U Boat wreck found in Gulf of Mexico

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Wolfstan**

It still amazes me how much WWII stuff is out there. From the Gulf of Mexico to the battle fields of Russia there is plenty of stuff out there.

http://www.wwltv.com/news/New-images-captured-of-WWII-Nazi-U-boat-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-267268181.html

NEW ORLEANS -- The Gulf of Mexico continues to hold historic World War II
treasures, from sunken ships to one of Hitler's U-boats.
This week a diving expedition captured new images of the German wreckage.
Historians say it serves as a reminder of how close the Nazis came to American soil.
"It is a static time capsule and all of these ship wrecks in deep water are just that.
They're moments frozen in time, in history," said Richie Kohler, a shipwreck
historian helping with the expedition.7/23/2014 New images captured of WWII Nazi U-boat in Gulf of Mexico | wwltv.com NewOrleans
http://www.wwltv.com/news/New-images-captured-of-WWII-Nazi-U-boat-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-267268181.html 2/2
Submerged in the Gulf of Mexico just south of the mouth of the Mississippi River
sits a barnacle encrusted U-boat tomb.
Decades after it sank, the vessel is well-preserved shielded from excessive oxygen
or light. It serves as a haunting reminder of the World War II battles against the
Nazis just off the Louisiana coast.
"Most people don't realize that during World War II, America really was under
siege," said National World War II Museum curator Tom Czekanski.
This new and more detailed images of the sunken U-166 were captured by an
underwater expedition. The group of explorers were led by the same man who
discovered the Titanic.
"Hitler brought the war to our doorstep shortly after they declared war on us," said
Dr. Bob Ballard with Ocean Exploration Trust.
Back in July 1942, a Coast Guard escort vessel blasted the U-boat apart after it
sank the SS Robert E Lee, a freighter bound for New Orleans, killing 25 passengers
on-board.
"Once we improved our defenses there, they shifted down to the Gulf of Mexico
where we didn't have enough forces to keep up with it," said Czekanski about
Germany's decision to move its U-boats south after the U.S. fortified its Atlantic
Coast.
"War came very close to our shores. Over 20 U-boats operated in the Gulf of
Mexico and over 70 ships were sunk off the Gulf of Mexico in 1942 and 1943,"
added Czekanski.
It's a sunken historic archive, including the U-166, that will remain exactly where it
is for generations to come.
"The U-166 will never be raised. There are 56 German soldiers entombed on board,
and by international agreement she is a war grave," said Czekanski.

**juraigamer**

There's stuff on the bottom of the ocean? You don't say.

**squidhills**

Photos of sunken shipwrecks are cool. I approve of this thread.

**Jihadin**

Closure for remaining relatives

**Wolfstan**

juraigamer wrote:
There's stuff on the bottom of the ocean? You don't say.

The point is there are still wrecks out there that nobody knows about and as Jihadin says, it's "closer" before all the relatives who knew them have died.

**Frazzled**

Are we sure its a U Boat and not a cartel submarine?

**Ensis Ferrae**

I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

**Frazzled**

Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

Not correct.
A Uboat was caught in the Mississippii. My mom saw it in the sub net.

**Ensis Ferrae**

Frazzled wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

Not correct.
A Uboat was caught in the Mississippii. My mom saw it in the sub net.

Lol, a boat getting caught isn't the same as an actual attack

And for the record, what it was... was Japan thought it'd be an awesome idea to put incendiary bombs on the bottom of weather balloons, and float them on the air currents (not sure how all that worked honestly) towards continental US, where they'd wreak havoc across the country. Only thing is, they all (or a couple of them really) made it to the coastal rain forests of Oregon, where they went off, but the forests were so wet, the fires were put out, and did nothing

**Jihadin**

Frazzled wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

Not correct.
A Uboat was caught in the Mississippii. My mom saw it in the sub net.

Someone crazy enough to noodle a Uboat eh

**Ensis Ferrae**

Jihadin wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

Not correct.
A Uboat was caught in the Mississippii. My mom saw it in the sub net.

Someone crazy enough to noodle a Uboat eh

what Frazz's mom didn't tell him was that it was her that noodled it, then they had a good ol' fish fry, which explains why Frazz is the way he is

**Frazzled**

Jihadin wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

Not correct.
A Uboat was caught in the Mississippii. My mom saw it in the sub net.

Someone crazy enough to noodle a Uboat eh

Dude it was Louisiana. They eat apex predators there...

Also I believe there was an actual Japanese sub they lobbed a few shells in California.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=did+the+Japanese+ever+attack+California&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&gfe_rd=cr&ei=Sy7QU9G-F-XZ8gfXwoCgCA&gws_rd=ssl

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ensis Ferrae wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
I saw an article on this very wreck, and it kind of brought the thought about during the time of WW2, people were genuinely afraid of being attacked. Particularly in Coastal America. And this wreck somewhat proves that there were reasons behind those fears.

Random WW2 fact: Oregon is the only continental US state that received an actual attack during the war.

Not correct.
A Uboat was caught in the Mississippii. My mom saw it in the sub net.

