German U-boat discovered in Indonesian waters

[mojaveman]

Indonesian researchers said Thursday they have discovered what is believed to be the wreck of a German submarine that was torpedoed off the main island of Java during World War II.

Sounds like it was a long way from home but with 650 sunk during the war I guess they can be found in many places.

http://news.yahoo.com/indonesian-researchers-german-u-boat-184244798.html

[ghp95134]

Über kühl!


Sunk at 0130hrs on 6 October, 1944 in the Java Sea, in position 06.20S, 111.28E, by a torpedo from the Dutch submarine HrMs Zwaardvisch. 23 dead and 27 survivors.

source (http://www.uboat.net/boats/u168.htm)


U-168 List of Crew Members (http://historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/crewlisten/ww2/ergebnis.php?lang_cl=2).

24 crew listed KIA:

Name / Rank or Rate / Birth / Death // Note
Albrecht, Heinz MaschOGfr. 20.01.1923 06.10.1944 Java Sea.06.20S. 111.28E.
Andre, Heinz MtrOGfr.(cook) 14.09.1923 06.10.1944 N.of Rembang Java
Balcke, Erwin Meterologe. 24.12.1914 06.10.1944
Bauer, Heinrich OMaschMt 31.10.1921 06.10.1944
Bergner, Ewald MaschOGfr 18.06.1922 06.10.1944
Buss, Ernst MtrOGfr 19.10.1923 06.10.1944
Dreyer, Heinrich MaschOGfr. 21.02.1924 06.10.1944
Ermer, Franz MaschMt 26.05.1921 06.10.1944
Göbels, Willi OBtsMt 19.11.1918 06.10.1944
Grothaus, Egon MtrOGfr. 19.03.1924 06.10.1944
Hempel, Konrad MaschOGfr 24.05.1923 06.10.1944
Höfer, Harry MaschOGfr 13.01.1924 06.10.1944
Kaysh, Karl MaschOGfr 26.02.1923 06.10.1944
Neumann, Helmut MaschOGfr. 02.03.1924 06.10.1944
Rath, Heinz OStrm 16.10.1913 06.10.1944 Java sea
Richter, Hans Lt.z.S.d.R. 18.07.1920 06.10.1944
Rothans, Egon MtrOGfr. 06.10.1944
Schulz, Herbert MaschGfr. 11.09.1923 06.10.1944
Sieben, Max MtrHGfr 24.07.1920 06.10.1944
Siegert, Walter-Karl OMasch. 10.02.1915 06.10.1944
Stenger, Hans-Jorg OLt.z.S. 30.12.1921 06.10.1944
Sturm, Karl FkOGfr. 06.06.1924 06.10.1944
Thull, Johann MechOGfr 05.10.1923 06.10.1944


--ghp

[Flagg]

Indonesian researchers said Thursday they have discovered what is believed to be the wreck of a German submarine that was torpedoed off the main island of Java during World War II.

Sounds like it was a long way from home but with 650 sunk during the war I guess they can be found in many places.

http://news.yahoo.com/indonesian-researchers-german-u-boat-184244798.html

Gruppe Monsun(Monsoon Group):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsun_Gruppe

According to wikipedia(not sure on credibility in this case) there were 41 U Boats active in Pacific/Indian Oceans during WWII.

[The Reaper]

Must have been surfaced when hit, to have that many survivors.

TR

[ghp95134]

Must have been surfaced when hit, to have that many survivors.

TR

Notable events of the HNMS Zwaardvisch (P 322) log:


[...]

6 Oct 1944
German U-boat U-168 (built 1942) was sunk in the Java Sea, in position 06°20'S, 111°28'E, by a torpedo from the Dutch submarine HrMs Zwaardvisch (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens).

(All times are zone -8)
0641 hours - Sighted a submarine bearing 304°, range 5900 yards. The submarine was recognized as not allied and was steering a course of 115°at a speed between 13 and 15 knots. Started attack and estimated the speed of the target at 14 knots.

