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Op-16-Z

NAVY DEPARTMENT

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS

WASHINGTON

O.N.I. 250 - G/ Serial No. 21

REPORT ON THE

 INTERROGATION OF SURVIVORS FROM U-615

SUNK ON 7 AUGUST 1943

22 SEPTEMBER 1943

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter	I.		INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
	II.		DETAILS OF U-615
	III.		CREW OF U-615
	IV.		EARLY HISTORY OF U-615
	V.		FIRST PATROL OF U-512
	VI.		SECOND PATROL OF U-615
	VII.		THIRD PATROL OF U-615
	VIII.		FOURTH AND LAST PATROL OF U-615
	IX.		SINKING OF U-615
	X.		GENERAL REMARKS ON U-BOATS
	XI.		U-BOAT BASES

ANNEX	A.	TRANSLATION OF A SECRET DOCUMENT FOUND IN THE POSSESSION OF THE ENGINEER OFFICER
	B.	CREW LIST OF U-615

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Chapter I.  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

        U-615, commanded by Kapitänleutnant* Kapitzky, was sunk on her fourth patrol.  She had been in the western part of the Caribbean for about a month when she was fatally attacked by aircraft from Squadron 204.  The first attack was made by a PBM in 12⁰ 18' N., 65⁰ 10' W. at 1721Z, 6 August 1943.  U-615 was surprised in the act of making a routine dive.  The attack damaged her to such an extent that she was unable to remain submerged.  She surfaced, manned her anti-aircraft guns, and succeeded in shooting down the plane.  Other planes joined the action and at 0952Z, 7 August 1943 in position 12⁰ 57' N., 64⁰ 54' W., the U-boat flooded and sank.

        The Commanding Officer a warrant officer and two ratings died as a result of the action.  Forty-three survivors were rescued by U.S.S. Walker and brought to Trinidad.  There prisoners were given a preliminary interrogation.  Nine of them were brought to an interrogation center in the United States for detailed questioning.

        The prisoners gave evidence of having been thoroughly indoctrinated in security, and their morale was high.  Interrogation was aided by the capture of a note book and several interesting documents belonging to the Engineer Officer, and eventually the prisoners yielded to questioning.

___________________________________________________________________________

* For translation of ranks and ratings, see Annex B.

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Chapter II.  DETAILS OF U-615

TONNAGE.

        500 tons.

TYPE.

        VII C.

BUILDING YARD.

        Blom & Voss, Hamburg.

FLOTILLA.

        3rd, at La Pallice.

CONSTRUCTION.

        Frames are spaced at about 50 cm.  in the control room and at about 60 cm. elsewhere.  Pressure hull plating is 20 to 25 mm. thick.  Space between the pressure hull and the deck at the conning tower os about 30 cm.

ARMAMENT.

        Two 20-mm. anti-aircraft guns were carried -- one on Platform I, and one on Platform II.  Four demountable machine guns -- two with single barrels and two with twin barrels -- located on the bridge.  Five torpedo tubes, four forward and one aft.

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plates in the after compartment.  Before the last patrol, the two upper deck containers were removed.  Four F.A.T. torpedoes were carried on the last patrol.  Two were in the lower bow tubes and two in the bilges, forward.  They were said to have a minimum depth setting of two meters. 

        One prisoner stated that all torpedoes carried contained two charges.  (O.N.I. Note:  References to the existence of torpedoes with two charges have previously been made by prisoners from other U-boats.  Moreover, several survivor reports point to the use of this kind of torpedo.)

S.B.T.

        Fitted.  Soldered metal boxes containing the charges were turned in after each cruise.  It was stated that the S.B.T. was never used.

DEPTH CHARGE PLOTTING DEVICE.

        Installed in the control room in June 1943.  (For details of this device, see Chapter X.)

DIESEL MOTORS.

        G.W. Six-cylinder, single-acting, four-cycle.  Stated to develop 1,400 H.P. with superchargers.

Telegraph Speed		R.P.M.
Dead Slow (K.F.)		180
Slow (L.F.)		185
Half Speed (H.F.)		350
3/4 speed (G.F.)		450
4/5 speed (2 X G.F.)		470
Full Speed (A.K.)		480
Emergency Speed (3 X A.K.)

        It was stated that the maximum surface speed was 18 knots.

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SUPERCHARGERS.

