U-boat Archive - U-856 - Interrogation Report


	Op-16-Z S E C R E T

	27 May 1944 Copy No. ____ of 45

	NAVY DEPARTMENT
	OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
	WASHINGTON


	Final Report - G/Serial 35

	REPORT ON THE
	INTERROGATION OF SURVIVORS FROM U-856
	SUNK 7 APRIL 1944



	DISTRIBUTION:
	BAD
	BUORD
	BUSHIPS
	BUSHIPS (Code 515)
	BUSHIPS (Code 815)
	COMINCH (F-21)
	COMINCH (F-4253)
	COMINCH (F-45)
	COMINCH (FX-40)
	COMINCH (FX-43)
	COMASDEVLANT
	COMNAVEU
	DNI (Ottawa)
	G-2 (Col. Jones)
	Op-16-1 via Op-16-1-F
	Op-16-FA-4
	Op-16-P
	Op-16-W
	Op-16-G
	Op-16-C
	Op-30
	SONRD
	Lt. J. I. Eiband (CSDIC, AFHQ)
	Lt. S. R. Hatton (CSDIC, AFHQ)
	Lt. (j.g.) R. J. Mullen (4th Fleet)
	Lt. J. T. Rugh, Jr. (JICA ME)
	Lt. Cdr. V. R. Taylor
	C.O. Naval Unit, Tracy, Calif.

	S E C R E T

S E C R E T

TABLE OF CONTENTS

			Page
CHAPTER	I.	INTRODUCTION	1

	II.	DETAILS OF U-856	2

	III.	TORPEDOES IN U-856	5

	IV.	CREW OF U-856	8

	V.	FIRST AND ONLY PATROL OF U-856	11

	VI.	SINKING OF U-856	14

	VII.	GENERAL REMARKS ON U-BOATS	18

	VIII.	OTHER U-BOATS	20

ANNEX		LIST OF SURVIVORS FROM U-856 AND U.S. EQUIVALENTS OF GERMAN NAVAL RANKS.

S E C R E T


	S E C R E T

	CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION

	U-856, a 750-ton U-boat commanded by Oberleutnant Friedrich Wittenberg, was sunk on 7 April 1944 in position 40.19 N. - 62.35 W. by the combined action of ships attached to Task Group 21.15 and Task Force 27.6.2.

	Out of the U-boat's total complement of 55, 28 men were rescued, among them the commanding officer, the executive officer and a midshipman. These survivors, of whom four were hospital cases, were debarked at New York on 9 April by U.S.S. NIELDS.

	U-856 was a new but run-of-the-mine boat and was sunk on her first patrol before she had ever fired a torpedo or even sighted a target. Her officers and crew were completely undistinguished and dull. This report, therefore, offers no features of unusual interest other then the details of the torpedoes carried by the U-boat, contained in Chapter III.

	U.S. Navy equivalents of German ranks will be found in the Annex.










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	CHAPTER II. DETAILS OF U-856

	TONNAGE

	750 tons.

	TYPE

	IX C.

	BUILDING YARD

	Deschimag, Bremen.

	FLOTILLA

	5th, at Kiel. To be assigned to 2nd Flotilla, Lorient.

	FIELD POST NUMBER

	54791.

	INSIGNIA

	None.

	DIESELS

	M.A.N., 9 cylinders.

	SUPERCHARGERS

	Kapsel.

	MOTORS/GENERATORS

	Siemens.

	S.B.T. (Submarine Bubble Target)

	Fitted.

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	G.S.R. (German Search Receiver)

	Wanz G-2: Fitted.

	Borkum: Fitted.

	Naxos: With "Fliege" aerial, fitted: Installed at Hamburg just before departure on patrol. The "Fliege" was mounted on a wooden rod on the periscope block. It was demountable and was taken below before each dive. In use it was constantly rotated by hand through an arc of 360°. The buzzer used to test it was called "Nörgler".

	R.D.B. (Radar Decoy Balloons)

	Six or seven boxes carried.

	G.H.G. (Multi-Unit Hydrophones)

	Fitted.

