https://www.thearmorylife.com/...epels-nazi-boarders/


"Small arms rarely played a role in the Battle of the Atlantic; most of the time personal weapons remained in the ship’s, or sub’s lockers. But when the destroyer escort USS Buckley (DE-51) met up with the German submarine U-66, the fight started as a modern anti-submarine action and ended up as a gritty close-quarters brawl.

U-Boats normally did their deadly work with 24″ torpedoes. Earlier in the war, when the subs encountered unescorted merchant ships, the crew would often use the 10.5cm SK C/32 deck gun to save the precious torpedoes. By 1944, many U-Boats had their deck guns removed and replaced with additional 20mm or 37mm anti-aircraft guns.

Some small arms were carried, based on crew preference and the captain’s approval. A few 7.92mm Mauser 98k rifles, coupled with a small amount of 9mm MP-40 SMGs usually made up the supply. A wide variety of pistols could be found among the U-Boat’s officers.

Trapping a Wolf
In the modern era of naval combat, incidents of repelling boarders are quite rare. However, during the early morning of May 6, 1944, the USS Buckley encountered the German sub U-66 running on the surface in bright moonlight. The U-boat had been damaged a few days earlier by the submarine hunter-killer group led by the carrier USS Block Island. Buckley located her on the surface, opened fire, closed quickly and then rammed the sub. Damaged and unable to submerge, the U-Boat men made a desperate decision: board the American destroyer lodged close alongside.
The Buckley’s captain describes the action as his crew became the first American sailors to repel boarders in more than a century:

“0329: BUCKLEY, alongside sub, gives hard right rudder, rides up on forecastle of sub and stays there. Men begin swarming out of submarine and onto BUCKLEY’s forecastle. Machine gun, Tommy gun, and rifle fire knocks off several. Ammunition expended at this time included several general mess coffee cups which were on hand at ready gun station. Two of the enemy were hit in the head with these. Empty shell cases were used by the crew of 3” gun #2 to repel boarders. 3” guns could not bear. BUCKLEY suffers only casualty of engagement when man bruises fist knocking one of the enemy over the side. Several men, apparently dead, could be seen hanging over the side of the sub’s bridge at this time. The boatswain’s mate in charge of the forward ammunition party kills a man attempting to board with .45 pistol. Man falls back over side. Midships repair party equipped with rifles, manning life lines and picks off several men on deck of submarine. Chief Fire Controlman uses Tommy Gun from bridge with excellent results.”

“0330: Buckley stops all engines and backs off, to avoid boarding by too many of the enemy, some of whom came aboard armed. Sub draws ahead rapidly, maintaining speed of about 18 knots. Five prisoners are disarmed and taken aft.”

“The Commanding Officer is proud of the fighting spirit, coolness in action, and through going teamwork shown by all hands. It was these characteristics, more than the individual brilliance or heroism of any one officer or man, which concluded the action successfully.”

“Sub, still making about 18 knots, intentionally or out of control, veers sharply to port toward Buckley, now alongside at a distance of 25 yards. Sub strikes Buckley a glancing blow and bow of sub rides under Buckley’s after engine room. Personnel on deck have a clear view into conning tower which is a flaming shambles. Man on deck of sub attempting to man gun disintegrates when hit by four 40mm shells. Torpedomen throw hand grenades, one of which drops through sub’s open conning tower hatch before exploding. 20mm guns continue raking fire. Sub slowly draws aft on starboard side with bow under Buckley, scraping along ship’s side.

Captain B.M. Abel
Over the course of the 16-minute engagement with the U-boat, the Buckley hammered the sub with 3”, 40mm, 20mm and .50 caliber fire. However, it was the small arms fire (including the coffee cup projectiles, 3” cannon shell casings and one coffee pot) that made the difference when the German submariners made their desperate effort to board. The Buckley’s crew expended 300 rounds of .45 caliber, 60 rounds of .30 caliber, 30 rounds of 00 buckshot, and two grenades.
At the end of the fight, the Buckley picked up 36 survivors. U-66 had been a scourge of the Atlantic, and her talented crew made the sub the seventh most successful U-Boat of the war (sinking 33 merchant ships, totaling 200,021 GRT). Regardless of their accomplishments, when locked in a close-quarter fight with the USS Buckley, American grit and gunfire proved stronger.
USS Buckley, DE-51, shown during June 1944, just a few weeks after her battle with U-66. Image: NARA
Glad to be alive: Survivors of the U-66 aboard the USS Buckley. Image: NARA

The damaged U-505 before boarding by US Navy personnel. While not the same as the U-66, it is similar in design. Image: NARA

quote:

Man on deck of sub attempting to man gun disintegrates when hit by four 40mm shells.

Yeah, I'll bet he did.

What an awesome story. Is there a movie based on this, and if not why not?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Man on deck of sub attempting to man gun disintegrates when hit by four 40mm shells.

Yeah, I'll bet he did.

40mm = 1.57" Yeah, I imagine one of those might leave a mark.

Great video on this topic on YouTube by The History Guy. https://youtu.be/YIBF4HwtANA

Fair warning, he has a ton of videos and they're all great. Following that link will definitely affect your productivity.

If only you could still have a moustache like that in the US Military.

quote:

Originally posted by Jester814:
If only you could still have a moustache like that in the US Military.

I think you mean the Wehrmacht... Those two with the facial hair are German prisoners.

(Kriegsmarine U-boat crews grew their facial hair out while on tour, to save on water usage, but were expected to shave once they returned to port.)

The two German sailors in the pic look like they just stepped off the set of Gangs of New York.

Cool story.

quote:

Originally posted by STS:
Great video on this topic on YouTube by The History Guy. https://youtu.be/YIBF4HwtANA

Fair warning, he has a ton of videos and they're all great. Following that link will definitely affect your productivity.

Great story and video. I am a history buff but never heard of that particular engagement. I would imagine sailors at sea did not experience hand-to-hand combat very often. Well done!

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
The two German sailors in the pic look like they just stepped off the set of Gangs of New York.

Cool story.

I’d be grinning my ass off too knowing I was about to be sent to America as a POW to hoe fields and build stuff in Idaho and not have to die in a steel coffin in the middle of the Atlantic for some asshole back home with a stupid mustache…

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by Jester814:
If only you could still have a moustache like that in the US Military.

I think you mean the Wehrmacht... Those two with the facial hair are German prisoners.

(Kriegsmarine U-boat crews grew their facial hair out while on tour, to save on water usage, but were expected to shave once they returned to port.)

Beards were still authorized in the US Navy when I joined. That all ended on 01 Jan 1985.

And sometimes even much later

This message has been edited. Last edited by: navyshooter,

quote:

Originally posted by navyshooter:

Beards were still authorized in the US Navy when I joined. That all ended on 01 Jan 1985.

And sometimes even much later

THe only thing I'm waiting to be brought back. Hair standards are becoming so relaxed but I can't have a well manicured beard...get to F out of here!