        "Kapselgebläse" (Roots positive displacement type.)

OIL CAPACITY AND CONSUMPTION.

        Fuel oil capacity, 120 cubic meters.  Lubricating oil capacity, 3,000 to 4,000 liters.  Fuel oil consumption: three or four cubic meters per day at half speed, Diesel Electric.

        Brown Boveri Co.  Stated to develop 430 H.P. each.

Telegraph Speed		R.P.M.
Slow Speed (L.F.)		110
Half Speed (H.F.)		150
Full Speed (A.K.)		295

        Maximum under water speed stated to be six to seven knots.

BATTERIES.

        124 cells, lead-acid type, 62 in each battery compartment.  They were made by Akkumulatoren-Fabrik Wilhelm Hagon, Soest.

MOTOR CIRCUIT.

        Voltage on auxiliary motor circuit was 110.

MOTOR GENERATORS.

        Five carried for radio and other equipment.  They were located in the motor compartment.

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both located in the motor compartment.

PUMPS.

        One centrifugal main bilge pump and one reciprocating auxiliary bilge pump, both in the control room.

G.S.R.

        Two sets carried.  The old type Metox set with a demountable cross antenna was installed before the commissioning of the boat, 26 March 1942.  Just before the last patrol in June 1943, a new set was added.  The second set had the fixed, drum-shaped dipole antenna.  It was stated that the antenna had been washed away on the last patrol.  The new set was installed in the radio room and was said to have had two types of reception, visual and auditory.  The visual reception was on a ground glass screen.  A green horizontal stripe was on the screen.  When a signal was received, a blip appeared.

RADAR DECOY BALLOONS.

        It was stated that 50 were carried in tim containers on the last patrol.  These balloons were described as being 75 cm. in diameter when inflated with hydrogen.  They were transparent and were almost impossible to see from a distance.  Immediately below the balloon were strips of tin-foil, 50 cm. long.  The balloon was attached to an anchor by transparent pig gut.  This line was said by one prisoner to have been 30 meters long while another described it as 16 meters long.  The anchor was of egg-shaped metal and was weighted with lead.  It had slight negative buoyancy and was held on the surface by the lifting power of the balloon.  The balloon was fitted with a slow-leak valve and as it gradually deflated, the anchor sank.  A single hydrogen container for filling the balloons was on the

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port side of the bridge, immediately abaft the end of the conning tower fairing.  It was stated that Kapitzky did not have a high regard for this device and refused to employ it.

C.H.G.

        Fitted.

  

        Fitted.  Dial and hand wheel in the forward torpedo compartment.

COMPASSES.

        One magnetic compass in control room.  One Anschutz, Kiel, gyro compass in control room and two repeaters in the control room.  One portable repeater for use on the bridge hung in the conning tower.

DEPTH GUAGES.

        Three ordinary dial type gauges, graduated to 200 meters, one each in bow and stern compartments and in the control room.  One Papenburg, column glass type graduated in half meters to 20 meters.  It was usually shut off at 18 meters.  One precision depth gauge, graduated to 25 meters.  Usually shut off at about 20 meters.

"SEEHUND DREI".

        Carried on the last patrol.  (For further comments, see Chapter X.)

REFRIGERATOR.

        One in the P.O.'s quarters.

RUBBER BOAT.

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STEERING GEAR.

        Hand gear in stern compartment.  The boat had a B.B.C. remote control push button type, one box in the control room and one portable box for the bridge with a flexible cable connected to it.

HYDROPLANE CONTROLS.

        Hand wheels in the control room.  The boat had a B.B.C. push button type, one box each for bow and stern planes in the control room.  Each was served by one man.

COVER NAMES.

        "Sylvia" was used in La Pallice after the first patrol.  Subsequently, "Karin" was the cover name.  "Sylvia" was given up because a merchant vessel of that name was based on La Pallice.

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Chapter III.  CREW OF U-615

        The complement of U-615 consisted of four officers and forty-three men.  Four of the crew, including the captain, perished at the sinking.