	GUNS

	Two twin 20-mm. guns on Platform I.

	One automatic 37-mm. gun on platform II, fitted during final adjustments in Hamburg. This gun was subject to frequent breakdowns, particularly in the recoil spring and feed chain. During gunnery practice en route, the barrel was lost overboard with the first round fired.

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	The 105-mm. gun was removed during final adjustments in Hamburg.

	TORPEDO TUBES

	Four forward, two aft.

	UPPER DECK CONTAINERS

	None. Eight were removed during final adjustments at Hamburg.

	TORPEDOES

	Fourteen were carried. See Chapter III.

	SCUTTLING CHARGES

	Two charges of 25 kgs. were carried.

	BRIDGE ARMOR

	Additional armor was fitted to the bridge of U-856 during final adjustments in Hamburg.

	ROCKET PROJECTOR

	Not fitted.

	SCHNORCHEL

	A prisoner stated that U-856 was to be fitted with an extensible Diesel intake and exhaust valve after her patrol.

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S E C R E T

CHAPTER III. TORPEDOES IN U-856

A torpedoman's Mate 3rd class from U-856 gave the following information about the torpedoes carried in his U-boat:

I. Complement

Location	No.	Type	Pistol

Bow tube No. 1	1	T-3	Pi-2

Bow tube No. 2	1	T-5	Pi-4B (or C)

Bow tube No. 3	1	T-3	Pi-2

Bow tube No. 4	1	T-3	Pi-2

Stern tube No. 5	1	T-5	Pi-4B (or C)

Stern tube No. 6	1	T-5	Pi-4B (or C)

On bow plates	2	T-1 FAT I	Pi-1

Under bow plates	4	(2) T-2 FAT II	Pi-2
		T-3	Pi-2
		T-1 FAT I	Pi-1

On stern plates	2	T-1 FAT I	Pi-1
		T-2 FAT II	Pi-2

No upper deck containers	_____

Total	14

II. Pistols

One Pi-1 and one Pi-2 were kept in reserve.

The prisoner was not sure whether the combination impact magnetic firing pistol was designated as Pi-4B or Pi-4C. He believed that the difference between the two types lay in the position of the firing pin.

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	In the prisoner's opinion, the designation T.Z.3 refers to the magnetic pistol used with T-1.

	The minimum striking angle for the whiskered pistol was said to be 8°.

	III. T-5

	Range: 6,000 meters.

	Battery: 37 cells, 57 volts.

	Settings: WS (Wandeschuss: turning short); used against approaching target; torpedo circles when contact is lost. SS setting is used for a non-acoustic run.

	Speed: 22 knots - constant.

	U-boat depth: T-5 cannot be fired when U-boat is deeper than 25 meters.

	Warhead Charge: Between 250 and 270 kilograms.

	Acoustic Arming Distance: Although the prisoner did not know how far the torpedo had to run before the acoustic gear became sensitive, he said that T-5s were usually not fired when the U-boat was less that 500 meters from its target.

	Aiming: It was stated that sound bearings were being used more frequently with the firing of acoustic torpedoes.

	IV. FAT

	T-1 FAT I: short or long legs to the right or left.

	T-2 FAT II: long legs to the right; circle to the left only. According to another prisoner, the torpedo may be set

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	to circle either to the right or to the left.

	T-3 FAT II: long legs to the right and left; may be set to circle to the right or left. Diameter of 180°-turn was said to be 180 meters.

	V. Propellers

	All electric torpedoes on U-856 were fitted with two 2-bladed propellers; all air torpedoes, with two 6-bladed propellers. The 4-bladed propellers were said to be used by the firing flotillas.

















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	CHAPTER IV. CREW OF U-856

	TOTAL COMPLEMENT

	U-856 carried a complement of 55 men on her first and only patrol. Included in this number were the captain, two line officers, one engineer officer, a doctor, and a midshipman. The captain, the I. Watch Officer and the Midshipman were among the 28 survivors.

