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Page 3 of 4
SURRENDER AT SEA (continued)
Original caption reads: "Its fangs yanked out, this prize U-boat will prey no more upon Allied shipping in the Atlantic." The captured U-805 arrives in the Piscataqua in May 1945. (International News Photos)
Interview with Nazi Crew
May 17, 1945
Portsmouth radio news reporter Charlie Gray scooped the world with his morning radio report of an interview with German U-boat commanders, Oberleutnant Albert Finster, aged 29, was described by local radio as a "typical dyed-in-the-wool Nazi" when he said there was no difference between a good German and a good Nazi. The submarine lietenant stated that England was to blame for the war and that his native town of Hamburg had been ruined by Allied bombing. When shown a copy of German war atrocities in Life magazine, ship's cook Reiner Landgraf, 20, of Leipzig said the pictures were faked. The crew member stated that his ship had fired no torpedoes at Allied targets in its brief career.
In the morning 58 men aboard the U-1228 were brought to Portsmouth Yard. Reporters observed that this crew appeared healthier than earlier men. This sub, unlike the earlier two, was immaculate, according to USN Comndr. J. Kincair Kimmell. Kimmell told reporters that the U-873 had fired on a tanker while in waters off Norway within the last two weeks. Six of the ship's 15 torpedoes were missing at the time of capture.
Rampant Speculation
May 18, 1945
Awaiting the arrival of the fourth captured submarine, reporters openly speculated on the rumors that the sub contained upper echelon Lufwafer officers and two dead Japanese aviation experts. (Note: The Japanese, it was later reported, committed suicide after drinking Luminal. A civilian V-2 rocket expert, three Luftwafer generals, hidden uranium oxide and chemicals stashed in the hull -- all originally headed for Japan during a period when the war was continuing in the Pacific.)
Original essay © SeacoastNH.com. Do not duplicate. All use must be attributed.
CONTINUE with NAZI U-BOATS
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