        The Commanding Officer of U-615 was Kapitänleutnant Rolf Kapitzky.  Kapitzky entered the navy in 1935.  In 1937 and 1938, as an Ensign, he was on duty with the German air force.  Shortly after the outbreak of war, he was transferred to the U-boat Service.  In July 1941, he served as Executive Officer on U-93, then commanded by Kapitänleutnant Korth of the 1933 naval term.  Kapitzky was given command of U-615 during the winter of 1941-1942.  He was promoted to Kapitänleutnant while on trials in the Baltic in June 1942.  During his first three patrols, Kapitzky gained a certain reputation as convoy contact keeper.  It was probably for this reason that, on his fourth patrol, he was given the assignment of observing and reporting merchant shipping traffic in the Caribbean.  During the sinking of U-615, Kapitzky was mortally wounded by machine gun fire and died after bidding farewell to his crew.  He was greatly admired by his men, who regarded him as an efficient officer and a good leader.

        The Executive Officer was Leutnant Herbert Schlipper of the 1939 naval term.  He is 22 years of age and a native of Dusseldorf.  The Second Watch Officer was Leutnant Claus H. von Egan-Kryeger also of the 1939 naval term.  He is 23 years of age and a native of Hagdeburg.  Both Schilpper and Egan-Kryeger joined U-615 during the final phases of construction as Senior Midshipman.  Both were promoted to Ensign in June 1942.

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        The Engineer Officer, Oberleutnant (Ing.) Herbert Skora is a lower deck promotion. (ONI Note:  Class of 1937.)  He is 33 years of age and was born at Schientochlewitz in Upper Silesia.  He joined the navy in 1928 and served most of his career on torpedo boats.  In June 1939, he was awarded the Spanish Cross with Swords for serving on a ship that took part in the International Neutrality Patrol during the Spanish Civil War.  In March 1940, he was Warrant Machinist on the torpedo boat Greif which was attached to the 5th Torpedoboot Flotilla at Swinemünde.  Early in October 1941, he was made Senior Midshipman and about four weeks later was promoted to Ensign.  As Ensign, Skora was assigned to U-615, his first U-boat.  In June 1942, he was promoted to Lieutenant (j.g).  Skora is a mild mannered man who longs for peace and for political compromise.  Under interrogation he proved to be unreliable, untrustworthy, and untruthful.

        The petty officers on U-615 were an experienced group.  Several of them, however had limited service positions ashore because of ill health and had been drafted to U-615 shortly before her last patrol in June 1943.  The non-rated personnel were extremely young - the average age being slightly more than 19 years.  About half of them had volunteered for the U-boat Service.

        The crew had been given special indoctrination in security just before sailing on the last patrol.  Their morale was unusually high.

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Chapter IV.  EARLY HISTORY OF U-615

        U-615 was a 500-ton U-boat, type VII C, built at the Blom & Voss yard at Hamburg.  She belonged to the series U-551 to U-623, assigned to this yard.

        It could not be ascertained when U-615 was laid down or launched.  By February 1942, most of the crew had arrived to stand by new construction.  They were quartered in barracks adjoining the yard, known as the Blom & Voss Gelaende.

COMMISSIONING.

        On 26 March 1942, U-615 was commissioned.  After the ceremony aboard was concluded, the crew was taken to the Hotel Astoria for further celebration.  Beer and liquor were supplied, and a floor show was staged for their benefit.

U.A.K. TRIALS.

        U-615 sailed for Kiel 6 April 1942 for trials under the U-boat Acceptance Command (U.A.K.).  On the way, she put in at Brünsbüttel for one night.  Several other U-boats accompanied her and, upon arrival at Kiel, they all tied up at the Tirpitzmole.  The U.A.K. trials were described as the normal ones and lasted about 14 days.

BALTIC TRIALS.

        U-615 sailed into the Baltic late in April 1942 for further trials.  She proceeded first to Swinemünde where she stayed for one day and then sailed for Danzig.  At Danzig various engine trials were undertaken.  Officials from the Danzigerwerft came aboard to supervise these.

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The U-boat went over a mile course at various speeds to determine the amount of oil consumed.  A special oil gauge was installed for the purpose.  The crew lived in the depot ship Iberia during this period.

        The various torpedo firing trials took place off Danzig and Gotenhafen.  When these were completed, U-615 proceeded to Hela for exercises under the Active Service Training Group (Agru-Front).  She arrived at Hela about 15 May 1942 and remained for about three weeks.  About 20 other U-boats were present, among them, a former Dutch submarine.  Prisoners stated that while at Hela, both Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) Müller and Oberleutnant Fritz Volger of the 1935 naval term came aboard.  (O.N.I. Note:  Müller is assistant to Korvettenkapitän Gerhard Suhren, Commanding Officer of the Agru-Front.)  From Hela, U-615 proceeded to Rönne for two days of under water sound tests.

