These are the memories of GUNTHER HEINRICH, Skipper of U-960, continued from KTB #136. To refresh your memory, they had just obtained a strong sound contact towards portside. What can it be?

"Go to periscope depth! All hands to battle stations!

Now life is returning to the submarine. As the attack periscope breaks the surface, I can't believe my eyes! We are in the middle of a convoy -- all big ships, two-funnel ships, passenger ships -- all at high speed. No convoy security is to be seen. Make all tubes ready! I guess their speed to be about 24 knots. Mighty seas of waves are created by the bows of these ships. Condition? A ship in front of us, another one there, behind us two-funnel type ships with the appropriate deck structure. They are sailing past us from within 300 meter to 1,000 meters distance.

I don't actually have to aim to fire. Why come up with a firing solution? All around us the fat booty is sailing. I see through my periscope American soldiers standing at the rails of the ships, and the landing boats hanging from the decks. I see a landing armada and have to let them pass because we cannot make the torpedoes operational for firing fast enough. Boy, did I cuss! One does not get this type of chance that often. Maybe there will be more opposing ships in the next few days that we will travel the sea lane between the Island of Alboran and the African Cape of Tres Forces.

So I permit U-960 to sail through this area back and forth three more times, but no signs of any shipping. We therefore go on an easterly course to be in the middle of the western part of the Mediterranean in approximately two days in order to reach the ordered reporting position. The U-Boat leadership does not know that we have been sailing around the Mediterranean for several days.

On the 17th of May 1944 at approximately 0900 hours we hear closing screw noises and I order the submarine to battle stations and to periscope depth. I recognize two high bow waves and then the superstructure of two destroyers closing in on our position. The destroyers are closing on U-960 in formation with large bow waves. I have to decide fast -- do I attack or dive away? I decide to attack with three tubes on the leading destroyer. At a distance of 800 meters I order: 'Tubes Fire!'

One can feel the torpedoes leave their tubes one by one. Anxiously, I count the torpedo runs but we do not hear any detonations. The screw sounds of the destroyers are getting quieter.

What happened?

The answer to this question I found after the war in a book entitled United States Destroyer Operations in WWII by Theodore Roscoe. There it is translated, word for word, that the LUDLOW, the NIBLACK and British aircraft destroyed U-960 or as they called us, 'Monster Two'.

If the actions of U-616 were very cool, the actions of U-960 were tactical suicide. Then this submarine had the nerve to fire on some of the destroyers of Captain Conversus destroyer squadron, just as these destroyers were returning in triumph from having destroyed U-616. One of my targets was the Flag destroyer ELLYSEN.

The three torpedoes failed to reach their intended targets, but the trails of the torpedoes (sea wake and air bubbles from the torpedo tubes) were clues to the location of my boat. The destroyer GLEAVES sighted something which appeared to be a periscope, and the location immediately marked.

What can I say to this? Many enemy destroyers were hit by enemy torpedoes and sunk. Why would this attack be considered a tactical suicide? We had maneuvered to a good firing position and were not yet detected. It was just bad luck for us that the torpedo wakes were seen. On the other hand, the German crew which was captured from U-616 (Kplt KOITSCHKA 225-LIFE-1986) and the destroyer crew should be very happy about this.

We continue on our easterly course and emerge around midnight in order to recharge the batteries. But after five minutes we are attacked by an aircraft - the bombs just missed us. We dived and continued onward underwater until the next night. We surface - the batteries definitely need to be recharged. We cannot enjoy the fresh air for long. From about 100 meters height and 300 meters distance a searchlight illuminates and the explosions are all around us once again. We fire with all we have on the unrecognized aircraft. We cannot change our course; we must stay on the surface and recharge the batteries.

Once again it is completely dark around us with the cloud cover. Our diesel engines sound out, we are under full speed. The sea lashes back and forth between the bow and conning tower. We must go forwards and load the batteries fast.

