargo, 6423 tons



11 Feb 1942
0427 DB 98 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 11674 tons



12 Feb 1942
0409 DB 98 Ship sunk! Small Tanker, 6166 tons



13 Feb 1942
0135 DB 98 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 6340 tons
Remarks:
Very busy shipping lane, patrols are getting heavy, decided to leave well enough alone and find a new area to patrol. Torpedo expenditures have been kept to a minimum. With a precise idea of shipping routes we have been able to locate and position ourselves within 400 meters for optimum shots. Good hunting here.

On a side note, Unbenounced to me, some of the petty officers have painted over the 2nd flotilla stencil on the conning tower and replaced it with a skull and crossbones. I need to remember that my jokes with the crew reflect in their bearing.



06 Mar 1942
0605 DM 53 Ship sunk! Small Merchant, 3960 tons
0606 DM 53 Ship sunk! Coastal Merchant, 2246 tons
Remarks:
Have continued south, following assumed shipping lanes.




08 Mar 1942
1422 DN 47 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 6341 tons
1424 DN 47 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 6342 tons
Remarks:
The last few days clearly show a shipping route north of the jamaican/cuban coast. Have expended all torpedo's, starting trip home.



09 Mar 1942
0344 DN 47 Ship sunk! Small Merchant, 3961 tons
Remarks:
Sound contact close aboard. Without torpedos to use, decided to engage in a running gun battle. Expended remaining deck gun shells. ship sunk, crew jubulant, but tired and strained. Continuing route to home port.

02 Apr 1942
2250 BF - Docked at Lorient


Patrol 1 Summary
05JAN42 - 02APR42 (88 days at sea):
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 14
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonage: 78175 tons

[Chardok]

CLASSIC! Keep em coming! Go go gadget Kelsey Grammar!

[Ducimus]

You know as i was writing this, i was wondering if i should continue. Everyone makes logs of this kind. Infact theres plenty to go around. One thing im begining to wish i hadnt ahve done was start this career using auto TDC. I took full advantage of the 1 hit wonder shots in DB98 resulting in astromical tonnage for a first patrol.

I think in further patrols im going to go back to manual targeting.

[Chardok]

Interesting. I mean, I see SOME logs, certainly, but they are lacking the flair of the personal experiences you add. most are simply posting of some generic crap that SHIIcmdr generates. Your style of writing in your log is very close to an emerging genre of storytelling called "Flash Fiction" Whereby the stories are usually less than like 200 words, but convey an entire storyLINE, allowing the reader to fill in the minute details. It all adds up to a very immersive experience without holding the reader's hand through every tiny little thing. (Read: Anything by Terry Brooks. ) Imagination is a very powerful space-filler.

I stand by my original critique: Keep em coming, and keep up the flair.

[Ducimus]

Well as long as theirs at least 1 person reading it i guess its worth writing.

Ive started my next patrol, only with manual TDC now. So no more 1 hit wonders, which means less entries in the diary, which means i can put more flare into what entries i do have.

I have a feeling its going to be a shorter patrol. 3 ships sunk, for 5 torpedos as so far. spent 2 aft on a C3, 2 forward on a C2, and 1 forward on a coastal merchant.

[Ducimus]

Patrol 2
U-189, IXC/40, 2nd Flotilla
Left at: May 4, 1942, 21:59
From: Lorient
Mission Orders: Patrol grid ED99

Remarks:
HQ has assigned us a more sensible grid, or so it seemed. Back to the caribean we go! However, lLooking further at the charts, it appears that command, once again in it's wisdom that defies all logic, is sending an ocean going uboat, 22 days accross the atlantic, to an operating area more suitiable for a dugout canoe.

10 May 1942
U 189 has been boarded by an enemy more hideous then anything endurable.

Remarks:
Craps! Hundreds of them! In an effort to find who's responsible for this infestation we've gone about some detective work aboard. It has been deduced that the one responsible is none other then my first watch officer! That being one ObF ZS. Bernard Hartenstein, who while in ashore, brags about being quite the ladies man. Personnally i think he spends more time in the Lorient brothels then any man aboard the boat, so hes the most likely culprit.