        U-615 then sailed to Gotenhafen where the tactical exercises began.  She was joined by nine or ten other U-boats in attack practice on a convoy.  The convoy consisted of freighters escorted by fast mine sweepers.  The tactical exercises lasted for about two weeks.  At their conclusion, U-615 returned to Gotenhafen where she spent a day practicing mine laying through her tubes.  TMA mines were used.

FINAL OVERHAUL.

        Late in July 1942, U-615 returned to the Blom & Voss yard at Hamburg for final overhaul.  This was scheduled to last for 21 days but, due to the illness of the Engineer Officer, the U-boat lay in the yard for over a month.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST PATROL.

        U-615 began loading provisions, torpedoes, ammunition and oil

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for her first patrol toward the end of August 1942.  She sailed from Hamburg on 31 August 1942, arriving in Kiel the following day.  At Kiel the provisioning was completed.  Clothing and leather gloves were taken aboard.  Fresh sausage was loaded to replace some that had already spoiled.  U-615 was topped off with oil.

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Chapter V.  FIRST PATROL OF U-615

DEPARTURE.

        U-615 sailed from Kiel on the morning of 5 September 1942 on her first patrol.  She was accompanied by two other U-boats and was escorted by a mine destructor vessel.  Two days later, she arrived in Kristiansand where she remained over night, taking on fresh water.

        On 8 September 1942, U-615 sailed from Kristiansand and headed for her operational area.  She passed between the Shetland Islands and the Faeroes and proceeded directly to a patrol position well to the east of Newfoundland.  While passing south of Iceland, an aircraft attacked the U-boat but without success.

        On 11 October 1942, U-615 sighted El Lago, a Panamanian freighter of 4,219 tons.  The U-boat followed the freighter until dark and then closed for attack.  Two torpedoes were fired and both were described as hits.  El Lago sank rapidly but not before several life boats had been launched.  The U-boat approached one of these to question survivors.  When Kapitzky discovered that the Captain, who was Norwegian, and the Engineer Officer, who was Dutch, were both in the lifer boat, he ordered them aboard U-615.  The prisoners stated that the Engineer Officer had been wounded and was badly burned.  Both he and the Captain were held aboard U-615 as prisoners and were taken back to her base.  (O.N.I. Note:  El Lago was sunk in approximate position 44⁰ N., 40⁰ W.  She had been sailing in Convoy ONS 136.  There is no record of survivors.)

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SINKING OF EMPIRE STAR.

        U-615 sighted Empire Star, 12,656 tons, 23 October 1942 in position 48⁰ 14' N., 26⁰ 22' W., sailing out of convoy.  At 1713Z, the U-boat fired a spread of four torpedoes.  One hit the merchantman aft, forcing her to stop.  The forward tubes of the U-boat were reloaded and two more torpedoes were fired.  Both found their mark and Empire Star sank.

MEETING WITH A SUPPLY U-BOAT.

        The prisoners stated that a few days after sinking Empire Star, U-615 met a supply U-boat commanded by Oberleutnant Wolfbauer (O.N.I. Note:  Wolfbauer is Commanding Officer of U 463.)  The two U-boats lay alongside for several hours while oil was transferred.

RETURN TO BASE.

        Shortly after the meeting with Wolfbauer, U-615 headed for her base at La Pallice.  While passing through the Bay of Biscay, she was attacked by aircraft but sustained no damage.  She arrived at La Pallice 31 October 1942 and joined the 3rd Flotilla.  The first patrol had lasted 56 days much to the disappointment of the younger members of the crew who needed 60 days of duty on patrol to win their U-boat badges.

        U-615 lay in La Pallice for about a month, preparing for her next war cruise.  The crew was given leave in watches.

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Chapter VI.  SECOND PATROL OF U-615

DEPARTURE.

        U-615 sailed on her second patrol from La Pallice late in the afternoon of 29 November 1942.  She headed for the same general operational area in the North Atlantic.

CONTACT WITH A CONVOY.