	OFFICERS

	The surviving officers were completely undistinguished and dull. Oberleutnant z. S. Friedrich Wittenberg, 26 years old, belongs to the 1937 B Naval Term. He first served in GNEISENAU as midshipman and ensign. He was then assigned to the staff of the Admiral in command of Norway at Trondheim, and later served on the staff of the Admiral commanding the West. After his training for U-boats he served as executive officer on the U-boat commanded by Kapitänleutnant Würdemann (O.N.I. Note: U-506) and then received his own command, U-856.

	Leutnant z. S. Hans Georg Stühff, of the October 1940 Term, the Executive Officer, was an uncommunicative type. He was on his first U-boat patrol, having previously been an instructor at a gunnery school.

	Nothing was learned about Leutnant z. S. Wernet, the 2nd Watch Officer, or Leutnant (Ing.) Kopelke, the Engineer Officer, except that the latter was totally without experience or skill and that he had body lice.

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	CHAPTER V. EARLY HISTORY OF U-856

	COMMISSIONING

	U-856 was commissioned on 19 August 1943 at the Deschimag Yard, Bremen. Two days later she sailed for Kiel.

	U.A.K. TRIALS

	U-856 arrived in Kiel on about 23 August 1943 for her acceptance trials. These lasted about two weeks and were marked by no special incident. During this time, silent running tests were conducted off Sonderburg, Denmark.

	WORKING UP

	The working up of U-856 was normal and lasted from about mid September until end November 1943. It consisted of the following:

	1. T.E.K. exercises at Gotenhafen.

	2. Torpedo firing practice at Libau.

	3. "Agrufront" exercises at Hela, lasting about 3 weeks.

	4. Adjustments in a yard at Danzig lasting about 1 week.

	5. Tactical Exercises at Gotenhafen, lasting 10 days, in a group that consisted chiefly of 500 ton boats, with only 2 or 3 larger ones.

	At the conclusion of the Tactical Exercises at Gotenhafen, U-856 sailed for Hamburg on one of the first days of December 1943. She put in at Stettin for one night on the way.

	FINAL ADJUSTMENTS

	U-856 arrived in Hamburg on 5 or 6 December 1943 and went

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	into the Howaldtwerke for final adjustments. These lasted until 5 February and were rounded off with further trials, such as diving, gunnery, and a second trip to Sonderburg for silent running tests before her final departure from Hamburg, U-856 embarked her torpedoes and ammunition and a part of her provisions. She then sailed for KIel on 5 February, stopped over at Brünsbüttel, and arrived in Kiel on 7 February 1944. She lay there for 2-1/2 weeks.



















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	CHAPTER VI. FIRST AND ONLY PATROL OF U-856

	DEPARTURE FROM KIEL

	U-856 left Kiel on 24 February 1944 in company with two 500-ton U-boats and under escort of minesweepers. The Commanding Officer of one of the 500-tonners wa named Auermann.

	CALL AT KRISTIANSAND

	The group arrived in Kristiansand in the late afternoon of the next day. U-856 took on drinking water but no fuel, and the whole group put out from Kristiansand that same evening after dark. During the night it was found that U-856's D/F apparatus was not functioning properly and the Commanding Officer decided to put into Stavanger.

	CALL AT STAVANGER

	U-856 accordingly reached Stavanger the next morning, 23 February, and tied up for repairs. She was the only U-boat there. By nightfall the U-boat was again ready for sea. She set out alone for the Atlantic. Upon discovering that the electric motors were not functioning too well, the captain's first impulse was to return to port, but it was later decided to make the necessary adjustments at sea. On 27 February U-856 had her first aircraft alarm and crash-dived in plenty of time.

	PASSAGE OF ROSENGARTEN

	U-856 headed for the Rosengarten, proceeding under water most of the time. On 5 March her position was north of the Faeroe

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	Islands. She made the passage of the Rosengarten on 6, 7 and 8 March, twice hearing depth-charges explode in the distance. U-856 then shaped course directly for her operational area south of Halifax, traveling on the surface.