I have sent the men topside to the wintergarden in 4's to scrub down, shave, and delouse their clothes. Retribution has been the mood upon the boat. Due to his rank, Bernard is untouchable by the crew. However, he did not escape the attentions of my cheif engineer and navigator who took to various activies upon Bernard while asleep in his bunk. Bernard has been left a "mark of distinction" that is visible to the rest of the crew, and most agree justice has been served, and i consider the matter closed.

Note to ships doctor, make hygene inspections before the boat port leaves port henceforth.

26 May 1942
1110 EE 76 Ship sunk! Coastal Merchant, 2049 tons
1208 EE 76 Ship sunk! C2 Cargo, 4286 tons

Remarks:
Found these shps east bound while enroute to patrol area, They were presumbable heading t owards freetown, africa. Used single Eel on coatal, and two on the C2 cargo. He required more coaxing, and employed deck gun after waiting an hour.

27 May 1942
0900 ED 99 Arrive at assigned patrol grid

Remarks:
This sector is more shallow then what the maps would indicate. Echo soundings report 30 meters in some places. The NE corner of this grid looks to have deeper waters. Sunrise is in 30 mins, will have to circumnavigate the edge of this grid submerged. We care not cross the middle of it, i beleive theres a coral reef there.

28 May 1942
0556 ED 99 Ship sunk! C3 Cargo, 6483 tons
2052 ED 95 Ship sunk! C2 Cargo, 6446 tons

Remarks:
Found a fat C3 in that deeper corner of our assigned patrol grid. Shot two Eels, magnetic pistol. Second one broke his back, bow sank first, stern floated for a few more minutes. Very satisfying. Departed area shortly afterwards as C3 had ample time to send a distress signal. Headed NW, found a C2. Dispatched him with two eels, continued NW, brought in external stores into the boat.

31 May 1942
0339 ED 67 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 8345 tons

Remarks:
Used one torpedo, hoping we can set him alight. It did not do that trick, but it did slow him down to 1 kt. Surfaced to employ deck gun and set him afire that way.

It is here that i must mention our gunner, Bootsman Ewald Massmann. This man served aboard destroyers in the kreigsmarine surface fleet before the war, has more salt behind his ears then half the crew combined and has been demoted 3 times for drunk and disorderly conduct while ashore. The man has a rough and direct manner.

He is a remarkable marksman with a deck gun, and posses considerable fighting spirit. While in this engagement, the Tanker whom by now we found out was armed, starting shelling us. Whilst most of the men topside were trying to take shelter when the shells came close enough to splash water upon is, Ewald's response was to fire faster. One shell came too close to the starboard side and ripped open one of the trim tanks and knocking down all hands on deck. Bootsman Massman was heard shouting "Schistkauff!" and starting manhandling shells, ramming them into the breech and firing like a man possesed. It is through his efforts that we were able to sink the tanker before their gunner found his exact mark upon us. The man has skills more suitable for the surface fleet, and his manorisms are less the friendly, but we aboard U198 are glad to have him. His fearlessness in battle is an inspiration to the crew, who have nicknamed him, "the gunman". Upon return to port i am recommending him for the Iron cross 2nd class.

05 Jun 1942
1129 ED 42 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 7673 tons
1130 ED 42 Aircraft destroyed! B24 Liberator Bomber

Remarks:
torpedo's this tanker 2 hours earlier, and loited around the area waiting for him to sink. When it was apparent he was not, U198 surfaced to "let the gunman loose". No sooner had we started to train our deck gun at about 100 meters from the tanker that the 2nd watch officer spotted a b24 diving at us from the clowds. (preumably responding to an SoS sent by the tanker.) having no time to dive, i ordered the flak guns manned, the boat to flank speed and to steered the boat accros the front bow of the tanker to avoid collision. The action was over before it started. Bootsman massman, firing from a rolling uboat deck at flank speed had sent just 5 shells over, and the targed exploded in a ball of flame. Our flak gunners, by either luck or skill, somehow managed to fire into the cockpit of the B24. That is our assumption because they hadn't fired but a few shots at the plane. It was seen to drift off and crash in the ocean. One watchman swore he saw someone jump from the plane. Searched the area for 30 mins, found no surviors, departed area before further incident occur.
We have good men aboad this boat, and although some of them are a bit shakey, morale is high. headng NW along suspected shipping routes.

