CORE ANALYSIS: NAVAL HISTORY & MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
Domain Expertise: Naval Historians and Maritime Strategic Analysts.
Persona: Senior Naval Intelligence Historian, specializing in Atlantic Theater U-boat operations and late-war maritime tactical engagements.
Abstract:
This analysis details the operational history and final engagement of the German Type IXC/40 submarine U-853 during the concluding phase of World War II. Despite the collapse of the Third Reich in May 1945 and Admiral Karl Dönitz’s subsequent orders to cease hostilities, U-853, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Frömsdorf, continued offensive operations off the American Eastern Seaboard.
The transcript documents the vessel’s technical specifications, its initial weather patrol under Captain Lieutenant Helmut Sommer, and its final lethal sorties. Key engagements include the sinking of the patrol boat USS Eagle 56 on April 23, 1945 (the final US warship lost in the Atlantic), and the torpedoing of the collier SS Blackpoint on May 5, 1945, which occurred after the general surrender order. The ensuing 16-hour tactical pursuit by US Task Group 67, supported by naval blimps, resulted in the total destruction of U-853 off Point Judith, Rhode Island. The wreck remains a designated war grave for its 55 crew members, marking one of the final combat actions of the European theater.
Tactical Summary and Operational Timeline
0:00 - Context of Surrender: By early May 1945, the German High Command issued orders for all U-boats to cease operations. U-853 remained submerged in shallow waters (100 ft) off Rhode Island, ignoring or failing to receive these directives.
1:00 - Technical Specifications & Maiden Voyage:U-853 was a Type IXC/40 class vessel, 250 ft long, carrying 22 torpedoes and 55 crew. Its initial role in 1944 involved "weather patrols" to gather meteorological data for the Kriegsmarine.
2:00 - Engagement with Queen Mary and Allied Air Power: Under its first commander, Helmut Sommer, U-853 unsuccessfully pursued the troopship Queen Mary. It was subsequently damaged by Swordfish biplanes and later by FM-1 Wildcat fighters from the USS Croatan task force.
4:04 - Command Transition: During a strafing run by Wildcats, Captain Sommer was severely wounded (sustaining 28 hits). Command eventually passed to 24-year-old Helmut Frömsdorf, characterized as a "sore throat" (Halsweh)—a slang term for glory-seeking officers pursuing the Knight's Cross.
6:58 - Advanced Snorkel Technology: In its final 1945 patrol, U-853 utilized a refined telescoping snorkel, allowing it to cross the Atlantic almost entirely submerged and evade Allied aerial detection.
7:33 - Sinking of USS Eagle 56: On April 23, 1945, U-853 torpedoed the patrol boat USS Eagle 56 in Casco Bay. The Navy initially classified the loss as a boiler explosion to suppress news of U-boat proximity; the cause was not officially corrected for 51 years.
9:21 - Disregard of General Orders: Following Hitler’s suicide and the transition of power to Admiral Dönitz, surrender orders were transmitted on May 4. Frömsdorf maintained a combat posture in shallow waters off Point Judith, violating standard deep-water tactical doctrine.
10:43 - The SS Blackpoint Attack: On May 5, 1945, U-853 sank the coal freighter SS Blackpoint. This resulted in 12 fatalities and the loss of the last American merchant vessel of the war.
14:10 - Mobilization of Task Group 67: US Naval Command dispatched a hunter-killer group comprising the USS Ericson, USS Amick, USS Atherton, and USS Moberly.
15:26 - The 16-Hour Hunt:USS Atherton established sonar contact in 108 ft of water. The task force utilized magnetic depth charges and "Hedgehog" mortars. Despite taking heavy damage and leaking oil, the submarine attempted to evade at low speeds (2-3 knots) along the seafloor.
18:56 - Final Destruction: Supported by Navy blimps K-16 and K-58, the surface ships delivered a final depth charge barrage. Debris, including a commander’s cap and escape kits, confirmed the vessel’s destruction.
20:05 - Recovery & War Grave Status: Divers from the USS Penguin reached the wreck at 130 ft, identifying 55 casualties. One body was recovered; the remaining 54 stay with the hull. The engagement concluded just 48 hours before the official German surrender on May 8, 1945.