Lake Michigan WWI U-97

[naui1994]

I live in Michigan and am finishing off my final dives this weekend in the Straits of Macinaw for my Helitrox certification. I have been researching the Eber Ward and other wrecks in the great lakes when I saw something that caught my attention. There is a WWI U-Boat in Lake Michigan! The U-97 was scuttled on June 7, 1921. She rests at 248' about 13 miles from Chicago. I know that this wreck is deeper than I am going to be able to dive for awhile, but I was wondering if anyone has ever dove on it before. If so, what condition is it in? What is the visibility? How does it sit? I'm planning on getting my trimix I and trimix II certification in the next few years and want to know if this wreck is going to be worth diving.

 

[SwimJim]

I think I read somewhere that this sub was towed out and used for target practice. It could be a real interesting dive for those who can do those depths. Its way out of my range though. Good luck with it and if your successful getting to the level of being able to dive it, take some pictures, if thats doable. Thats the only way I'll ever get to see it.

Cheers

Jim

 

[captndale]

The UC 97 was a German WWI mine layer. She was built toward the end of the war and never saw action. She was turned over to the US Navy and officially designated "USS Ex-UC97."
She has been claimed to have been located by various people, but the only credible claim is from A & T salvage who photographed her using a ROV. Her depth has been given, variously, as anything from 200 to 300 feet. To my knowledge, no one has ever actually dived her yet.

 

[diverryan]

The UC 97 was a German WWI mine layer. She was built toward the end of the war and never saw action. She was turned over to the US Navy and officially designated "USS Ex-UC97."
She has been claimed to have been located by various people, but the only credible claim is from A & T salvage who photographed her using a ROV. Her depth has been given, variously, as anything from 200 to 300 feet. To my knowledge, no one has ever actually dived her yet.

You by chance don't have side scan sonar on your boat do you? More importantly, are you up for some pioneering?!?!

 

[naui1994]

The UC 97 was a German WWI mine layer. She was built toward the end of the war and never saw action. She was turned over to the US Navy and officially designated "USS Ex-UC97."
She has been claimed to have been located by various people, but the only credible claim is from A & T salvage who photographed her using a ROV. Her depth has been given, variously, as anything from 200 to 300 feet. To my knowledge, no one has ever actually dived her yet.

Thanks for the information. I checked out A&T's website and found some good information on the U-97. I plan on doing some more research and eventually contacting them and seeing if I can get the GPS #'s for the wreck. I doubt that they will just hand them over so I want to know what I'm talking about before I contact them. Thanks again.

 

[jbisjim]

interesting. I googled and found it said its 300 feet down but no gps. but maybe another source for you.

 

[Philoman2]

Hello All,
I just joined the board (will formally sign in later on) I saw you found the UC-97, I happened to be reading "Great lakes Diving Guide" by Chris Kohl, He says that there were plans in the works about rasing and restoreing it for the Museum of Science and Industry, to be placed next to the U-505. because of this it is "Illegal" to dive on it. (I am just paraphrasing his words-It would be a nice technical dive though.)

 

[naui1994]

interesting. I googled and found it said its 300 feet down but no gps. but maybe another source for you.

Thanks for the links! Very interesting information on the U-97. From what I understand they were last talking about raising it and restoring it. However, the latest article that I can find was written in 1998. Ownership of the boat is still in question but from what I can gather the U.S. navy still has rights to the vessel.
As far as the U-97, she sits upright and intact. In 1992 A&T salvage filmed 60% of the wreck. The pictures are incredible! As far as diving on it being illegal, I don't see how since the navy doesn't even know exactly where the wreck is. The only people that seem to know where it is located is A&T. It would be wonderfull if they could raise it and preserve it. It would be the only intact WWI U-Boat in existence. If they don't they should incorporate a preserve so that it would be illegal to remove artifacts from the wreck. There would also be a limited amount of divers with the capability and the training to dive to such depths. Regardless, it would be breath taking to dive a piece of history such as the U-97.

 

[Michael Lowrey]

The submarine is UC 97, NOT U 97. Germany had a confusing U-boat numbering system in World War I: ocean going boats were numbered in the U-series, smaller torpedo attack boats in the UB series, and coastal minelayers in the UC series. ("Smaller" is a relative term -- the later UB and UC boats had enough range to sail from Germany to the Adriatic...). So yes, there was an U 97, an UB 97, and UC 97, all different boats, built to different designs.

UC 97 the only intact WWI U-boat in existence? Er, no. A number got dumped in the English Channel after the war and are equally in existence as UC 97. UB 88 is off the California coast, and there are a few off New Jersey as well.

 

[gangrel441]

I think I read somewhere that this sub was towed out and used for target practice.

Sort of...UC97 was brought back to the states and tours were given for an admission charge, which was used to help the government pay back war bonds. The Treaty of Versailles required that all German war machinery be destroyed by July 1921, 3 years after the war. In July 1921, UC97 was towed to the middle of Lake Michigan by the USS Hawk, and the USS Wilmette but 18 4-inch shells in her and sent her to the bottom.

An interesting side note, the USS Wilmette was a Navy training vessel that had been converted from a commercial liner. That liner was a popular one in Chicago until the day she capsized. She was salvaged and eventually sold to the Navy to be refit and recommissioned as the Wilmette. Her name before that? The Eastland. Her sinking in her prior life was the worst maritime disaster in the history of the Great Lakes. She had not even left her mooring in the Chicago river when she rolled and took more than 800 souls to the bottom with her.