Alarm Dive

But it does not take long, and there is a red illumination in front of us. Shots are fired, and we must conduct an alarm dive at high speed and at a depth of approximately 40 meters, we receive some severe detonations that knock us from our feet. All lights go out. All motors stop. The battery changeover switch has fallen out. We have to go to emergency lighting and to hand operations. The submarine is shaken heavily. There are cracks and rattles everywhere. Out of the numerous ventilation pipes and the shaft of the communications rod, water is spraying into the submarine.

Due to a heavy bow, things fall and roll forward. The crew members are also slipping and sliding towards the front, but we are able to catch our submarine controls at a depth of 220 meters and are able to steer a course at 200 meters. Now, depth charge attack after depth charge attack follows. We can hear the sounding locator PINGS of the ASDIC device. We can hear the oncoming sounds of the destroyers screws and witness how our brave boat is thrown up and down by the detonations of the nearby depth charges. There are more and more detonations, and more and more water is leaking into the submarine.

Bad Shape

We try to launch a decoy through torpedo tube number six.

HARRY'S NOTE: Tube #6 on a Type VII-C boat you might ask? Yes, there was a small diameter tube (about 4" diameter) used specifically for launching decoys such as BOLD and PILLENWERFER. On a Type IX-C boat, this is Tube #7.

We hope this will drive the destroyers away from us. While the torpedo tube is being flooded, more depth charges detonate, damaging the tube. Water is now also shooting in from this torpedo tube. The engine room personnel are able to contain this leak somewhat.

In the meantime, all the torpedo tube outer covers have been jammed due to all of the underwater depth charge detonations and cannot be opened. I wanted to go to a deeper depth and then deploy/shoot some out of the teeth kings, but that will not happen.

The gyroscope is inoperable and the side rudder jams at the port speed of 5. Even with five men at the reserve steering wheel, it will not budge. So we are condemned to sail only in a circular pattern.

The seawater is running over the batteries. Gases are produced. Eventually we have to use potassium cartridges to breath. The pressure is growing inside the submarine. The air has been used up and breathing is becoming more difficult.

While trying to reach a deeper depth in order to try and un-jam one of the outer torpedo tube covers, the submarine is once again hit by a series of well-placed depth charges and is so shaken that the boat becomes once again bow heavy due to all the water leaks, and sinks bow first down to about 250 meters where control of the boat is once more regained and she can be righted somewhat.

Now the port side engines are out of commission. The crew is fighting very hard to keep the submarine seaworthy. The chief engineer reports on the falling electrical capacity of the batteries.

The battery hold is covered with blankets. Under extraordinary circumstances, the water is moved from the rear of the submarine to the front bow compartment. The boat is leaning towards aft. It is very hard to go forward in the boat.

In the central compartment, cans are rolling back and forth on the floor. Even though in the most difficult conditions, the men remain in control. They are quiet and ready for action, even after repeated depth charge attacks -- eleven so far!

They succeed to regain control of the submarine and to remain at a great depth. In the bow compartment there is so much water that, due to the leaning toward the aft, water flows from the bow compartment watertight door, which is jammed. Mattresses are fastened as good as possible to this jammed bulkhead door to stop the flow of water.

Since the first attack, many hours have passed. The duration of depth charge patterns grows longer and so are the destroyer passes overhead. I hope that our opponent either uses up their entire supply of depth charges or decides that he has destroyed us and turns away.

I am mistaken, and there are explosions all around us once again and many tiny leaks are getting bigger and bigger once again.

The chief engineer reports once again on the condition of the deteriorating electrical capacity of the batteries. He reports that, if we continue, that our necessary electrical components will fail, and that we will not have enough energy left over to surface anymore.

Surface

I decided to surface, with a heavy feeling in my heart. The submarine is made all man ready, and we blow ballast and the boat points in the eight o'clock position with the diving rudder above us.