10 Jun 1942
0649 EC 19 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 8347 tons

12 Jun 1942
0350 DN 78 Ship sunk! Small Tanker, 6801 tons
0614 DN 78 Ship sunk! Small Merchant, 3169 tons

Remarks:
Have definatly found shipping routes, will loiter in this area for a awhile.

12 Jun 1942
0900 DN 78 Multiple Aircraft spotted, crashed dived.

Remarks:
assumed to be a response from SOS sent by merchants in previous entry. crash dived. Sound of depth charges saturating the area for 15-20 mins was heard. Crept away at 70 meters, no further incident.

13 Jun 1942
0255 DN 76 Ship sunk! C2 Cargo, 5059 tons

Remarks:
let the gunman loose again. ship sunk, all remaining shells expended. Ewald is offically out of buisness for the rest of the patrol.

13 Jun 1942
0930 DN84 Aircraft spotted, Catalina, Crash dived.

remarks:
Another SOS response? or just a patrol? unknown.

14 Jun 1942
1235 DN 84 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 8349 tons

Remarks:
Found tanker in a "2 ship convoy" considting of two T2 tankers. heavy fog made for innaccurate shooting. Shot two eels at the lead ship, two more at the trailing ship. First shots found their mark on the first target. Second target slowed down from 14 kts to 7 kts, thereby avoiding our eels. With only 1 torpedo left aboard, let him go and focused on the tanker we hit. After some high speed manuvering we let loose the last eel at 400 meters, at 90 degree AOB. Ship exploded. All torpedos are now expended, returning to Lorient.

8 July 1942
1200 - Arrive lorient

Patrol 2 Summary:
04MAY42 - 08JUL42 (66 days at sea)
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 11
Aircraft destroyed: 1
Patrol tonage: 67007 tons

[Bluewings]

Excellent !

I like your reports , I 'll keep readind them with the highest interest .

Your "Gunman" reminds me Hans , our dedicated 88mm gunner .
His nickname is "Jesse Hans James"

Cheers .

[Ducimus]

Thanks!

I have to admit , i have alot of typos i have to fix in that report. I mashed it out it in 20 mins and barely glossed over it before hit the post button as i had to leave for work. Ill fix the typo's later.

[captainclasp]

Both were excellent work - keep them coming!!! Thanks!

CC

[Ducimus]

Patrol 3
U-189, IXC/40, 2nd Flotilla
Left at: August 9, 1942, 09:43
From: Lorient

Mission Orders: Patrol grid DN25

Its now been well established by command our theater of operations is the carribean. Good patrol assignment, deeper water, near shipping lanes. Boat has been equiped with Metox radar warning reciever. In light of U189's previous patrols, Lorient base engineer saw fit to paint U189 in a mediterrainain style camoflauge paint scheme.

02 Sep 1942
1000 DN 25 Arrived assigned grid.

3 Sep 1942
22:38 DN 25 Alloted patrol time complete, leaving area.

All is quiet here, from previous patrols, had feeling this wasnt an active sector anyway.

05 Sep 1942
0357 DN 72 Aircraft spotted, metox, crashed dive. Depth charged.
0612 DN 48 Multiple Aircraft, metox, crash dived, depth charged.
0825 DN 48 Aircraft, 4 bombers, metox, crash dived, depth charged

Travelled submerged most of the day and night. Surfaced at 0300 to begin battery charge. The amount of air patrols here now is incredible. Having great difficulting recharging the batteries. At 0825 crash dive ,stayed down satisfied with a 90% battery recharge.