	PASSAGE TO OPERATIONAL AREA

	On 23 March U-856 was in "the middle of the Atlantic". On the night of 25 March there was an aircraft alarm and crash-dive, but no action. U-856 arrived in her operational area toward the end of March. This area was stated to have been about 150 miles square, south of Halifax. The U-boat was in it when she was sunk at 40.19 N. - 62.35 W. on 7 April. Throughout her patrol in this area U-856 sighted no shipping and none was reported to her. Prisoners stated that this area was considered safe from aircraft attack and that another U-boat had been refueled there a short time previously.

	AIRCRAFT ATTACKS IN OPERATIONAL AREA

	U-856 under went several aircraft attacks prior to the one which led up to her sinking. These attacks occurred at the end of March and the beginning of April.

	U-856 was caught on the surface one night by a large American plane. The U-boat opened up with her guns and drove the attacker off before he could complete his run or drop any bombs. Prisoners stated that they saw flames shooting from the aircraft as it made off. U-856 did not bother to submerge but continued on the surface.

	A similar action was fought a few nights later, about

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	4 April, the attacking plane again being driven off before it could deliver. This time U-856 crash-dived immediately.

	(O.N.I. Note: Neither of these incidents can be identified in the Navy Department.)

	During the next few days two more planes and a blimp were sighted, each in plenty of time. U-856 dived away each time without being detected. The next event of note was the encounter with the aircraft on the morning of 7 April 1944.












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	S E C R E T

	CHAPTER VII. SINKING OF U-856

	AIRCRAFT ATTACK

	In the early morning of 7 April 1944, U-856 was proceeding on the surface when the bridge watch reported an aircraft. The 20-mm. guns and the bridge M.G.'s were manned and it was claimed that some hits were scored on the plane, which dropped one bomb some distance from the U-boat.

	(O.N.I. Note: From the Action Report of TU 27.6.2 for Friday, 7 April 1944, Zone plus 4 time: At 0310 a plane from U.S.S. CROATAN reported a contact. At 0330 the plane reported the contact to be at 40.47 N. - 62.19 W., and that the contact had fired upon the plane).

	After the bomb had been dropped U-856 submerged and proceeded on her original course. Her depth was stated by a Petty Officer stationed in the control room to have remained fairly constant at 130 meters. No damage had been caused so far, but throughout the patrol a certain amount of water had been entering through the stuffing box around the forward hydroplane operating shaft. U-856's bilges were, therefore, fairly full. The only other defect at this time was that the multiple unit hydrophones were not functioning.

	FIRST ATTACK BY SURFACE CRAFT

	Some three hours after the aircraft attack while U-856 was proceeding at a depth of 130 meters, the sound of propeller noises was heard throughout the U-boat. The Captain

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	decided to come up to periscope depth and investigate. As the U-boat reached approximately 18 meters, the explosion of depth charges was heard some distance away and far below the U-boat. Immediately afterwards a ship was heard to pass over the U-boat from astern. On reaching periscope depth the Captain reported that he saw the plumes of water from the depth-charge explosions. Although many members of the U-boat's crew were expecting that the Captain would attack the enemy vessel with torpedoes, he decided to submerge.

	(O.N.I. Note: At 0618 U.S.S. BOYLE dropped an 11 charge pattern at deep setting at 5 second intervals. Shortly after these depth-charge explosions the Captain of BOYLE reported sighting periscope in his wake.)

	U-856 crash-dived with extended periscope and ejected an unknown number of Submarine Bubble Targets. She then balanced at 170 meters and some of the crew recalled hearing a few explosions about 15 minutes after the U-boat dived.

	(O.N.I. Note: At 0632 BOYLE passed over the dropping point and dropped two more depth charges on a doubtful contact.)

	U-856 had suffered no damage in this attack and she proceeded on her course at 170 meters. For an hour after submerging, however, the sounds of Asdic were heard and it appeared to some of the ship's company as if the hunting craft passed immediately over them several times. They expected a further attack at any moment and were astonished that none came until about 10 hours later.


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	FINAL ATTACK AND SINKING

	(O.N.I. Note: At 1632 U.S.S. CHAMPLIN and HUSE working together made successive runs on a contact. CHAMPLIN dropped an 11 charge deep pattern and HUSE fired using hedgehog. At 1650 CHAMPLIN, having regained contact, made another run and dropped a 9 charge medium depth pattern, evaluating the contact as good. At 1655 the U-boat surfaced.)

