First of all, DICK GAY (6314-2001) points out that we were a bit ambiguous when we said that ERICH GIMPEL (884-LIFE-1988) was possibly spotting for the U-Boats with missiles. We did not mean that he was “spotting” in the manner of a Forward Observer actually calling out firing co-ordinates but rather DICK meant that ERICH could possibly have been looking for other agents, spotting them as they came to New York.

Okay – now we learn what REALLY happened to U-869 from our Abwehr source, PETER HANSEN (251-LIFE-1987). He writes:

“I totally disagree with respect to the provision of a wooden firing set-up for the V-1 rocket equipment. While it had been tried several times in the Baltic off Peenemünde in 1944 in addition to the test of V-2 rockets aboard U-511 (Friederich Steinhoff) in 1943, V-1 firings were done on test basis from Type VII and Type IX U-Boats. The wooden run-off platforms were placed where previously the 5 inch or 4 inch gun had been placed as there was a fortified section provided in the pressure hull.

All of these test firings were not very exciting and some small snafus developed. In addition, Dönitz and the BdU Command did not really push these tests and considered them too experimental.

U-869 DID NOT HAVE any V-1 rockets aboard nor any sort of improvised wooden firing platform. This is pure invention. The BdU Diary would have reflected such extra matters, and does not list it nor the load list.

U-869 was redirected away from Gibraltar Morocco and the South Atlantic to the USA east coast. Neuerberg acknowledged indirectly this change in operational area, but feared a lengthy message and only stated his fuel situation by short signal, advising he would proceed to US east coast position at the time U-869 would be the only U-Boat there,

Reported through other sources, U-869 attacked a tanker but missed and the acoustic T-5 became a circular runner, hitting U-869 almost at the base of the conning tower and sunk her.”

Vielen Dank PETER. And now our Members have the accurate story of the fate of U-869, once known as U-WHO off the coast.

How Did “U-WHO” Really Sink?

We asked this question of ERICH GIMPEL (884-LIFE-1988) for his memories of this action, and he wrote back to us:

“I’ve no knowledge of U-869 according to your description. It could have been a circular torpedo but there should have been a target the sub was going to attack. I’ve no knowledge of plans to mount V1 rockets on subs, but I remember Werner von Braun was working on a three stage rocket that could reach New York.”

More Bulletin Board 2004

Disaster for U-534
Who Sank U-869?