While many Americans were enjoying the movie U-571 another German submarine was dredging up bitter memories in Cape May County. Jim Campbell, a local historian and member of the Greater Cape May Historical Society, found three films of the capture of U-858 in the National Archives. The sub surrendered on May 14, 1945 just a few days after V-E Day. Residents that remembered the dark days of WWII, when the submarine war was being waged just offshore, packed the Kiwanis Club to view the films.

German subs prowling near Cape May sank many ships as they steamed out of the Delaware River. The most famous casualty was also the first. The Jacob Jones, a destroyer, was sunk on Feb. 28, 1942. Residents remembered oil slicks washing up on area beaches, and sometimes the corpses of torpedo victims. A "dim-out" was put into effect all along the South Jersey Shore. The submarine menace also had a psychological effect. There were wild rumors about Germans sneaking ashore at night. Many residents thought there might be German spies in the area. The situation had improved by 1943 when the tide had turned in the local submarine war.

Some local landmarks remain from WWII. The Cape May canal was dug so that shipping traffic would have an alternate route to the Atlantic and hopefully frustrate the German submarines. The canal is still in use today. Tourists in the area still visit the sunken remains of the Cement Ship (a failed experiment in ship-building).

Other reminders include crumbling bunkers along the beach and observation towers, one of which can still be seen sticking out of the top of a Victorian hotel in Cape May.

South Jersey veterans also recalled the other ways in which the area was involved in WWII. Thousands of air men were trained at local airports, millions of soldiers were trained at nearby Fort Dix, and the Atlantic City resort area was a popular destination for servicemen on leave.

Although the newly discovered films brought back many bad memories, they also had a positive impact on the area. On Memorial Day 2000 they helped South Jersey remember the sacrifices of all those that contributed to winning WWII.