German submarine U-85 (1941)

U-Boat Infobox
type=VIIB | fieldpost number=
yard number=Flender 281
order date=
keel=18 December, 1939
launch=
commission=7 June, 1941| yard=Flender-Werke, Lübeck
U_Boat Command
startdate=7 June, 1941
enddate=14 April, 1942
name=Oblt. Eberhard Greger| U_Boat Command
startdate=
enddate=
name=
U_Boat Sink
type=Type of Ship Sunk
total=Number of Ships Sunk
tonnage=Gross Registered Tonnage
U_Boat Sink
type=Commercial Vessels
total=3
tonnage=15,060
U_Boat Sink
type=Military Vessels
total=-
tonnage=-

"Unterseeboot 85" or "U-85" was a German World War II Type VIIB submarine commissioned on 7 June 1941. "U-85" was assigned to 3. Unterseebootflottille (U-Boat Flotilla) on 7 June 1941 and completed four patrols with the flotilla. "U-85" sunk three ships totalling 15,060 Gross Registered Tonnage. "U-85" was sunk with all hands on deck on 14 April 1942 off the United States coast near Cape Hatteras by gunfire from the destroyer USS "Roper". "U-85" was the first German U-boat loss of Operation Drumbeat (Paukenschlag), Germany’s U-boat offensive off the eastern seaboard of the United States in 1942.

Sunk by USS "Roper"

"U-85" was operating within visual distance of Bodie Island Light at midnight 13 April 1942 when "Roper" detected the submarine on British type 286 RADAR at a range of 2700 yards. "U-85" attempted to run south on the surface and fired its stern torpedo at "Roper" when range closed to 700 yards. "Roper" evaded the torpedo and "U-85" turned sharply to starboard when the range closed to 300 yards. "Roper" illuminated "U-85" with searchlight and observed men on deck near the gun whose firing arc had just been cleared by the course change. "Roper" raked "U-85" with machinegun fire and scored a hit with a 3"/50 caliber gun. "Roper" then dropped a pattern of 11 depth charges where "U-85" disappeared below the surface.Rouse, Parke, Jr., "Under the Cloak of Night", "United States Naval Institute Proceedings", June 1982, pp.74-75]

Numerous men were observed in the water, but no rescue attempt was made until daylight. By then, there were no survivors among the 29 bodies floating in life jackets. Some of the bodies were wearing civilian clothes carrying wallets with United States currency and identification cards.Rouse suggests "U-85" had been preparing to launch a raft of spies when discovered by "Roper".] The bodies were fingerprinted, photographed, and buried in a night-time military ceremony at the Hampton National Cemetery. "U-85" lies in less than 100 feet of water; and the United States Navy briefly attempted salvage. More recent investigation by sport divers has raised questions about Navy reports of the wreck.Blair, Clay, Jr. "Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939-1942" Random House (1996) p.543]

Wreck

The hatch of the "U-85" is on display in the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse visitor center, and the sub itself still serves as an attraction for divers. [ [http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/WRECKS/U85/U85.HTML Wreck of the U-85 ] ] The Enigma machine was illegally recovered from the wreck by private divers and in 2003 the German government agreed to allow the machine to be displayed at the Atlantic Graveyard Museum, in Hatteras, North Carolina. [Miles Hadley, Naval Historical Center. [http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=6660 Home Found for “Enigmatic” WW II U-boat Relic] . April 5, 2003.]

Notes

References

*Bishop, C. "Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45". Amber Books, 2006.

External links

* [http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-85.htm Uboat Archive - U-85]