Life in a German U-Boat - WW2 Special

The German U-Boats were one of the most dangerous armed forces of World War II. From the North Sea to the Mexican coast to the Cape of Good Hope, everywhere they put fear into the Allied merchant marine. But what was life like on a German submarine? What dangers did the crew face? How did they endure the long voyages far away from home?
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Hosted by: Indy Neidell
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Creative Producer: Marek Kamiński
Community Management: Ian Sowden
Written by: Markus Linke and Indy Neidell
Research by: Markus Linke
Map animations by: Daniel Weiss and Miki Cackowski
Map research by: Sietse Kenter
Edited by: Miki Cackowski
Artwork and color grading by: Mikołaj Uchman
Sound design by: Marek Kamiński
Source literature list: bit.ly/WW2sources
Archive footage: Screenocean/Reuters - www.screenocean.com
Image sources:
Pictures of U-Boat crews at work, courtesy of Reminiscencerestore www.flickr.com/photos/1934814...
Soundtracks from Epidemic Sound:
Phoenix Tail - At the Front
Johannes Bornlof - The Inspector 4
Rannar Sillard - March Of The Brave 4
Dream Cave - Choirs of War
Max Anson - Darkness Closing In
Skrya - First Responders
Fabien Tell - Last Point of Safe Return
A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Join the TimeGhost Army: bit.ly/SPECIAL_086_PI It seems that this theatre of the war, the Atlantic, is entering its sunset. While it is far from over, the U-Boats are struggling to deliver the results the Nazis hoped to see at the start of the war. But other theatres are fighting some of their most colossal campaigns yet, and many more may soon come. Join us in following them all by joining the TimeGhost Army. Read our community guidelines before commenting: community.timeghost.tv/t/rules-of-conduct/4518

[@QuizmasterLaw]

I read "Iron Coffins" which is a very well written and well translated book, and I recommend it.

[@beagletank129]

Fun fact: Friedrich Grade, chief engineer of U96 ("Das Boot"), is still alive and published his memories just a few years ago. He is 106.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for sharing about him, that's quite amazing.

[@qjnmh]

wow

[@qjnmh]

wow

[@VersusARCH]

The Li?

[@beagletank129]

@@VersusARCH Yes.

[@thanos_6.0]

For anyone interested: "Das Boot" is an amazing movie/mini series about life in a german U-boat.

[@indianajones4321]

Great movie

[@rorycraft5453]

Yes, you could just feel the claustrophobia and terror being trapped inside that tube.

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

@@rorycraft5453 Yeah, it’s terrifying! There’s no way I could ever watch the 5 hour version of that movie.

[@curtinj98]

The original, yes. The modern reboot, or re-das-boot, not so much.

[@DaiElsan]

Seen it many times. Great film.

[@gleisbauer25]

Just to put Indy‘s number of 30.000 dead submariners during the war into context, the total number of submariners was about 40.000. Or otherwise, a death rate of75%

[@lycaonpictus9662]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that was the highest fatality rate for any armed service from either side during the war.

[@thunderbird1921]

There's footage here on KZbin of American dive bombers and other aircraft making their attack runs on the U-Boats. Those guys were dead, Dead, DEAD if they did not submerge or get out of harm's way in time. Even if some of the German sailors tried to bail out, there's a fair chance they get strafed on the deck. The smartest thing a U-Boat crew could do if surrounded and damaged is to just try to surrender en masse. Sometimes they got lucky and were taken prisoner, like most of the U-505 crew in 1944.

[@Lex-dw7ng]

I don't think even Kamikazes took that many casualties

[@paulandsueroberts4121]

Still wasn’t enough.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

@@Lex-dw7ng No, even if you count the 5,000 to 7,000 aircraft held back for the invasion of Japan.

[@Masada1911]

Being stuck on the bottom of the ocean in a metal coffin with no hope of escape is really the stuff of some particular nightmare

[@WorldWarTwo]

Absolutely. It's critical to a deeper understanding of the endless tragedies of war that we think about the fates of such individuals; even if they were submariners for a tyrannical regime we must still remember their humanity. Thanks for helping us to remember them.

[@BleedingUranium]

@@WorldWarTwo Seeing any individual as something less than human is exactly how we get into these messes in the first place, after all. :)

[@hardanheavy]

Such instances must have been very rare. Most Uboats were lost in waters way deeper then crushing depth. Terrifying as that sounds, that spelled a very quick demise. Once the pressure hull gave in, the people in the imploding boat were under 300/400 meters of water pressure. Instant death, not even time to drown.

[@harpomarx7777]

You died well before reaching the bottom in the actual ocean. When the hull finally breached on the way down, you burned as the air pressure increased like in a diesel cylinder. And then you were crushed before the water reached you. And it all took place in darkness. "Das Boot" occurred in the straits of Gibralter where it's relatively shallow.