Someone crazy enough to noodle a Uboat eh

what Frazz's mom didn't tell him was that it was her that noodled it, then they had a good ol' fish fry, which explains why Frazz is the way he is

Hey all I am going to say is you haven't lived until you've been in a perot boat as a kid and your relatives in your boat and another one are rough housing by throwing very pissed off very alive water moccasins at each other.

**Jehan-reznor**

Historians say it serves as a reminder of how close the Nazis came to American soil.

As far as i know there were German U-boats near the New York Harbor during WW2

**SlaveToDorkness**

Frazzled wrote:

Hey all I am going to say is you haven't lived until you've been in a perot boat as a kid and your relatives in your boat and another one are rough housing by throwing very pissed off very alive water moccasins at each other.

So...it was Revival week, huh?

**daedalus**

SlaveToDorkness wrote:
Frazzled wrote:

Hey all I am going to say is you haven't lived until you've been in a perot boat as a kid and your relatives in your boat and another one are rough housing by throwing very pissed off very alive water moccasins at each other.

So...it was Revival week, huh?

Oh god, too close to repressed memories!

**sebster**

Ensis Ferrae wrote:
And for the record, what it was... was Japan thought it'd be an awesome idea to put incendiary bombs on the bottom of weather balloons, and float them on the air currents (not sure how all that worked honestly) towards continental US, where they'd wreak havoc across the country. Only thing is, they all (or a couple of them really) made it to the coastal rain forests of Oregon, where they went off, but the forests were so wet, the fires were put out, and did nothing

You've got a fair few of the details wrong. The bombs didn't just land in Oregon, but in about 15 or 16 states across the West Coast. More than 300 bombs were observed landing across the US, and it's believed closer to 1,000 of the bombs reached the US.

And there were casualties, one landed bomb was investigated by a Sunday school group on a picnic, and it detonated killing a pregnant woman and a half dozen kids.

The bombs were covered up in the US, and this caused the Japanese to think the project was ineffective. In fact there was considerable concern about the bombs in the US - they felt themselves lucky the bombs hadn't triggered more bushfires.

And the explanation for how it works is in the gulf stream - a high altitude prevailing wind that travels East across the Pacific. Just drift a balloon to that height and watch it go.

**Ensis Ferrae**

sebster wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
And for the record, what it was... was Japan thought it'd be an awesome idea to put incendiary bombs on the bottom of weather balloons, and float them on the air currents (not sure how all that worked honestly) towards continental US, where they'd wreak havoc across the country. Only thing is, they all (or a couple of them really) made it to the coastal rain forests of Oregon, where they went off, but the forests were so wet, the fires were put out, and did nothing

You've got a fair few of the details wrong. The bombs didn't just land in Oregon, but in about 15 or 16 states across the West Coast. More than 300 bombs were observed landing across the US, and it's believed closer to 1,000 of the bombs reached the US.

And there were casualties, one landed bomb was investigated by a Sunday school group on a picnic, and it detonated killing a pregnant woman and a half dozen kids.

The bombs were covered up in the US, and this caused the Japanese to think the project was ineffective. In fact there was considerable concern about the bombs in the US - they felt themselves lucky the bombs hadn't triggered more bushfires.

And the explanation for how it works is in the gulf stream - a high altitude prevailing wind that travels East across the Pacific. Just drift a balloon to that height and watch it go.

Ahh yeah... You'll have to blame American public schooling for that (but being that I know it was a big deal for Oregon, it was actively taught in State history classes).

**Bullockist**

daedalus wrote:
SlaveToDorkness wrote:
Frazzled wrote:

Hey all I am going to say is you haven't lived until you've been in a perot boat as a kid and your relatives in your boat and another one are rough housing by throwing very pissed off very alive water moccasins at each other.

So...it was Revival week, huh?

Oh god, too close to repressed memories!

I pity growing up with that. MY mum goes to happy clappy church now and is still trying to convince me to go. I think I've stopped her efforts by telling her I would sing extremely loudly in an effort to praise the lord properly. (she has been the unfortunate victim of me doing this to her for her birthday one year - I got the whole restaurant and the street to turn round

)

**Jihadin**

Trick is to soothe the snake by singing. Not get beat to death with a cinderblock and then bitten

**Medium of Death**

sebster wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
And for the record, what it was... was Japan thought it'd be an awesome idea to put incendiary bombs on the bottom of weather balloons, and float them on the air currents (not sure how all that worked honestly) towards continental US, where they'd wreak havoc across the country. Only thing is, they all (or a couple of them really) made it to the coastal rain forests of Oregon, where they went off, but the forests were so wet, the fires were put out, and did nothing

You've got a fair few of the details wrong. The bombs didn't just land in Oregon, but in about 15 or 16 states across the West Coast. More than 300 bombs were observed landing across the US, and it's believed closer to 1,000 of the bombs reached the US.

And there were casualties, one landed bomb was investigated by a Sunday school group on a picnic, and it detonated killing a pregnant woman and a half dozen kids.

The bombs were covered up in the US, and this caused the Japanese to think the project was ineffective. In fact there was considerable concern about the bombs in the US - they felt themselves lucky the bombs hadn't triggered more bushfires.

