I just found this earlier this morning. It is a brief recap of the capture of U-505 on June 4, 1944, two days before D-Day. Dad was the Chief Signalman assigned to USS Jenks, one of the Destroyer Escorts in this Task Group. U-505 has been a major exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

 

If you ever go to Chicago be sure to visit the Museum of Science and Industry.  

I've been to the Museum several times while going to weather school at Chanute AFB.  I've yet to see it all but I did go aboard U-505 three times.  I am always amazed at the tight quarters and living conditions.  Imagine the stench of so many men living in such close quarters with no bathing facilities and the constant sweat and the fear they endured.  Any opportunity to go topside when the boat was on the surface must have seemed like heaven.  If you do ever have the opportunity to visit U-505 let your imagination guide you through the boat.

As an aside, if you ever get to see the German movie Das Boot (The Boat in English).  Derived from a German TV series it's the best submarine movie ever made.

https://www.amazon.com/Das-Boot-Jürgen-Prochnow/dp/B007Z9QP3K

Noel

2 hours ago, birdguy said:

If you ever go to Chicago be sure to visit the Museum of Science and Industry.

Um, guess who lived in NW Indiana (less than 1 mile from the bridge to downtown Chicago) for nearly 37 years. I've been to the Museum of Science and Technology more than a dozen times over the decades. My first visit was when the U-505 was still above ground. When I father visited I made it a point to take him to see the sub. It brought back many memories of his time at such a unique event.

It's a shame that being in the radio room he doesn't appear in any of the archival footage...  😒

I've found that after awhile, the stench of BO seems to lose a lot of its pungency. 😄

58 minutes ago, n4gix said:

I've found that after awhile, the stench of BO seems to lose a lot of its pungency.

It loses it's pungency or do you get used to it?

Noel

36 minutes ago, birdguy said:

It loses it's pungency or do you get used to it?

Noel

It never loses it!  Sub life was fairly gross.  Each man was allowed a very quick shower once a week.  Same for the Captain.  The only man that showered daily was the cook.  That info was obtained while touring the U.S.S Pompanito in San Francisco.

 

59 minutes ago, charliearon said:

Each man was allowed a very quick shower once a week.

Aboard both troop ships I crossed the Pacific on we had showers.  But they were salt water showers and they had special soap for salt water use.  I don't think you got as clean as fresh water since you rinsed in salt water.  Your skin always itched after such a shower.

Noel

Edited April 6, 20233 yr by birdguy

3 hours ago, birdguy said:

It loses it's pungency or do you get used to it?

Actually, I believe you simply get used to it, hence my use of "seems..." 😗

The POWs from U-505 were put into davited lifeboats for salt water showers, kindly provided via a fire hose!

My father was an AA gunner in the army, Pacific theatre at this time. He was on Midway, Hawaii, Guam, and Okinawa. He was scheduled to be in a forced flank attack on Japan when the bombs were dropped that ended the war. Thank you Dad. Else I would not be here.