ANSWERS

CAPTAIN JOSE DE MELO (4495-1995) writes: "Referring to KTB #109, page 31 'Who Sank That Battleship' - a question presented to you by MR. JOHN GALLOUP (2577-1992), as a Brazilian Naval Officer (Retired Captain and Submariner) I would like to clarify some points to this question.

First, she was not a battleship, she was a light cruiser - her name was BAHIA. and I'll give you some facts about her history.

She was an old ship, her dimensions were 122.4 x. 11.89 x 4.15 meters, and had 3,150 tons, built by Armstrong Shipyard in England and launched January 20th, 1909. It was part of the Brazilian Naval Division, under the British command of Admiral Sheppard during the First World War.

She was modernized in 1926 in Rio de Janeiro, receiving six boilers burning oil, and three turbines.

On January 28th, 1942 the Brazilian Government cut commercial and diplomatic relations with Germany, Italy and Japan. Due to the merchant ships sunk by German and Italian submarines, Brazil answered by declaring war on August 31, 1942.

On April 15, 1942 the cruiser BAHIA took part in the first Brazilian convoy.

On September 12, 1942 our Cruiser Division passed to command of Vice Admiral Jonas H. Ingram commanding officer of the US 4th Fleet, also commander of the Vouth Atlantic Force, with his HQ in Recite. The BAHIA had chance to participate as escort of several convoys.

In November 1944, with the USS OMAHA and USS GUTAFON, the cruiser BAHIA escorted the American transport GENERAL MEIGS transporting the 4th Echelon of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force to Italy, integrating our Army, fighting side by side with the American Army against the German Army.

After the end of the war, our cruiser BAHIA joined a group of American and Brazilian ships (including the OMAHA) and had the task of staying on the Equator line at the middle of the ocean, between Dakar and Natal, serving as bridge for American aircraft that were returning from Europe.

On the 4th of July, 1945 the cruiser BAH1A was on duty in her position at Station 14, doing an anti-aircraft gunnery drill with her Oerlikon machine guns when a shot hit the depth bombs on the afterdeck. The ship immediately blew up and sank with most of her crew--as it is believed until today.

FRANK WEINGART (842-1988) writes: "With respect to KTB # 114 and in response to the question asked by LOU MARI (5361988) concerning those who escaped from USS TANG using the Momsen Lung .... in his book, RADM RICHARD O'KANE (1540-1990) writes:

The survivors from the forward torpedo room were motor machinist's mates Jesse DaSilva and Clayton Decker, Lt (jg) Hank Flanagan, and torpedoman's mates Pete Narowinski and Hayes Trukke All of them used Momsen Lungs, and they are the only Americans ever to have escaped on their own from a sunken submarine and to have lived.

As a sidelight, on Oct 31, 1985, I received a card from ADMIRAI. O'KANE in which he stated

OF the 13 of us who had the chance to swim throughout the night til 10 am, only the four of us who were married made it--not counting the 5 on the buoy.

GARY YEE (3779-1994) writes: "More on storage of torpedoes in submarines. Subs of the LUIGI SETTENIBRINI Class had 4 forward torpedo tubes, 2 aft for a total of 6. Four spare torpedoes were carried below deck in the forward torpedo room. There is some dispute as to number of spares carried aft."

LEON PORTZLINE (1094-1989) writes: J. DeBus (3799-1994) asked what WWII submarine was displayed 'In New York City, either in Rockefeller Center or Times Square. The answer is the Japanese midget submarine which got messed up with a bad gyro and could not find its way into Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. It was one of five subs which were strapped to the decks of five fleet boats which brought them to Pearl Harbor entrance. This sub wound up on the east coast of Oahu when the Ensign, who was unconscious, became the first Japanese prisoner of war, The body of his enlisted man was never found.

The prize midget sub was brought to the mainland, placed on a flatbed trailer and was used in 1943 for War Bond drives in the cities of the USA. I was a kid at that time and was home sick from school the day the sub was brought to Harrisburg, PA. I lived right along the street That the flatbed traveled and I remember hearing enough activity as it passed by that I jumped out of bed just in time to see it go by. It was quite a thrill for a 12-year-old boy who followed the war very closely. Thanks for letting me remember all those things from World War II"

(HARRY'S NOTE: The MAX show of 1995 touted their guest speaker, the man who sent thousands of his fellow U-Bootfahrer to their deaths when he failed in his mission to Scuttle U-505 thus allowing the US Navy to get a lot more of the codes -- and said that U-505 was 'trailered and put on display throughout the country.' Can you imagine how big that trailer would have to be to carry a TYPE IX-C boat!

QUESTIONS

NINON COLLET (979-1989) would like to know where to get a copy of the 6 hour version of 'DAS BOOT' IN GERMAN. We also would like to know. We have the same, but it is in English

ROGER BESAW (4229-1995) would like to know where to find complete data on the U-Boat pens that were built in France and Norway including top-down views indicating what rooms and Sections were used for what interior views showing various services such as water, air, electric etc, placard and sign placement and overhead views of the machinery and hoists.

ROGER also wants to know where to find surviving small subsi TYPE XXVII (HECHT), TYPE XXVIIB (SEEHUND), BIBER (BEAVER), MOLCH (SALAMANDER)

JOE McCARTHY (3853-1994) would like to know when a torpedo was fired from a sub, how capable were they of being set on a course which was NOT a straight line. In effect, could they make a course change or run a course at an angle different from that or the submarine at the moment at launch. If so, how much deviation could result?

LESLIE McDORMAN (New Member) would like additional information about this extract from the KTB of the OKM dated 7 June, 1944. It reads:

‘Atlantic Coast Area - 01:39 minesweeper M4005 and the submarine U-256 were attacked with bombs and fire of a plane flying at a low altitude west of Brest. The sub was slightly damaged. One plane was shot down.’ He thinks this involved RAF LIBERATOR #BZ 778 operating from Ballykelly in No. Ireland. Who can help? U-256 survived the war and was surrendered at Bergen where she was scuttled.

JOHN HECKLER (4194-1995) wants a photo of Ernst Hechler, Skipper of U-870, in uniform with decorations and badges. Who can help?

DR. E. LEE SPENCE (1543-1993) asks if the Klaxon Horn was named for Captain Klaxon, a British submarine Skipper in WWI. Was he the inventor or just the man who popularized its use? LEE would also like to know his full name.

JASON LOBO (4473-1995) is beginning research on the ‘Black Sea’ boats; the six TYPE II boats U-9, U-18, U-19, U-20 and U-23 that were moved over autobahn and river from the Baltic to the Black Sea. JASON needs to know the titles of any books that have information; or any other sources he can use for this subject.

PETER GALLO (4455-1995) wants to know what US submarine torpedoed and sank the ENGLAND MARU on 17 May, 1943 north of New Guinea.

Any Member who can help with any of the questions in this section, we would greatly appreciate your input. Thanks.