07 Sep 1942
0737 DN 47 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 8577 tons
0750 DN 47 Multi Aircraft, Crash dived, Depth charged.
1000 DN 47 Aircraft, surface AA action, plane departed.
1030 DN 47 Aircraft, Surface AA acton, plane departed

More air patrols, Tried to bring in two external stores into the boat after 0700 sinking. Sunrise/greylight conditions beginng at 09:30-1000. With men and reloading equipment on deck, not enough time to dive. Fended off planes with AA fire. Managed to bring only one external reload into the boat. Dived immediatly afterwords. Will get 2nd reseve into the boat later.

08 sept 1942
0041 DN 72 Aircraft, Crash Dived, Depth charged.
0642 DN 72 Aircraft, Crash Dived, Depth charged.
0913 DN 72 Aircraft, Crash Dived, Depth charged. Staying down.

Surfaced at 0 hour to begin batery recharge. Harrassed throughout the night. Managed a full recharge, stayed down after 0913 incident, Sunrise at 1000. Crew is on edge. Morale is waining. The Metox has been rechristianed from the "biscay cross" to the "caribean diving bell". The amount of air patrols here now is incredible. Very difficult to operate. Cannot bring in external stores adequatly, being able to fully recharge batteries is becoming an issue. Not accustomed to diving for the day with a 90% recharge. Will consider moving boat to safer waters, although the high shipping traffic in the area is hard to resist.

09 Sep 1942
0005 DN 73 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 8578 tons
0249 DN 73 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 7709 tons
0400 DN 73 mulitple Aircraft, surface AA action, C/D & D/C'ed.
0600 DN 84 Aircraft, Crashed Dived and Depth Charged.
0700 DN 84 Plane, C/D'ed, D/C'ed, boat damaged, hull intact.
0916 DN 84 Ship sunk! C3 Cargo, 6820 tons
0922 DN 84 Aircraft, Crash dived.

Sweet success mixed with those blasted vultures from above. Its assumed ships sent SOS that scrambled local airbase on our position. From this depth charging and the previous ones, boat has quite literally had its teeth rattled loose. Machinery has been knocked loose in various compartments. Damage minor, one DC exploded close aboard. Minor flooding in crew compartment caused from cracked seals and valves. Repairs effected. No damage to pressure hull or superstructure. At 0916 attempted survior rescue. at 0922 attacked by planes, crash dived. Air patrols too heavy, will make no further attempts to rescue survivors.

11 Sep 1942
0544 DN 76 Ship sunk! Small Tanker, 5990 tons
1704 DN 84 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 8579 tons

This has been a quiet day, weather has shifted. Heavy clouds, moderate rains, amazing lack of aircraft. it is a welcome releif. Engaged small tanker with deckgun to conserve torpedo's. Running gun battle ensued. Tanker gunner landed a shell right atop our deck gun, putting it out of action. Being on bridge at the time of the incident, saw tremedous explosion, was knocked down. Gun crew was knocked down and strewn across deck. Amazingly, no casualties. Minor lacerations and powder burns. Assumed that shell landing on deck gun directed the blast upward, away from the men. Fortune favored us this day. Bootsman massman, instead of his usual brooding mood, is sitting around the pettyofficers quarters grinning like a cat. Odd man

12 Sep 1942
0748 DN 84 Ship sunk! C2 Cargo, 5226 tons
1257 DN 76 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 8580 tons
1258 DN 76 Ship sunk! T3 Tanker, 8581 tons

Attacks at 1257 and 1258 is one for the textbooks. Two T3s in column. Two under the keel shots each. Lead ship,fired two torpedos spread set for 30 kt. Turned boat to bear on trailing ship, fired another two torpedo spread set for 44 kt. Both salvos arrived to targets at preciesly the same time, giving the enemy no warning. Both Ships sank within one minute of each other. This has been an exmplarly performance by the crew. I did not think such precision was possible. Issued half a bottle of beer for each man for a job well done, and as morale booster.

13 Sep 1942
0206 DN 76 Ship sunk! T2 Tanker, 7711 tons

Fired last two stern torpedos under the keel. Ship did not sink, turned boat around to use two remaining bow torpedo's. Fired third torpedo, impact, center of mass. Did not sink. Fired last torpedo aboard the boat. Target destroyed. Having expended all torpedo's, returning to lorient.