        Shortly after reaching her patrol area, U-615 sighted a convoy and became contact keeper.  Several other U-boats were ordered to converge on the convoy.  According to the prisoners, an attack was made an a few ships were sunk.  U-615 herself, was unable to get into attack position.  Eventually she was driven off by the escort vessels.  (O.N.I. Note:  This may have been Convoy ON 153, attacked on the night of 16-17 December 1942.  Four merchantmen and an escort vessel were lost).

ATTACK ON AN AFRICA-BOUND CONVOY.

        Shortly before Christmas 1942, U-615 received orders from Commander-in-Chief-U-boats to join an attack on an Africa-bound convoy.  She left her operational area and proceeded south.  According to the prisoners' statements, when the convoy was finally sighted, it was extremely difficult to attack.  They stated that the ships were arranged in line abreast rather than in line of columns.  The escort vessels were deployed along the front and sides of the line.  U-615 made one unsuccessful attack before she was driven off.  A spread of four torpedoes was fired but only three left the tubes.  U-615 immediately dived and remained submerged while the remaining torpedo was removed from the tube.  Upon surfacing, after

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completing this operation, contact with the convoy had been lost.

ENCOUNTER WITH A "Q-SHIP".

        Late in December, U-615 sighted a vessel which the prisoners described as a "Q-ship" (U-bootsfalle).  They said that she resembled a whale factory, had an airplane on deck and a fleet of small fast motor boats which, according to the prisoners, were heavily armed.  The ship was first sighted by day and was making no headway at the time.  Fearing a trap, Kapitzky waited until dark before attacking.  At dusk the ship began steaming at slow speed.  U-615 fired six torpedoes and the target immediately speeded up to 15 knots.  One explosion was observed but it had no apparent effect on the merchantman.  Kapitzky advanced two theories as possible explanations of this phenomenon - either the ship carried a torpedo net, or a bomb had been thrown overboard to simulate the explosion of a torpedo.  Immediately after the attack, the ship launched several of her motor boats which, according to the prisoners, forced U-615 to dive.  The next day, U-615 again sighted the same vessel but made no attempt to attack.  On the following day, the prisoners stated that the ship was sunk by a U-boat commanded by Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Strelow of the 1931 naval term.  (O.N.I. Note:  it is believed that Strelow commands U-435.  No confirming information can be found of the sinking of a ship resembling this description).

MEETING WITH ANOTHER U-BOAT.

        Early in January 1943, U-615 met a 500-ton U-boat commanded by Oberleutnant Leimkühler of the April 1937 naval term.  Sufficient oil was transferred to U-615 to enable her to reach port.

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RETURN TO BASE.

        U-615, when nearing the Bay of Biscay, sighted another convoy.  Her oil supply was so low, however, that no attempt could be made to follow it.

        U-615 reached La Pallice 9 January 1943.  She lay in port for about a month.  Shortly before she was due to sail on her next patrol, an accident occurred.  The boat, in charge of the Executive officer, had been out having her compass regulated.  While attempting to berth her, the Executive Officer misjudged the current and rammed a corner of the slip.  A forward oil tank on the starboard side was torn open.  The necessary repairs delayed the departure of U-615 for several days.

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Chapter VII.  THIRD PATROL OF U-615

DEPARTURE.

        U-615 sailed from La Pallice on her third patrol about 10 February 1943.  She reached her operational area off the coast of Newfoundland without incident.  One prisoner said that U-615 was attacked by aircraft near Newfoundland.

ATTACK ON A CONVOY.

        Toward the end of February, U-615 sighted a convoy and became contact keeper.  About ten other U-boats were ordered to the scene and, according to the prisoners, formed a wolf-pack known as "Gruppe Raubgraf".  The attack lasted well into March and many ships were said to have been sunk.  (O.N.I. Note:  This was probably Convoy HX 228, attacked off Newfoundland from 28 February to 12 March 1943.  It was previously reported that U-boats commanded by Oberleutnant Hunger and Kapitänleutnant Zurmüthlen were contact keepers.)  U-615 was prevented from attacking by the escort vessels.  When destroyers drew near, U-615 submerged to a depth of 100 meters.  Depth charges began to explode uncomfortably near and U-615 then dived to 180 meters.  She remained submerged for some time and when she finally surfaced, the convoy was out of sight.

MEETING WITH A SUPPLY U-BOAT.

