U-505 page 27 by ric gustafson
Things looked bleak for the U-505. Skipper Harald Lange tried to scare off the destroyer escorts with one acoustic torpedo. That did not work. Machine gun bullets from overhead planes were clanging on the hull. This was after a crash dive. Lange ordered a deeper dive. Then the destroyer escorts dropped a full salvo of Hedgehogs on the boat. At 50 meters down, depth charges were exploding around the boat. The boat shuddered. Then all the lights went out. Then the submariners heard the worst sound they could hear. It was the sound of water flooding into the boat.
" Water breach" screamed one of the sailors.
Flashlights came out. Hans Decker showed a flashlight on broken dials and pipes. Skipper Lange was receiving massive damage reports from everyone. The main rudder was jammed. The boat was diving out of control. Soon, the pressure hull would crush the boat.
Then by the grace of God, the boat began to climb back up. When the boat reached the surface, Lange knew he only had one option.
" Abandon ship".
research help: ' Codename Nemo' by Charles Lachman
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
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