And the explanation for how it works is in the gulf stream - a high altitude prevailing wind that travels East across the Pacific. Just drift a balloon to that height and watch it go.

neat.jpg

Pretty interesting stuff.

**sebster**

Ensis Ferrae wrote:
Ahh yeah... You'll have to blame American public schooling for that (but being that I know it was a big deal for Oregon, it was actively taught in State history classes).

Credit to your school for covering the issue at all. Over here schooling seemed to actively run away from anything that'd connect local sites to world history. For camp in year 7 we went this gakky sand island off the coast and spent a week there, and didn't visit either the shipwrecks or the WWII gun bunkers. We were there a whole week and the place is basically just hills, sand, the shipwreck and the gun bunker.

**notprop**

Medium of Death wrote:
sebster wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
And for the record, what it was... was Japan thought it'd be an awesome idea to put incendiary bombs on the bottom of weather balloons, and float them on the air currents (not sure how all that worked honestly) towards continental US, where they'd wreak havoc across the country. Only thing is, they all (or a couple of them really) made it to the coastal rain forests of Oregon, where they went off, but the forests were so wet, the fires were put out, and did nothing

You've got a fair few of the details wrong. The bombs didn't just land in Oregon, but in about 15 or 16 states across the West Coast. More than 300 bombs were observed landing across the US, and it's believed closer to 1,000 of the bombs reached the US.

And there were casualties, one landed bomb was investigated by a Sunday school group on a picnic, and it detonated killing a pregnant woman and a half dozen kids.

The bombs were covered up in the US, and this caused the Japanese to think the project was ineffective. In fact there was considerable concern about the bombs in the US - they felt themselves lucky the bombs hadn't triggered more bushfires.

And the explanation for how it works is in the gulf stream - a high altitude prevailing wind that travels East across the Pacific. Just drift a balloon to that height and watch it go.

neat.jpg

Pretty interesting stuff.

Indeed, there was a documentary (probably on Channel 4?) on this very topic a few years ago. I think they recreated the device from memory - the technical aspect was fascinating.

sebster wrote:
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
Ahh yeah... You'll have to blame American public schooling for that (but being that I know it was a big deal for Oregon, it was actively taught in State history classes).

Credit to your school for covering the issue at all. Over here schooling seemed to actively run away from anything that'd connect local sites to world history. For camp in year 7 we went this gakky sand island off the coast and spent a week there, and didn't visit either the shipwrecks or the WWII gun bunkers. We were there a whole week and the place is basically just hills, sand, the shipwreck and the gun bunker.

Sebster: The only Aussie in the world that doesn't enjoy a beach holiday?

**kronk**

I worked at a big ass refinery on the Houston Ship Channel for about 5 years. They still have a WW2 -era Toluene (used to make TNT) container (still in use) that was built with reinforced concrete and had pill boxes set up where army dudes with 50mm guns and other arms were stationed to protect the nations supply of TNT during the war effort from German U-Boats that might make it into the Channel.

**notprop**

I do like big ass, I cannot lie. However it leads me to the question of what you refined big ass into kronk?

There's a big ass ship load of military explosives in the Thames Estuary from WW2 but I'm not sure what that has to do with anything?

**Jihadin**

One can get mustard gas artillery shells at Mcauther Lake on Fort Bragg

Though I wonder when Germany is going to render the bunkers in Berlin safe

**Daemonhammer**

"Hitler's U-boat", "Hitler brought war to our doorstep [...]"

Seems some people still dont have the balls to call things what they really are just in case someone might feel insulted.

**d-usa**

Daemonhammer wrote:
"Hitler's U-boat", "Hitler brought war to our doorstep [...]"

Seems some people still dont have the balls to call things what they really are just in case someone might feel insulted.

I'm confused...

**Jihadin**

d-usa wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:
"Hitler's U-boat", "Hitler brought war to our doorstep [...]"

Seems some people still dont have the balls to call things what they really are just in case someone might feel insulted.

I'm confused...

Every single German civilian, Kriegsmarine, Heer, Waffen SS, and Lufftwaffe were card carrying members of the Nazi party. That's my attempt to guess what Daemonhammer is indicating...

**Daemonhammer**

Jihadin wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:
"Hitler's U-boat", "Hitler brought war to our doorstep [...]"

Seems some people still dont have the balls to call things what they really are just in case someone might feel insulted.

I'm confused...

Every single German civilian, Kriegsmarine, Heer, Waffen SS, and Lufftwaffe were card carrying members of the Nazi party. That's my attempt to guess what Daemonhammer is indicating...

I was actually talking about political correctness, I find it very annoying.

**kronk**

Daemonhammer wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:
"Hitler's U-boat", "Hitler brought war to our doorstep [...]"

Seems some people still dont have the balls to call things what they really are just in case someone might feel insulted.

I'm confused...

Every single German civilian, Kriegsmarine, Heer, Waffen SS, and Lufftwaffe were card carrying members of the Nazi party. That's my attempt to guess what Daemonhammer is indicating...

I was actually talking about political correctness, I find it very annoying.

I still don't know what you're trying to say.

Spit it out!