        Shortly after the convoy attack, U-615 met a supply U-boat and took on oil.  The prisoners could not remember the name of the captain of the supply boat but described her as a normal "U-tanker".  (O.N.I. Note:  This may have been the boat commanded by Kapitänleutnant Zech of the 1930 naval term.  It is thought that his boat was in the vicinity at the time.)

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ATTACK ON A MUNITIONS SHIP.

        U-615 continued to patrol her operational area for some weeks.  Early in April, she sighted a freighter by day.  The ship was following a zigzag course and Kapitzky decided to wait until darkness before making the attack.  That night he approached on the surface and, upon nearing his target, fired two torpedoes.  The ship blew up with a tremendous explosion.  The force of the blast was so great that pieces of wreckage were blown against the U-boat.  Kapitzky himself was struck by one of the flying pieces and injured his shoulder.  Because of the explosion, the crew of U-615 believed that the vessel must have been loaded with ammunition.  (O.N.I. Note:  This may have been the 7,176-ton freighter, Edward B. Dudley, a straggler from Convoy HX 232.  She was sunk 10 April 1943 in approximate position 53⁰ N., 39⁰ W.  There were no survivors.)

RETURN TO BASE.

        Due to his injuries, Kapitzky returned at once to La Pallice.  U-615 arrived in port 20 April 1943.  Kapitzky was met at the dock, taken to the airport, and flown to Paris for medical treatment.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE NEXT PATROL.

        U-615 remained in La Pallice for almost two months, undergoing alterations.  Her 88-mm. deck gun was removed.  A second platform was added to accommodate a new 20-mm. anti-aircraft gun.  A new G.S.R. set was installed in the radio room and a fixed net-type antenna was attached to the conning tower.  A hydrogen container for the Radar Decoy Balloons was fixed on the bridge.  The depth charge plotting device was installed in the control room.  On 7 June 1943, torpedoes, ammunition, oil and

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water were taken on.  During the following days, the final tests were made and, by 10 June 1943, U-615 was ready to sail (for details of tests and preparations for sailing, see Annex A).

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Chapter VIII.  FOURTH AND LAST PATROL OF U-615

DEPARTURE.

        U-615 sailed from La Pallice the morning of 12 June 1943.  She was in company with U-600, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Zurmühlen of the 1932 naval term, and U-257, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Rahe of the 1935 naval term.  The three U-boats were escorted by a mine destructor vessel.

AIRCRAFT ATTACK IN BAY OF BISCAY.

        On 14 June 1943 while proceeding through the Bay of Biscay, the three U-boats were attacked by a Whitley patrol bomber in position 45⁰ 02' N., 09⁰ 19' W. at 1605Z.  The U-boats stayed on the surface and opened fire with their anti-aircraft guns.  Other planes joined the attack which lasted several hours.  The prisoners stated that one plane was shot down.  The U-boats also suffered losses.  A near miss damaged the rudder of one of them, and each of the three had casualties from machine-gun fire.  Bootsmaat Wilke of U-615 died from loss of blood.  The three Captains, Kapitzky, Rahe and Zurmühlen, gave orders to submerge.  They agreed to abandon the fight and bury their dead as quietly as possible.

MISSION OF U-615.

        After the aircraft attack, U-615 proceeded south towards the Caribbean where she was to perform a special mission.  She was charged with observing and reporting shipping in that area.  Kapitzky had received orders to the effect that the sinking of ships was of secondary importance and should not be undertaken unless circumstances were absolutely favorable.  En-route, a Spanish tanker and a Swedish freighter were sighted.

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MEETING WITH OTHER U-BOATS.

        According to a radio rating, U-615 had received orders to meet the supply boat U-487, commanded by Oberleutnant Helmut Metz.  The meeting was to take place south-west of the Azores.  U-615 intercepted a signal from U-487 to Commander-in-Chief-U-boats stating that the presence of the supply boat had been discovered by a Swedish steamer.  U-487 asked permission to change the planned point of rendezvous for purposes of security.  Permission was granted and a signal was sent out informing the U-boats which were to be supplied by U-487 of the change in plans.  On the following day, U-615 heard signals from several U-boats stating that they were unable to find the supply boat.  Commander-in-Chief-U-boats then signaled instructions to wait two days after which, if no contact was made, they were to return to their bases.  Several boats were forced to return because of lack of fuel.  (O.N.I. Note:  U-487 was sunk 13 July 1943 in 27⁰ 15' N., 34⁰ 18' W.)

