Summary
Pfadfinder (English: "Pathfinder") was a "wolfpack" of German U-boats that operated from 21 to 27 May 1942, in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. Operating off the North American coast between New England and Newfoundland they sank two ships for a total of 10,724 gross register tons (GRT).[1]
| Wolfpack Pfadfinder | |
|---|---|
| Active | 21 May 1942 - 27 May 1942 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Kriegsmarine |
| Size | 8 submarines |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Otto von Bülow Heinz-Otto Schultze |
U-boats, commanders and dates edit
- U-135, Friedrich-Hermann Praetorius,[2] 21–27 May
- U-213, Amelung von Varendorff,[3] 21–27 May
- U-432, Heinz-Otto Schultze,[4] 21–27 May
- U-455, Hans-Heinrich Giessler,[5] 21–27 May
- U-566, Dietrich Borchert,[6] 21–27 May
- U-578, Ernst-August Rehwinkel,[7] 21–27 May
- U-653, Gerhard Feiler,[8] 21–27 May
- U-404, Otto von Bülow,[9] 23–27 May
Ships hit by this Wolfpack edit
Zurichmoor edit
At 00:24 on 23 May, while en route from Halifax to Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, the unescorted 4,455 GRT British merchant ship Zurichmoor was torpedoed and sunk by U-432 east of Philadelphia. The master, 38 crewmen, and six gunners were lost.[10]
Polyphemus edit
At 00:18 hours on 27 May the unescorted 6,269 GRT Dutch merchantman Polyphemus, en route from Halifax to Liverpool, was hit by two torpedoes from U-578 about 340 nautical miles (630 km) north of Bermuda and sank within 45 minutes, with the loss of 15 of the crew. The survivors, including 14 men previously picked up from the Norland, sunk five days before by U-108, abandoned ship in five lifeboats. The U-boat surfaced and questioned the first officer before giving them cigarettes and the heading for New York. Three of the lifeboats landed at Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, while the other two were rescued by a Portuguese ship.[11]
References edit
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Pfadfinder". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Friedrich-Hermann Praetorius". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Amelung von Varendorff". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinz-Otto Schultze (Knight's Cross)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hans-Heinrich Giessler". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Dietrich Borchert". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ernst-August Rehwinkel". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Gerhard Feiler". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Otto von Bülow (Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Zurichmoor (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Polyphemus (Motor merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2010.