The boat is sinking gradually deeper. Long minutes of not knowing what will happen next!!

Blow all ballast once more and then run the engines at full capacity. The boat gradually surfaces from its basement at 230 meters, up to 180 meters - then it shoots to the surface like an arrow without the chance to be caught. The forward part of the submarine climbs high into the sky, then falls back and lays on its shot-up side on the surface. All of us had to breath heavily due to the shortage of oxygen and the pressure that was exerted on the ship.

The men in the command center of the ship look at me with expecting eyes. They feel some relief from the heavy burden that the depth charges, equipment failures in the ship, water leaks and the movement and breathing difficulties for hours on end. I am deeply moved, even in this hopeless situation by the discipline and duty readiness of the men. There are no complaints, not even a look of despair in their faces. This is a crew that sticks together. To have been in command of such a crew, I am truly proud.

But I do not feel any positive feelings about surfacing. I knew it, to be welcomed up above without any mercy what-so-ever. Without being able to fire any torpedoes, the rudder jammed so we can only travel in circles, we are hopelessly defenseless. But I do not have any time to think about these things.

I am in the tower and tear the safety against depth charge attacks out. The chief engineer reports 'Tower hatch is clear' and I attempt to turn the lock open, but this thing is crazy tight. With all of my strength, I am able to turn the control and open the hatch. The hatch is thrown upwards due to the over-pressure inside the boat, my hat flies overboard, and I am pulled upward also.

The light on the outside is blinding. I hear the thunder of guns firing, and the sound of machine gun fire in my ear. That's how I make it to the bridge. I see two destroyers firing from all guns tracer rounds above and next to the submarine with thundering shell explosions near the sub. I keep an eye on the above superstructure and by the wall next to the 2cm guns, I see flames. Oh no! There are flames right by the full 2cm ammunition! I automatically run to the 2cm guns and kick one of the magazines overboard. While doing this, I get hit in the back of my head, fall down on the railing, my head, fall down on the railing, and lose consciousness. In the central command area, the men are and lose consciousness. In the central command area, the men are waiting on the order from me. The order does not come - it couldn't, for I am laying unconscious in the water.

The First Officer orders 'All men out!' As all the men are trying to exit through the bridge hatch and the central hatch, there are so many hits on the boat that wounded men are blocking the escape hatches. A hit in the aft portion of the submarine now lets water into that section also. The submarine loses its buoyancy and starts to sink. One last time it rises to the surface for a few seconds, and then forever sinks into the deep. Thirty-one of our comrades go down with her into a wet grave. They now rest there in the waters of the western Mediterranean, northwest of Algeria at position 37 degrees North 20 minutes, 0 1 degrees East 3 5 minutes.

The Third Watch Officer keeps 17 men of the crew together in the water with words of encouragement. This is at 0745 hours, for that is when the watch of the Second Watch Office stood still in the water. These 18 crewmembers are later picked up by the U.S. destroyers LUDLOW and NIBLACK.

I myself regain my consciousness in the water for a short time when depth charges explode close to me and turn my stomach.

The next time I regained my consciousness was when I was laying on board on one of the motorized launches of the destroyer NIBLACK next to Machinist Mate Milnch as they are trying to lift us on board the destroyer.

We so lucky were the last German submarine in World War II to enter the Mediterranean. So unlucky our trip ended, after suffering heavy damage and equipment loss onboard the submarine in the western part of the Mediterranean."

HARRY'S NOTE - This is a superb piece of personal memory from a veteran. Vielen Dank, HEINI. This story was great!

To our other veterans, please tell us your story too. Each veteran who served in any branch of service, in any capacity, under any flag has at least one story, if not many stories. These personal memories make up the fabric of the history of World War II.

Remember, your story on the pages of our KTB Magazine will be preserved forever in many great places such as the National Archives of the United States, the Library of Congress - and many naval archives around the world. Please do not take your story with you when you depart on your 'Eternal Patrol'.