	It has not been possible to assess accurately the damage caused in the different parts of the U-boat by these two attacks. Prisoners were conscious of two distinct attacks with an interval of some 10 minutes. Damage appears to have been particularly severe in the control room. On the port side water entered through the main bilge pump, and towards the end of the first part of the attack, following a particularly loud explosion, the hand wheel of the main blowing valve was torn from its socket, where it was attached with a steel pin, and hurled across the control room. Water also entered the stern and motor compartments and it was with difficulty that the Diesel exhaust caps were kept closed. U-856 was thoroughly stern heavy and her loss of trim was increased by the failure of one circuit of the after hydroplane motor. The order was, therefore, given to blow tanks. There was just enough air left, and U-856 came to the surface. No signal reporting her sinking could be made.

	(O.N.I. Note: The U-boat having surfaced at 1655, CHAMPLIN and HUSE were directed to close the enemy and sink her with gunfire. At 1658 CHAMPLIN rammed the surfaced U-boat and

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	reported several hits in the conning tower by gunfire. At 1701 survivors were reported in the water, the U-boat captain apparently having ordered "abandon ship" after the ramming. CHAMPLIN and HUSE continued to fire on the U-boat. At 1715 the U-boat was reported to be badly damaged and sinking, and at 1723 she sank in position 40.19 N. - 62.35 W.)

	Prisoners stated that they began to abandon the U-boat as soon as she broke surface. They were delayed by the fact that the conning tower hatch had been damaged to such an extent that a crowbar was needed to open it. The survivors swam about in the water while the attacking vessels continued to shell the U-boat, and after she sank they felt a terrific underwater explosion.

















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S E C R E T

CHAPTER VIII. GENERAL REMARKS ON U-BOATS

ROCKET PROJECTORS

A prisoner saw a U-boat being fitted with rocket projectors ("Do-Gerat"). The gear was mounted on Platform I and had 64 tubes, 32 on each side of the platform.

WALTERBOOT

A Walterboot was seen in Hela during the Agrufront of U-856, about October 1943. It was described as being 6 to 8 meters long, carrying two torpedoes and a crew of 7 or 8 men.

NEW TYPES OF U-BOATS

A prisoner stated that a new type of U-boat was under construction in Germany. He stated that it was a double pressure hull and that its size is over 1200 tons. The various sections are prefabricated and assembled as follows:

Control Room	-	Howaldt Werke

Bow	-	Deutsche Werke

Stern	-	Finkenwerder

Assembly	-	Blohm & Voss

KIEL

The Stammkomoanie of the 5th Flotilla at Kiel was commanded from late 1942 until April 1943 by Oberleutnant Sachs. It consisted of about 100 men, whose duties were standing guard on the flotilla's depot ship "St. Louis".

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	KAPITÄN GODT

	A prisoner had heard that Kapitän z.S. Godt, Dönitz's Chief of Staff, was due to proceed to Lorient to take passage to Japan in a U-boat.

















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S E C R E T

CHAPTER IX. OTHER U-BOATS

U-130	(The following information was given by a prisoner who had done five patrols in U-130.)

	U-130 was sunk on her 6th patrol being then under command of Oberleutnant Keller. Her Commanding Officer on her first five patrols had been Korvettenkapitän Kals. The I Watch Officer on the first three patrols was Oberleutnant Möglich. The Engineer Officer on the 4th and 5th patrols was Oberleutnant Kietz. Oberleutnant Sauerbier served on all patrols. Kapitänleutnant Elmenreich was aboard as Commanding Officer under instruction on either the 2nd or the 3rd patrol.

	First Patrol: U-130 left Kiel in late November 1941. She called at Kristiansand and after about 4 weeks at sea she put in at Lorient. During this patrol she sank two ships out of a convoy, totaling 15,000 tons.

	Second Patrol: U-130 left Lorient mid January 1942 and proceeded to an operational area off the North American Coast, between New York and Nova Scotia. Here she sank five ships, mostly tankers, totaling 40,000 tons. Most of the ships were sunk close to shore. After nine weeks U-130 reached Lorient.

