In reply refer to Initials

  
            and No.  
     
 
NAVY DEPARTMENT
  
 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS

  
 
WASHINGTON
  
  Ser. #Z-0436  
                                                                                 30 July 1943.  
     
 
MEMORANDUM for Colonel Catesby ap C. Jones, G.S.C.,
  Chief, Prisoner of War Branch, G-2.
   
Subject: Preliminary Report of Interrogation of Survivors from U-487 dated 28 July 1943.
   
Enclosure: (A)  Copy of Subject Report.
 
     
  1.  Enclosure (A) is forwarded herewith for information.  
     
     
                                                                          
                                                                                            John Riheldaffer,  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
     

 

 
 

 
 
  S E C R E T                                                                                                        28 July, 1943  
 
 
 
U-487
  
     
 
C.O. Oberleutnant der Reserve Helmuth Metz.
Preliminary report on the interrogation of survivors from the German U-boat U-487, sunk 13 July 1943, at approximate position 27.00 N - 34.00 W., by planes from a U.S. aircraft carrier.  Three officers, one midshipman and 27 men survived, of whom 17 required hospital treatment.  U-487 was sunk on her second war patrol.
 
     
 
Device: A Whale.
Type: Supply U-boat, construction type XIV, 1600 tons.
Built: Deutsche Werke, Kiel.
Flotilla: 12th at Bordeaux.
Crew: 7 officers (including a doctor) and about 50 men.
Motors: 2 Seimens.
Diesels: 2 Germania Werft.
Radio: Believed to have been fitted with the usual equipment.
Call Letters: Ulli Viktor Gustaf.
Search Receiver: New type with fixed aerial fitted.
Radar: Probably not fitted.
K.D.B.: Not fitted.
Submarine Bubble Target: Not fitted.
Armament: No torpedo tubes.
  No torpedoes carried on her last patrol.
  One 2 cm forward.
  one 2cm. on bandstand.
  one 2 cm. abaft conning tower, mounted on a platform about 3 feet high, connected with the bandstand by a cat-walk.  Platform called "Atlantik Walle" by crew.
Surface speed: About 15 knots.
Submerged speed: About 6 knots.
   
Launched: 17 September 1942.
Commissioned: 21 December 1942.
Working up: Early January - late February, 1943, in Baltic Sea.
Final overhaul: Late February - late March, Deutsche Werke, Kiel.
   
1st War Patrol: Left Kiel 27 March 1943.
  Arrived Kristiansand 28 March 1943.
  Left Kristiansand 29 March 1943.
  Proceeded to operational area in North Atlantic, passing between Iceland and the Faeroes.
  Refueled about 15 U-boats, including U-Vowe, U-Stahl, U-Müller, and U-Bülow, the latter as he was en route to port, several days after he claimed to have sunk the aircraft carrier U.S.S. RANGER.
  Put into Bordeaux mid-May, after about 6 weeks patrol. 
  Gun platform ("Atlantik Walle") abaft the bandstand built in Bordeaux.
 
 
 
 
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  SECRET  
     
     
 
2nd and last war patrol: Left Bordeaux 14 June 1943 accompanied by mine-sweeper.  Proceeded through Bay of Biscay to operations area southwest of the Azores at approximate position 27.00 N - 34.00 W, arriving there about 2 July.
  Refueled five U-boats, including U-Müller and U-Förster.
   
Sinking: Early morning, 13 July 1943 U-487 was proceeding on the surface.  Watch had just been changed.  Watch was observing several crew members pull aboard a large box, when they were surprised by two planes.  First depth charges apparently caused considerable damage, causing a list to starboard.  Metz came to the bridge and himself manned one of the 2 cm. guns.  After about three minutes, Metz gave the order to abandon ship.  Most of the guns' crew were either killed or wounded by machine gun fire from the planes, among them Metz, who was said to have been riddled with bullets.  The unwounded inflated and cleared three rubber boats, and put the wounded on them.  There was considerable damage within the U-boat.  The planes dropped more depth charges - 8 to 11 crew members believed.  About 10 minutes after the attack began, U-487 sank.  Survivors believed several men still were in her when she went down.
   
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
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