0652 hours - Fired 6 torpedoes from 900 yards. 42 seconds after firing the first torpedo an explosion was heard and the submarine was seen settling forward. The stern came out of the water andthe submarine sank at an angle of 40°. She was completely gone by 0654 hours.

Closed the sinking position submerged. 6 White people were sighted in the water. Lt.Cdr. Goossens decided to take them all prisoner but waited for 10 minutes to be sure that no air cover was present.

0703 hours - Surfaced and closed again. It was now noticed that not 6 but more than 20 people were in the water. All were taken on board, 27 in all. This was an impossible number to carry for the rest of the patrol. Three officers were selected as prisoners, the rest were put on a fishing vessel that was nearby.

0745 hours - The transfer of survivors to the fishing vessel was completed and Zwaardvisch made off. It was now discovered that there were not 3 but 5 Germans on board. The U-boats doctor and a wounded German rating had been taken below for treatment. It was learnt from these prisoners that three torpedoes had hit German U-boat but that only one had exploded.

source (http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2906.html)

You're right -- it was surfaced when engaged:

U-boat submerged speed = 7.6 knots (8.7 mph; 14.1 km/h)
Surface speed up to 17 knots.

-ghp

[ghp95134]

2. SINKING ACTION


U-168 was torpedoed by a DUTCH submarine in position of 6°20'30" S, 111°28'E (North coast of JAVA) at 0652 H time, 6 Oct '44, while proceeding on the surface on a course 115°, speed 14 knots, Sank 0654 H time. The U-boat was en route from BATAVIA to SOERABAJA, presumably for operations off the West coast of AUSTRALIA. Although the U-boat was under observation for eleven minutes prior to the attack by the DUTCH submarine, the Captain of the U-boat admitted that he took no counter measures against the attack. Whether this was due to the non-functioning of the GERMAN hydrophone, which the Engineer Officer stated did not work at a speed of more than 12 knots, or to negligence and surprise, could not be ascertained. They were told by the Commanding Officer of the DUTCH submarine that he fired six torpedoes. One torpedo hit forward torpedo room and exploded, a second torpedo pierced the pressure hull of the U-boat near the control room but failed to explode. The rating, who was on deck at the time,. stated that he heard a warning shout a few seconds before the torpedo hit the U-boat. The Engineer Officer was drinking coffee in the control room at the time the boat was hit. The U-boat began to settle due to the water flooding the fore part of the ship, whereupon the Engineer Officer immediately ordered the water-tight doors to be shut. The U-boat sank slowly to about 120 feet, touching bottom. At that depth the air pressure in the control room was sufficiently built up to permit opening conning tower hatch. Engineer Officer opened conning tower hatch and he, as well as the Commanding Officer, the Medical Officer and some Enlisted Men, were blown out to the surface in the resulting air bubble. The other surviving Officer and the rating were swept into the water at the time the U-boat settled forward, and were later rescued. The DUTCH submarine subsequently surfaced and took 27 Officers and men abroad. An hour later, 22 Enlisted men were put aboard a native sailing craft which presumably landed them in JAP held territory. Most of the men lost were in the forward torpedo room, on deck, or in the process of ascending to the deck through the conning tower hatch.

source (http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-168INT.htm)

Para 13 (pp 18-21) is the crew list. The previous paragraph (12) describes the GERMAN-JAPANESE RELATIONS IN THE FAR EAST and ends with the following:



Generally, official relations between GERMAN and JAPANESE officers were very cordial, but never to any degree of heartiness. Some of the JAPANESE officers, assigned as liaison officers, did all in their power to help the GERMANS, but all in all the relationship never grew into friendship. On the other side, the GERMANS were never molested in any way by the JAPANESE during their stay in the Far East, with one exception. One GERMAN Petty Officer in BATAVIA, in civilian clothes, was slapped in the face by a drunken JAPANESE civilian while visiting a house of ill repute. The GERMAN beat up the JAPANESE and delivered him directly to the KEMPEI Hq.



--ghp