	Third Patrol: In late April 1942 U-130 proceeded to the Caribbean. She made straight for Curacao where she attacked the oil refineries one evening with her 10.5 cm. gun. She was, however, forced to submerge and retire by

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	shore batteries before she could do much damage. She proceeded north and sank two ships totaling just under 15,000 tons. After eleven weeks she reached lorient.

	Fourth Patrol: U-130 left Lorient in late August 1942 for the coast of West Africa. Her area of operations was just north of the equator. Operating between 100 and 200 miles from the coast, she sank seven ships of just over 50,000 tons. In late October she returned to Lorient.

	Fifth Patrol: In November 1942 U-130 was dispatched to the Moroccan coast to hinder the Allied landings. She endeavored to enter the harbor of Casablanca, but when he reached the end of the mole Kals decided that it was too dangerous to proceed any farther and turned out to sea. U-130 then operated off Casablanca, Rabat and Fedala for a time without success. Finally several troop ships were sighted lying at anchor just off Fedala. U-130 attacked at periscope depth by day in water not deeper than 24 meters. Two forward tubes were fired at two transports and sank them both. The stern tube was then fired at a third vessel and sank it. Lack of time prevented the sinking of further easily available targets. After the attack U-130 submerged and escaped without herself being attacked. She reached Lorient on 30 December 1942, having sunk just under 35,000 tons.

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	Badge: The badge of U-130 was a Knight with Visor.

U-402	(The following information was given by a prisoner who had formerly served in U-402.)

	The original Engineer Officer of U-402 was Oberleutnant (Ing.) Meyer. Her second First Watch Officer was named Kunze.

	First Patrol: U-402 sank nothing and reached St. Nazaire about November 1941.

	Second Patrol: U-402 scored 12 hits on the LLANGIBBY CASTLE, which then took refuge in Horta. U-402 lay in wait outside and was joined by U-581, which was soon sunk. When the troop ship finally sailed fro Horta U-402 tried for 2 days to get a shot at her, but she was driven off by escorts and finally made for St. Nazaire.

	Third Patrol: U-402 operated in the area off Cape Lookout, sinking a motor vessel on her way there. She sank a second ship in 14 meters of water off Cape Lookout. On the second day of her homeward voyage she sighted an American escort vessel, fired a spread of 3 torpedoes and sank it. The ship sank at once, and from the wreckage the U-boat picked up two survivors, who stated that their ship was bound from New York via Panama to San Francisco and Hawaii and was 240 feet long. U-402 continued on her course to St. Nazaire.

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	Fourth Patrol: The operational area was again to be off Cape Lookout. Just before reaching it U-402 was damaged in an aircraft attack in which 6 bombs were dropped. She reported her damage to Control and returned to La Pallice without further incident.

	Fifth Patrol: U-402 left La Pallice in late September or early October 1942 for an operational area on the North Atlantic. She joined an unidentified group and attacked an eastbound convoy with a number of other U-boats, from among whom U-Vogelsang and U-Senkel were sunk, the latter on his first patrol. U-402 sank 6 ships of 42,000 tons definitely and possibly a seventh which was not credited to her. She returned to La Pallice at the end of November 1942.

	(O.N.I. Note: Vogelsang was Commanding Officer of U-132, sunk in November 1942. Senkel was Commanding Officer of U-658, missing since November 1942.)

U-855	U-855 commanded by Surenhagen, did Tactical Exercises with U-856 in November 1943. She was still in Hamburg for final adjustments when U-856 left for her first patrol, 24 February 1944, but was due to leave one week later. She was being fitted with Schnorchel.

	(O.N.I. Note: The 1942 G.N.L. Lists Oberleutnant zur See Albert Surenhagen, of the 1936 Term.)

U-988	U-988 was at Hela with U-989 in September 1943.

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	She was damaged during Tactical Exercises and had to go into dock.

U-989	(The following information was given by a prisoner who was in U-989 until mid December 1943.)

