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Friday, September 23, 2011

U-352, First of several videos from North Carolina

This is a real primitive video...After going on this trip I realized how difficult it is to take video and photos on a wreck that you never dove before.  I wanted to enjoy the dive and fully explore the wreck but, at the same time document it.  This is no easy task... it comes down to being very familiar with your camera and video equipment so that you can operate it with ease and at the same time focus on the wreck and the whole experience.  Since this was my first North Carolina dive, time went by very quickly and I clearly did not video or photograph enough.  I have learned a tremendous amount in terms of knowing what to spend time videoing and what to let go....


Please refer to my prior post "Diving North Carolina Wrecks" dated August 12, 2011 for the history and first hand experience of diving the U-352.  I will slowly get around to posting the other wrecks including all the shark videos.  Enjoy!!




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

great work looks like a cool wreck,nice vis and angels to boot

Stephen said...

Some stuff on U-352 which you might find of interest.
Let me know if you need more.
We have no U-Boat Wrecks in Aussie, but Truk Lagoon and PNG-Solomons more then make up for it!
sorry for the length of the post.
Stephen
NSW Aust.
(email is trustn1 at bigpond.com)

PS
History and wrecks are my passion can u tell lol (but i believe in only looking and not removing stuff esp war graves such as the USS Houston, HMAS Perth, HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales - all of whom i have dived on more then once. My family lost 2 members on HMAS Perth in 1942 so its esp 'precious' to me.

U-352
Type VIIC

Ordered 9 Oct 1939

Laid down 11 Mar 1940
Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges Flensburg
(werk Numb 471)

Launched 7 May 1941

Commissioned 28 Aug 1941 Kptlt Hellmut Rathke

Commanders
28 Aug 1941 - 9 May 1942 Kptlt Hellmut Rathke

Career
2 patrols

28 Aug 1941-1 Jan 1942
3. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1942 - 9 May 1942
3. Flottille (front boat)

Successes
No ships sunk or damaged

Fate
Sunk 9 May 1942 in the North Atlantic southwest of Cape Hatteras USA in position 34.21N 76.35W by depth charges from the US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Icarus.
15 dead and 33 survivors
(All POWs).

Wolfpack operations

U-352 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career -

Hecht
(27 Jan 1942 - 4 Feb 1942)

Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes U-352 did not suffer any casualties until the time of her loss.

Captains Details

Hellmut Rathke
Korvettenkapitän
(Crew 30)
No ships sunk or damaged.


Born 3 Dec 1910
Czychen East Prussia

Died 7 Oct 2001 (Aged 90) Flensburg Germany

Ranks

1 Apr 1930
Offiziersanwärter

1 Jan 1932
Fähnrich zur See

1 Apr 1934
Oberfähnrich zur See

1 Oct 1934
Leutnant zur See

1 Jun 1936
Oberleutnant zur See

1 Apr 1939
Kapitänleutnant

1 Jun 1943
Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

Iron Cross 2nd Class

U-boat Commands

U-boat From To

U-352 28 Aug 1941 9 May 1942
2 patrols (76 days)

Patrol info for Hellmut Rathke

U-boat Departure Arrival

1. U-352
15 Jan 1942 Kiel
19 Jan 1942 Bergen
Patrol 1
5 days

2. U-352
20 Jan 1942 Bergen
26 Feb 1942 St Nazaire Patrol 1
38 days

3.
U-352
7 Apr 1942 St. Nazaire
9 May 1942
Sunk Patrol 2
33 days

2 patrols 76 days at sea

Ships hit by Hellmut Rathke
Nil