Former crewmember with assignment Control Room of this very vessel until we got captured in a running battle between the coast off Cape Blanco (French West Africa) and the Cape Verde Islands, on 4 June 1944 by the so-called 'Hunter-Killer' Task Force Group 22.3 GUADALCANAL, US Navy Atlantic Fleet, consisting of aircraft carrier USS GUADALCANAL and five destroyer escorts CHATELAIN, FLAHERTY, JENKS, PILLSBURY and POPE.

"Our time in base was short. We still heard the final exhortation of the LION, Admiral Donitz, sounding in our ears - 'Ran an dem Feind, VERSENKEN!' or go after the enemy and sink him.

From the 4th of February 42 until 8th, minor repairs and ballasting of 15 tons had to be done. From 9th to 11th, we loaded stores and fuel again, and the boat was trimmed. At 1300 hours, this maneuver ended.

At 1800 hours our second war patrol started; the free watch paraded on deck; the Captain & the Bridge Watch in the flower-bedecked conning tower. The rest of the crew was at maneuvering stations. Loewe called out 'Leinen los undein'.....cast off! U-505 backed out of the slightly lit bunker into the waters of Lorient Harbor. The military band was giving us farewell march interrupted by three sharp HURRAHS!. We heard the echo while sliding out, and on our way we were accompanied by U-68, also on her way out. Departure order was:

1. Depart Lorient 11th February, 1800 hours;
2. Operation order 52 in power, also Operation order 50 to take with for information;
3. Marching south. From 35N go straight course south. U-505 between 22 and 24W. Thereafter Naval Square EMIL TONI 50 where information about the operational area will be given by FT (Radio Telegram).

1945 hours, escort released at LUCIE 2, marching past Point CEDAR and TANNE (Fir).

2000 hours - deliberate anti-aircraft fire and tracer bombs visible in direction of Lorient. On our way out at Port Louis, the last point of land we would probably see for a while, the Captain turned to the Executive Officer Nollau, who later became C.O. of the famous U-534, the one which was raised from the bottom of the sea last year, saying to him: 'Nollau, throw the flowers overboard.'

He repeated: 'Yes, I think so, Herr Kaleu (Kapitanleutnant). According to sea lore tradition it was bad luck to carry flowers. No hexes for us; overboard they went. At the 200 meter line, we made our deep practice dive which was made by every departing submarine. Our escorts stood by till we gave them the signal 'EVERYTHING OK' They had to wait in case something did not work right, that we had escort back to our base. Before we continued alone, they signaled 'GOOD RETURN AND GOOD HUNTING' then our diesels turned up flank speed to get the Bay of Biscay behind us as soon as possible.

These were already dangerous waters for us in 1942. The Brits were taking special care in setting up surface and air patrols from Cape Finisterre to Land's End. All returning and departing U-Boats had to traverse this restricted area. Later it was called 'U-BOOTSFRIEDHOF' (submarine graveyard). Every sub they caught here, they did not need to be afraid of in the width of the Atlantic further on.

Not long after our escorts had disappeared, we heard the click of the intercom and a few seconds later, the voice of the Skipper. The watch in the engineroom closed up as near to the speaker as possible to get a few words over the roaring diesels.

'Hier spricht der Kommandant. We have been ordered to hunt along the West-African coast. Off Freetown Harbor where the convoys collect will be our operating area. For sure it won't be easy. There we're going against fast ships. Meantime, eyes be open, be alert. Das ist alles im Moment (That's all for the moment).'

We were trying to figure out where Freetown was. It took quite a while before we spotted that faraway place.

On our way through the Biscay, we received an FT (radio telegram) with order to help one of our sister boats, having had heavy damage in an air attack off the Spanish coast. Later the orders were cancelled. The boat managed to reach a Spanish port by itself.

Having cleared the Biscay, we were finally allowed three men additionally to the Bridgewatch, to smoke on the bridge. On our way through the Bay of Biscay, we've had quite a few 'ALARM dices' caused through airplanes. In the distance, we heard detonations from bombs and depth charges, meantime knowing they were not meant for us.

16 February, We realized we were leaving an oil track (medium), but enough to let enemy know that we're there."

More U-505

U-505: 1 [KTB 104]
U-505: 2 [KTB 105]
U-505: 3 [KTB 106]
U-505: 4 [KTB 107]
U-505: End [KTB 108]