ANSWERS

Austrian U-4 in World War One

Thanks to DR. ERWIN SCHATZ (1629-LIFE-1990) for the information about U-4 of the Austrian Navy in World War I.

U-4 was of the GERMANIA Type, built by Germania Werft in Kiel, launched 1908. Her specs were:

Displacement 240/300 tons
Length 43 meters
Beam 3.8 meters
Draft 4.6 meters
Speed (diesel) 12 knots
Speed (electric) 8.5 knots
Tubes (fwd) two
Tubes (aft) none
Guns single 3.7cm, single 7.0cm
Crew 18 men

U-4 sank 15 ships totaling 23,279 gross tons and also the 7,350 ton Italian cruiser GARIBALDI. In 1920, U-4 was delivered to France to be broken up for scrap.

BILL TILTON (3706-1994) is serving in the US Navy, but his grandfather rode U-4 in World War One. Thanks again ERWIN.

POLA and LaSPEZIA

MARK SCHROYER (4845-1996) has an answer for author TONY FOSTER (4664-1995); he writes:

“TONY will be interested to know that the U-Boat arm had permanent facilities in Pola and LaSpezia. It was from the latter that U-74 and U-331 departed, never to be seen returning. A book dealing exhaustively with the U-Boat war in the Mediterranean has, as far as I know, not yet been published.”

‘PHANTOM’ I.J.N. I-15?

According to NORMAN FIELD (4642-1996), there were two. They were I-15 i and I-15 ii.

Photo is I-15 i on sea trials on 15 September 1940

I-15 i was a scouting submarine, B1 Type. She was built by Kure Navy Yard, launched 7 March 1939, completed 30 September 1940. In December 1941, she was attached to the Sixth Submarine Fleet; First Submarine Division under Rear Admiral Sato Tsutomu. Along with I-9, I-17 and I-25 she was to patrol in a line north of Oahu to track down any US ships escaping to the north, and to intercept any counter attacks against the carrier strike force. On 10th April 1942, she was transferred to the 2nd Submarine Division. she was sunk on 2 November 1942 by USS McCALLA (DD 488) north of San Cristobol; Solomon Islands.

I-15 ii was an aircraft-carrying submarine, AM Type. she was built by Kawasaki - Kobe and displaced 3,603 tons surfaced. She was launched 12 April 1944 but construction was halted in March 1945 when the boat was almost complete. She was scrapped in 1946.

We are still looking for information about Brig. General Robert Stack of the 35th (TEXAS) Division. We have gotten a lot from LOU MARI (536-1988) but he has hit a dead end. Who can give us more information about this officer? This is very important for research being done by BUD DANA (245-LIFE-1987)

TYPE XXI - in Norway?????

EBERHARD BURRE’ (5068-1996) was in the Federal German Navy, and he tells us that he knows of three TYPE XXI boats still in Trondheim. Can anyone give us any additional information on these boats?

We know of the three TYPE XXI boats in the ‘Lost Bunker’ in Hamburg. They are U-2505, U-3004 and U-3506 which was the boat of our very good friend GERD THÄTER (194-LIFE-1986). These were found & videotaped by HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983), JAK MALLMANN SHOWELL (74-1984) and EDDIE PHILLIPS (220-A/LIFE-1986) - but three more in Trondheim? Please let us know.

More Questions

ROGER BESAW (4229-1995) would like to know if any WW I U-Boat Skippers also commanded U-Boats in WW II.

GERARDO PINERO (4811-1996) would like to know what submarine shelled the east coast of Mona in March 1942. Mona is the small island off the eastern tip of Puerto Rico. Answers anyone?

NAOMI TOBA (EH 431) would like to know if any Japanese won the KNIGHTS CROSS? Did any win the IRON CROSS, either 2nd or 1st Class?

We here at SHARKHUNTERS HQ would like to know where to obtain a complete listing of ALL recipients of these medals, as well as the DEUTSCHES KREUZ im GOLD.

And we are also trying to obtain a list of all American submariners who won the NAVY CROSS. Please drop us a line and let us know where to get these lists.

DAVID MEAKIN-JONES (5043-1996) tells of a recent discovery of a submarine wreck off the east coast of Australia with extreme damage to the bow, which would indicate that the submarine struck a mine. Does anyone know any additional details.