        U-615 had received other instructions, however.  Just before entering the Caribbean she met a 750-ton U-boat.  This boat was described as having just come from Kiel on her first patrol.  She had an encounter with aircraft and had been damaged abaft the conning tower.  Prisoners stated that U-615 remained in the vicinity for several days with two or three other U-boats waiting to be supplied.  They were unable to identify any of these boats.  The operation was prolonged because oil had to be pumped through a water hose.  U-615 received about 20 tons of oil.

IN OPERATIONAL AREA.

        U-615 entered the Caribbean about mid July 1943, passing close to Martinique.  The passage was made at night on the surface.  Kapitzky was on the bridge and observed the shore through the "Seehund".

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        U-615 remained in the western end of the Caribbean, approaching various harbors at night to observe shipping.  Once the lights of Willemstad were clearly visible.  Several times aircraft were sighted, but U-615 was able to dive without being discovered.  Once during the night, a plane dropped a flare in the vicinity of the U-boat, but no attack was made.

SINKING OF S.S. ROSALIA.

        The prisoners stated that toward the end of July 1943, U-615 sighted and attacked a tanker of about 6,000 tons.  The U-boat fired two torpedoes both of which were hits, and the tanker sank.  (O.N.I. Note:  This was probably S.S. Rosalia, sunk at 0225Z, 28 July 1943 in position 12⁰ 07' N., 69⁰ 13' W.).

        U-615 continued to patrol her operational area for about a week longer.  During this period she received a signal from Commander-in-Chief-U-boats saying, "Return at once.  Refueling problem most critical".  On 6 August 1943 she was sighted by an aircraft which began the attack that was to sink her.

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Chapter IX.  SINKING OF U-615

FIRST ATTACK.

        U-615 was in the act of making a routine dive when she was attacked 6 August 1943 by a PBM from Squadron 204.  The attack took place at 1721Z in 12⁰ 38' N., 64⁰ 15' W.  Three or four depth charges were dropped and damaged the U-boat considerably.  The electric motors and the port Diesel were put out of action.  The lubricating oil gravity tank was damaged and oil ran into the bilges.  High pressure air lines were broken and water entered through some of the glands.  The U-boat surfaced at once, and the two 20-mm. anti-aircraft guns were manned.  The portable machine guns were brought to the bridge, and the U-boat opened fire.  The plane returned to attack, but was shot down by the heavy barrage laid down by the 20-mm. guns.

SUBSEQUENT ATTACKS.

        A second PBM attacked U-615 at 1935Z, and at 2040Z another PBM and a PV joined in the action.  These attacks increased the damage aboard the U-boat.  During the night of 6-7 August 1943, U-615 drifted helplessly on the surface.  Kapitzky had been wounded severely in the thigh by machine gun fire, and it became clear that he was bleeding to death.  The crew gathered on deck awaiting the order to abandon ship.  Kapitzky bade farewell to his men.  The Executive Officer then gave orders to break out the rubber boat, intending to use it for Kapitzky and a wounded petty officer.  In the darkness and confusion, the boat drifted away.

        According to one prisoner, the Executive Officer asked for volunteers to swim after the rubber boat, but no one answered the call.

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He then ordered four men at pistol point to swim for it.  They obeyed, but only three returned to the U-boat without having accomplished their mission.  The fourth had disappeared in the darkness.

        Sometime later, a distress signal was fired from the Very pistol but this only attracted the attention of the planes which again attacked the U-boat.

FINAL ATTACK.

        On the morning of 7 August 1943, the attack on U-615 was resumed.  At 0952Z in approximate position 12⁰ 27' N., 64⁰ 54' W., she flooded and sank.  The survivors were in the water slightly over an hour when they were rescued by U.S.S. Walker.  Walker picked up three officers, - 40 men, and the dead body of the wounded petty officer.  The prisoners were put ashore at Trinidad.

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Chapter X.  GENERAL REMARKS ON U-BOATS

NEW ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS.

        A prisoner stated that the crew of U-615 had received an address from a representative of Commander-in-Chief-U-boats regarding a new type of anti-aircraft gun to be installed on U-boats in the near future.  It was described as a 40-mm. automatic gun, guaranteed to reduce U-boat losses.  This address was given shortly before U-615 sailed on her last patrol, 12 June 1943.

TORPEDOES.