07 Oct 1942
2346 Arrive Lorient

Patrol 3 Summary
09AUG42 - 07OCT42 (60 days at sea)
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 10
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonage: 76351 tons

[kiwi_2005]

Ducimus, do you play Wolves at War, if not i think it would be your cup of tea. Going from your log your kept you would fit right in.

[Ducimus]

I keep track of aircraft incidents while in patrol. The rest is pulled out of SH3 commander. Then i write up the whole patrol afterwards while its still fresh in my mind.

Im keeping this one up because it's seems to be entertaining some folks, so im gonig to finish what i started. Because im writing a "story" to it, im debating if this career will be DiD or not. (IE do i want to end this on a happy ending or not?) I guess people will just have to wait and see, cause i dont know yet myself.

[Ducimus]

Well i never finished the story, but heres how it ended:

Patrol 1
05JAN42 - 02APR42 (88 days)
14 merchants for 78175 (78175/0)

Patrol 2
04MAY42 - 08JUL42 (66 days)
11 merchants for 67007 (67007/0)
U-Boat damaged (H.I. 93.98%)

Patrol3
09AUG42 - 07OCT42 (60 days)
10 merchants for 76351 (76351/0)

Patrol 4
08NOV42 - 12JAN43 (66 days)
9 merchants for 69733 (69733/0)

Patrol 5
14FEB43 - 18APR43 (64 days)
9 merchants for 66006 (66006/0)

Patrol 6
20MAY43 - 31JUL43 (73 days)
9 merchants for 52636 (52636/0)

Patrol 7
01SEP43 - 05OCT43 (35 days)
5 merchants for 31126 (31126/0)

Patrol 8
06NOV43 - 03JAN44 (59 days)
8 merchants for 65195 (65195/0)

Patrol 9
04FEB44 - 01MAR44 (27 days)
4 merchants for 19576 (19576/0)
U-Boat damaged (H.I. 62.76%)

Patrol 10
09APR44 - 01JUL44 (84 days)
4 merchants for 22143 (22143/0)

Patrol 11
02AUG44 - 06AUG44 (5 days)
0 merchants for 0 (0/0) U-Boat lost

TOTALS:
11 patrols (627 days)
83 merchants sunk (83/0)

Gross tonnage 547948 (547948/0)
15 enemy planes downed
46 crew captured 10 hands lost (fiction by me)

Summary
Kapitänleutnant Kurt Schröter and U-189 surrendered to the Allies on 06AUG44 after being forced to surface from a hedge hog attack while trying to dive to evade a Hunter Kiler group off the North West coast of spain. U-189 was found having just cleared Biscay bay enroute to assigned patrol grid in the Caribean.

Kurt Schröter was sent to a POW camp in Scotland where he spent the rest of the war. In 1956 Kurt Schröter joined the Bundesmarine, holding mainly staff positions but also commanding the frigate Hipper for a few months. He retired in 1972. He died on 29 April 1982.

------------------
On a side note, this sucks. I was really hoping to survive all the way through 45. Having done two consecutive IX careers, maybe its time to try the VII boats. Although, i must say, surviving the entire war in an IX boat has been challenging, infact i find it intresting how my tonnage scores dropped towards the end. Clearly survival became more of an issue. Infact during patrol 10, i damn near didnt survive the depth charging after a convoy attack. Patrol before that, its a miracle the boat wasnt blown from the water when a plane dropped a bomb right on the boats deck, forward of the deck gun..

Anyway , i really have no point of comparision because ive never attempted the entire war in an VII boat. Guess its time to try and see how much of a difference it is.
:hmm:

[Grease Monkey]

Great reading ,an inspiration to us bilge rats

[jasondef]

I love this reading this stuff! Every time I read one of these well written logs by someone, I get all excited and think, "What the hell am I doing in this damn forum! I need to fire up SH3!!" Well, off I go!!!
:/\rlz: