Monday, May 19, 2008

LEARNING THE REST OF THE STORY - PAGE 45

After the fray, the Pride and the Campbell headed for Algiers having on board all of the German prisoners. Coming in to dock they found admirals, generals, and panjandrum from Algiers ready to greet them and congratulate them on their bravery and prowess. It turns out the U-boat that they sunk was not just any U-boat, but U-371, the “Mediterranean Ace” who, with their 26 year-old captain, had been responsible for sinking 70,000 tons of Allied shipping.

Here is part of the story from the German perspective unknown until after the returned to Algiers. The first attack by the Pride had badly damaged the U-boat and put it out of commission. They had hit bottom, not cleverly hid out there. There they remained wedged at the bottom of the sea. The had to free themselves by working the one remaining engine and having the crew run from bow to stern. It was then that they were able to surface and set off their torpedoes before surrendering.

The picture is of William Valencheck commemorating the sinking of a sub by painting it on the side of the ship. Later generations of Coast Guardsmen would do much the same thing in their war on drugs. Pictures of snowflakes representing cocaine or marijuana leaves are painted on the side of the ship to mark significant drug busts.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello - My Grandfather, Bob Kuhn, served aboard the PRIDE also! He is in this picture to the right of the guy in the sailor's cap. I've enjoyed reading your blog - I've heard most of these stories over the years as well. My email is scott.j.thomas@hotmail if you'd like to contact me - thanks!

Anonymous said...

Oops! That would my grandfather, Bob Kuhn, to the right of the TOP guy in the sailor's cap.

Unknown said...

My husband is Robert Bayne Pride a relative of Lewis Bailey Pride. Two weeks ago we received the remains of Lewis B Pride 76 years after the Pearl Harbor attack, and he was laid to rest, next to his parents, in Madisonville, Kentucky. The service was beautiful, a full Naval military service, and we are honored to have this military hero home again.

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