        Prisoners stated that a new type of F.A.T. torpedo was being used on some U-boats.  It does not cut the regular 180⁰ turn, but follows a circular course.  The distance of the straight run and the gyro angle are determined by a setting after the torpedo is placed in the tube.  A prisoner said that this torpedo was known as "F.A.T.-X".

S.B.T.

        The Engineer Officer stated that U-boat commanders had been told by the German Intelligence Service that the United States and British Navies were well informed regarding the use of the S.B.T. by German U-boats.

DEPTH CHARGE PLOTTER.

        In June 1943, a new instrument known as the "Wabe-Ortungs Gerät" (literally, "Depth Charge Locating Gear") was installed on the port side of the control room, just forward of the periscope motor and above the potato box.  The visual part of the instrument was described as a bakelite panel about 30 cm. by 50 cm., attached directly to the pressure hull by metal brackets.  On the panel was the outline of a U-boat surfacing at a

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sharp angle.  Forward and aft of this U-boat were cruciform arrangements of small colored light bulbs, and amidships was a horizontal line of bulbs.  It was stated that five bulbs were in each arm of the cross, and ten were in the horizontal line.  The bulbs were spaced about 20 mm. apart.  The bulbs to the left were red, to the right - green, above -- white, and below -- blue.  

 

       During an attack, lights flashing on the panel indicate the approximate position of the explosion of depth charges.  The red lights indicate explosions to port, green -- to starboard, white -- above, and blue -- below.

        It was stated that the instrument had a range of 500 meters.  One prisoner was under the impression that when an explosion was located, it would be the policy of the captain to take the boat to the general area of the explosion, both on the theory that lightening never strikes twice in the same place, and as evasive action against echo-ranging.

        Beneath the panel was a storage battery, placed on top of the potato box.  The panel was covered at all times by a canvas cover except during an attack.  The device was regarded as extremely secret and only could be served by the captain or the engineer officer.

        When questioned about the Depth Charge Plotter, the Engineer Officer proved to be evasive, tricky, unreliable, and an unblushing liar.  At first he denied the existence of such a device.  When confronted by evidence to the contrary in his own note book, he stated that the instrument never functioned properly and that he regarded it as being only in its infancy.  He said that the day after U-615 sailed, he discovered that several of the lights failed to function properly due to short circuits or faulty wiring.  He felt that the sweating of the pressure hull might have caused some damage to the device.  These statements are substantiated by

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Depth Charge Plotter:

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Chapter XI.  U-BOAT BASES

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SECRET

DAY	DATE	HOUR	BOAT:  KARIN	COMDT:  Kaptl.  Kapitzky
			Stationary trials, fuel, oil, water, oxygen
			Beginning, Condition A.
			Taking on dummy torpedoes	Trip out:        Return:
			Practice Firing	Trip out:
			Deperming in lock                      H.T. (high tide)	Return:
			"Secure for Sea"  mooring	Trip out:  L.T. (low tide)
			Lock
			Warf trimming trials     Trip out:  H.T. (high tide)	Return:
			Trial run
			Stow spare parts
			Final overhaul, yard work completed by evening.
Mon.	June 7	0745	Taking on torpedoes, fuel, water	Trip out:  0713
		1400	Taking on ammunition	Return:   1625
Tues.	June 8	0745	Taking on non-perishable provisions	Trip out:  0713
			Boat completely provisioned	Return:   1625
Wedn.	June 10	0800	"Secure for Sea" mooring	Trip out:  0713
		0815	Locks (passing though)  H.T. 0927	L.T.        1548
		0830	Final trimming trial
			Initial firing from:  0900 to 1000
		0900	Radio tests (?)
		1500	Medical examination of the crew.	1430
Thurs.	June 10	0800	Tie up at the pier	Trip out:  0736
		0830	Take on fresh provisions
		0900	Medical examination of the watch
			conference of the officers with
			the adjutant                                  H.T. 1040	L.T.  1641

+	I	KS	Ia	CT	Base	NR	Torpedo	Auxiliary
					Police		Artisan	Artisan

CHIEF MASTER	FIRE WATCH	P.T. QUARTERMASTER	RETURN TO ENGINEER
Receive a plan for armament:
W.O.
Boat	Administrative	Baur        Scherf	Submarine Headquarters
	Officer

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ANNEX B.  CREW LIST OF U-615

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OTHER U-BOATS

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