The Last Kill Of Ww2, The U-853

[North Shore Frogmen]

FROGMEN HOST PETER VENOUTSOS

July 24th - Peter Venoutsos - "Last Kill, The saga of the U-853"
Peter Venoutsos has been a certified scuba diver since 1976 and a commercial diver since 1983. As a commercial diver he has worked for private engineering firms, the Federal Government and the US Navy. His primary interest is underwater photography and videography of shipwrecks and caves. Peter has produced and presented one of the most comprehensive historical information and digital media videos of the German U-Boat U-853.

Peter has presented his video and lecture in venues such as Beneath the Sea (NJ) and Our World Underwater (Chicago) and has published articles in Immersed, Skin Diver and Northeast Diver. Peter’s video takes you on a tour from the building of the U-853 through her sinking on May 5, 1945 when she was depth charged off the coast of Block Island - the last kill of World War II.

The Frogmen meet Thursdays at 8pm @ the Beverly Golf and Tennis club, 134 McKay st in Beverly. For more info go to Northshore Frogmen

 

[cdiver2]

On May 5, 1945, Commander in Chief of Submarines (Befehlshaber der Unterseeb) Karl Dönitz ordered all U-boats to cease offensive operations and return to their bases, commending them, "You have fought like lions!" U-853, lying in wait off Point Judith, Rhode Island, for unknown reasons failed to execute that order. Soon after, her torpedo struck SS Black Point, a collier underway for Boston. Within 15 minutes, Black Point had capsized in 95 feet of water,

the last US-flagged merchant ship sunk in World War II.

Twelve men died, while 34 crew members were rescued. One of the rescuing ships, SS Kamen, sent a report of the torpedoing to authorities. The US Navy organized a "hunter-killer" group that included four American warships:

USS Ericsson (DD-440), Navy,
USS Amick (DE-168), Navy,
USS Atherton (DE-169), Navy, and
USS Moberly (PF-63), Coast Guard,[4]
The group discovered U-853 bottomed in 18 fathoms (33 m), and dropped depth charges and hedgehogs during a 16 hour attack. At first the sub attempted to flee, and then tried to hide by lying still. Both times it was found by sonar.[5]

The next morning May 6, 1945 two blimps from Lakehurst, New Jersey, K-16 and K-58 joined the attack, locating oil slicks and marking suspected locations with smoke and dye markers. K-16 also attacked with 7.2-inch rocket bombs. Finally, after numerous depth charge and hedgehog attacks from Atherton and Moberly, planking, life rafts, a chart tabletop, clothing, and an officer's cap floated to the surface indicating the destruction with all hands, 55 officers and men, of the

second to last U-boat sunk during World War II.[

6




uboat.net - Boats - U-853

 

[MactanDiver]

That sounds really good. I just saw another WWII dive movie about a guy who went down 600ft to the sunken remains of the USS Cooper in Ormoc Bay, Philippines to put on a commemorative plaque. If you like WWII movies, it's a good dive film.

www.usscooper.com