Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Introduction.
Hamburg radio on the 1st. of May 1945 announced Hitler was dead, and that Grand Admiral Karl Donitz had taken over the function of Fuhrer. He quickly moved towards the surrender of Nazi Germany, and on the 4th. of May 1945 issued the following order:

"All U-Boats cease fire at once. Stop all hostile actions against Allied shipping, Donitz."

U-Boat, U-853.
This Type IXC/40 boat was laid down on the 21st. of August 1942 at AG Weser Bremen, to commission on the 25th. of June 1943. U-853 was almost 292 feet long with a beam of 25.5 feet and came in at 740 tons. 

U-853, sank the collier Black Point,on the 5th. of May 1945,
she was the last victim of the Battle of the Atlantic in US waters.

May 1945.
At the time Admiral Donitz issued his cease fire order to his U-Boat Fleet, U-853 was patrolling the waters off Block Island on the US east coast, it is uncertain whether she ever received this order, perhaps she was dived at the time of this message's despatch.

Block Island

Or alternately, the Captain of U-853, chose to ignore his Fuhrer's cease fire edit, anyway, the US collier Black Point loaded with 7,000 tons of coal destined for the Edison Power plant at South Boston loomed into the periscope of the German submarine on the 5th. of May 1945. An accoustic torpedo was launched to hunt down its quarry, it hit the stern, and the collier sank, 12 crewmen died.

Collier Black Point of 5,353 tons, sunk by U-853 on the 5th. of May 1945.

Yugoslav ship SS Kamen raises the alarm.
Within 2 minutes,the Jugoslav ship SS Kamen who was close by, raised the alarm by radio and the hunt was on.

Forces involved in hunting U-853.
USS Atherton, USS Moberly and USS John D Ericsson, plus two Navy Blimps, K-16, and K-58 from Lakehurst Naval Air Station New Jersey, were all ordered to proceed to the sinking location and to hunt the U-Boat. After 3 hours had passed, Atherton picked up the German boat on her sonar, and the 3 ships working as a team proceeded to hunt U-853 to her death. The Navy Blimps took some 12 hours to reach the hunt area.

A pattern of projectiles fired by the ahead throwing weapon Hedgehog from USS Atherton,
in her successful attack against German U-Boat U-853.

The ahead throwing weapon Hedgehog was used, it threw a pattern of 36 projectiles ahead of the attacking ship, allowing sonar contact to be maintained, when used with depth charges it made a lethal mix. A HH projectile only exploded on impact with its target giving very positive evidence of a kill when an explosion was registered.

U-853 was finally accounted for on the 6th. of May, and all 55 of her crew perished.

A US Navy K type blimp, as used in the action against U-853 in May 1945.

Tales of gold bullion carried in the German Submarine.
For years after U-853 was sunk, there were stories of her being loaded down with gold bullion, she sits at about 130 feet down off Block Island, is easily accessible to divers, but despite many salvage attempts over the intervening years, divers have penetrated the wreck, but no treasure trove has been recovered,

Conclusion.

U-853 claimed the last victim of the Battle of the Atlantic, but we will never know if her Captain ignored the order by the "Last Fuhrer." or if in fact, he was dived in his boat at that time, and just did not receive this order.

See URL: http://www.njscuba.net/sites/wreck_U-853.html for under water photographs of this wreck taken during dives upon the sunken U-853.