Erik Krogh

Fragment of a life raft used by crewman from U-546. The Pillsbury crew must have cut the raft into strips and given them out as souvenirs. The grouping came with this fragment as well as the following one.

U-546 survivors aboard the USS Guadalcanal (Jeep carrier)

Another shot looking down on U-505's conningtower from the Pillsbury

Looking down on U-505 from the Pillsbury

U-505 from the Pillsbury

USS Pillsbury

In anticipation of Gordon's new book "U-Boats vs. Destroyer Escorts", I am posting a grouping I recently acquired which belonged to a Radarman on the United States destroyer escort USS Pillsbury (DE-133). Pillsbury was a member of several hunter-killer groups formed around "Jeep" carriers, most notably Task Group 22.3, which sunk U-515 and captured U-505. Pillsbury also participated in sinking U-546 and the capture of U-858.

I am personally interested in U-505, which I first visited as an 8-year-old at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and which sparked a lifelong interest in U-Boats. U-515 is also interesting particularly because of Werner Henke's tragic story.

Following are some highlights of this rather large grouping.

Task Group 22.3's Presidential Unit Citation for the capture of U-505:

Speaking of U-boat emblems, I would like to see wartime pics painted on the boat or worn on the cap of:

U-363

U-170

U-333

U-858

U-584

U-802

Merci

Fran?ois,

I don't have photos of a U-170 traditions badge being worn, but here is a scan of my original badge. I also have a pair of U-802 board-made badges. These all have GOAs from Detlev Niemann.

Best Regards,

Erik

Here are my Bacquevilles.

Regards,

Erik

Erik,

I was too quick off the mark. I only just noticed the small holes in the band. This isn't a Waschm?tze, but rather its only one part of an early white top. The top is secured to the band with small split pins which go through these holes. Here is a photo of a disassembled example.

Gordon,

Thank you very much for the information. Now I only need to find the band and the split pins to complete this cap. These should be pretty easy to locate - NOT!

Thanks again for the enlightenment.

Best,

Erik

Underside

Reverse of cap.

Gordon,

Thanks for posting your very educational thread!

I have what I believe is a period "boiler room cap" used by the KM, probably in the pre-war era. The cap is unlined and has a fixed top.

Does anyone have any information regarding these caps? The story, as I understand it, is that these caps were issued to sailors who primarily worked below-deck on surface ships. My cap has the infrastructure for attaching a cap ribbon. Was any other insignia typically worn? Any information would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Erik

4th of May was clearly a paperwork signing day for Raeder.

I found this account of the U-762's sinking.

Link

Here is another promotion doc hand-signed by Raeder on 4 May 1940. He must have suffered mightily from writers cramp that day!

Werner Mischke was II WO on U-65. He was KIA when the boat went down on 28 April 1941. I have a grouping for this officer which includes condolence letters to Mischke's father from both Heinz Fischer and Viktor Sch?tze. My guess is that the leadership of the 2nd U-Flottille was transitioning and that is why Herr Mischke received two letters.

Erik

Dear Erik,

where did you get this amazing group from ?

Chris

Chris,

The grouping was purchased from Detlev Niemann a couple of years ago.

Best Regards,

Erik

Monsun,

Just saw the photos that you posted with the 12th Patrol badge being worn. Thanks a million for posting these - so great to get more information about this informal award.

Best Regards,

Erik

Monsun - thank you very much for posting your fliers! Great pieces!!

Richard - thanks for adding the production and distribution details. Greatly appreciated!

Best,

Erik

U-47

This must have been the pre- pre-production cover art for Gordon's book ;-)

Thank you for your very generous offer to obtain more information on Kplt. Fr?hlich, Gordon! Much appreciated, and I'll look forward to your research.

Best,

Erik

Coastal Artillery Korvettenkapit?n pair obverse:

I don't have any KM Medical tunics, but hope that the forum finds my shoulderboards of interest.

Here is an Admiralarzt single board (obverse):

I have Fr?hlich's photo album and am pretty sure that this is a picture of him.

Here's a page from Fr?hlich's photo album.

I have Fr?hlich's photo album and am pretty sure that this is a picture of him.

Gordon,

Thanks for posting your amazing docs! Just wonderful to see.

Here is an early U-Boat document awarded posthumously to Kplt. Wilhelm Fr?hlich of U-36. Fr?hlich died when U-36 went down on December 16, 1939, one of the first U-Boats sunk in the war.

Fr?hlich is immortalized in Georg H?gel's "U-Boat Emblems of World War II 1939-1945" on pages 42-43 as informing the Captain of S/S Turo (Capt. J. E. Egner) "Good day Captain, I am sorry but war is war and I am going to sink your ship. Why did you run away from me?" After requiring Egner to sign a paper promising that Egner "would not go on board a British Man O' War or merchant vessel until after the war" and sending an SOS with the lifeboats' position, Fr?hlich asked Egner if there was anything else he needed. Egner replied that he needed water, to which Fr?hlich replied "No, the water on my ship is bad, but I will give you beer." Egner received "24 bottles of beer and a bucket for baling out the boat."

Best Regards,

Erik