	Officers:

	Commanding Officer: Oberleutnant Rodler von Reithberg

	I Watch Officer: Leutnant Hartel

	II. Watch Officer: Leutnant Jakob Bauer

	Engineer Officer: Leutnant Schürmann, a Volksoffizier.

	History: Prisoner joined U-989 at Blohm and Voss in May 1943 to stand by for construction. U-989 was commissioned in late August 1943. She was at Hela in September 1943. Final adjustments were not quite completed at Blohm and Voss in mid December 1943.

U-1002	U-1002 is a 1200-tonner and was seen in the Baltic during the working up of U-856, September-November 1943.

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U-BOATS IDENTIFIED BY COMMANDERS

U-AUERMANN	A 500 ton U-boat commanded by Auermann left Kiel on her first patrol with U-856 on 24 February 1944. (O.N.I. Note: No Auermann is listed in the G.N.L.)

U-BÜCHEL	An officer named Büchel was stated to be in command of a 1200-ton, IX D-2, Deschimag U-boat carrying a helicopter. His executive Officer is named Carls, a man who has spent ten years in the U.S.A. (O.N.I. Note: Fregattenkapitän Paul Büchel is believed to command U-860. The G.N.L. lists Leutnant zur See Otto Carls of the Dec 1939 Term.)

U-KEITZ	Stated to have been sunk.

U-KUHNKE	A prisoner stated that an officer named Kuhnke is now in command of a U-boat. (O.N.I. Note: This probably refers to Korvettenkapitän Günther Kuhnke, formerly Commanding Officer of the 10th Flotilla.)

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ANNEX. LIST OF SURVIVORS FROM U-856 AND U.S.

EQUIVALENTS OF GERMAN NAVAL RANKS.

Name	Rank	USN Equivalent	Age

	Kapitan z. S.	Captain
	Fregattenkapitän	Commander
	Korvettenkapitän	Lieut. Commander
	Kapitänleutnant	Lieutenant
Wittenberg, Fritz	Oberleutnant z. S.	Lieutenant (j.g.)	25
Stühff, Hans Georg	Leutnant z. S.	Ensign	21
Bendziula, Hermann	Oberfähnrich z. S.	Midshipman	20
Heidemann, Richard	Obersteuermann	Quartermaster	28
Dett, Günther	Bootsmaat	Coxswain	21
Gorslar, Herbert	Bootsmaat	Coxswain	22
Ernst, Heinrich	Matrosenhauptgefreiter	Seaman 1cl	26
Haberstock, Erich	Matrosenobergefreiter	Seaman 1cl	23
Helbig, Josef	Matrosenobergefreiter	Seaman 1cl	21
Licen, Josef	Matrosengefreiter	Seaman 2cl	20
Sommerfeld, Willi	Matrosengefreiter	Seaman 2cl	20
Greulich, Heinz	Obermaschinist	Fireman 1cl	28
Ganady, Willy	Maschinenmaat	Fireman 1cl	23
Kaussmann, Gerhard	Maschinenmaat	Fireman 1cl	21
Rieckborn, Paul	Maschinenmaat	Fireman 1cl	22
Wetzig, Helmut	Maschinenmaat	Fireman 1cl	22
Korsch, Helmut	Maschinenobergefreiter	Fireman 2cl	22
Kupschus, Walter	Maschinengefreiter	Fireman 3cl	19
Frenkel, Heinz	Maschinengefreiter	Fireman 3cl	20
Krüger, Willi	Maschinengefreiter	Fireman 3cl	20
Thiel, Hermann	Maschinengefreiter	Fireman 3cl	19
Trompeter, Ernst	Maschinengefreiter	Fireman 3cl	21
Rosin, Erwin	Funkmaat	Radioman 3cl	23
Speyer, Heinrich	Funkgefreiter	Seaman 2cl	19
Brandes, Erwin	Mechanikermaat	Torpedoman's Mate 3cl	22
Böddicker, Rudi	Mechanikergefreiter	Seaman 2cl	20
Uhlmann, Werner	Mechanikergefreiter	Seaman 2cl	19

(Ing.) denotes engineering duties only.

S E C R E T