[@nickgraff9413]

23 May 1939, USS Squalus (SS-192), a submarine of the prewar Sargo class, is conducting test dives following a scheduled overhaul at the naval shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Suddenly and without warning, the main induction valve catastrophically fails. The aft torpedo room, the engine rooms, and the crew's quarters are rapidly submerged. 26 of her crew drown in the ensuing tragedy. She sinks to the bottom, landing on the ocean floor, 243 feet down. Fearing the worst, her sister ship, the USS Sculpin (SS-191), rushes to the scene, and what the crew find is a miracle. 33 men are still alive, and can only communicate through a telephone marker buoy. However, the cable is delicate, and soon severs, leaving the survivors of the Squalus still in the dark. A rescue operation is mounted, unbeknownst to the men. They are slowly beginning to accept their fate. The rescue ship, the USS Falcon, has on board a new piece of equipment that has never been used in action, the McCann Rescue Chamber. Divers work quickly, attaching and disengaging the device from one of the hatches in the bow as, slowly but surely, all 33 men are rescued and taken to a hospital to recover. As for the Squalus, she would be raised that August, repaired, and renamed: the USS Sailfish. 4 December 1943, the Japanese aircraft carrier Chuuyou is participating in a mission to the naval anchorage at Truk Lagoon. Her hangar contains a squadron of aircraft destined for the base, but curiously, also in her hold are 21 American prisoners, survivors of the USS Sculpin. It is shortly after midnight, and all is quiet. Lookouts keep the watch, while sonar operators work on their primitive devices. Without warning, a torpedo blows off her bow, and causes for the forwardmost section of her flight deck to buckle and collapse. Her captain quickly gives the order to first cut the engines, and then sail in reverse at half speed, back all the way to Yokosuka. But it is only a brief reprieve. Six hours later, two more torpedoes strike her port engine room, and barely three hours later, she is attacked again, another one or two torpedoes slamming into her hull. By this point, repair is impossible, and in six minutes, she capsizes and sinks to the bottom. 1,270 men are killed during the action, including 20 of the 21 American prisoners. In a sad irony, Chuuyou's killer is none other than USS Sailfish. Though Sculpin and Chuuyou rest on the bottom in their watery graves, Sailfish was mostly scrapped following the end of the war. Mostly. Residents of Portsmouth were able to reach an agreement to have her conning tower removed and preserved as a memorial at the naval shipyard. It bears witness to the tragedy of her sinking, the miracle of her rescue, and the horrors of war. A television movie docudrama was produced in 2001, titled "Submerged", which depicts the events of the sinking of the Squalus and the rescue of her crew. Of further note, some of the props and sets used in the docudrama had been constructed for the film, U-571. The non-diving replica that serves as the set for the Squalus and the Sculpin is still afloat, moored in the Grand Harbour of Malta.

[@stinsaaan4146]

I remember hearing from my grandfather, that those who chose to become part of the Kriegsmarine were able to graduate a year earlier than those who didn't. The now young sailors would return once to their school, painting a target on the classrooms blackboard and shoot at it. As far as I know, none of the naval volunteers of my grandfathers class made it back home after the war.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Stinsaaan Thanks for sharing that from your grandfather.

[@rorycraft5453]

75 % mortality rate. When I first went to see Das Boot in 1981, I was very surprised when I saw the opening when it was pointed out that out of 40,000 submariners in the WW2 Kriegsmarine, only 10,000 survived the war. Those were some courageous sailors.

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

A book to read... "Iron Coffins." Best I've ever read regarding UBoats.

[@kevinbyrne4538]

My father (an American) wanted to become a paratrooper. In his opinion, paratroopers had impressive uniforms. Fortunately he wasn't accepted as a paratrooper. Only later did he realize that the more dangerous the job, the more glamorously the job was portrayed.

[@andmos1001]

@@kevinbyrne4538 in the Royal Marine Commandos advertising, they don’t even try to be glamorous. They just have a picture of a sergeant yelling, with the text: “this ain’t a rose garden”

[@bbenjoe]

The last German U-Boat commander was Reinhard Hardegen. He died in 2018, at the age of 105.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for sharing about him, Benjámin. That is quite amazing.

[@johnhough7738]

Pity he didn't die in the saddle early in WW2 ...

[@pagodebregaeforro2803]

Man, this guy was lucky, survived the 75% chance of dying in the iron coffins and lived till 105 wich is for very few. Crazy.

[@dwightadams3853]

My brother married a German woman in 1972 (born in 1945) and I recently did some research on her family. I discovered her uncle was the captain of U-41 that was sunk off the Irish coast on 5 February 1940 on their third patrol. His names was Gustav-Adolf Leopold Mugler (1912-1949). His father, Julius Alfred Mugler (1872-1933), built German submarines in WWI.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Dwight, Thanks for sharing that about your brother's wife. Quite an amazing family history for her to have, and it's incredible hearing it from such a close source.

[@iacopoguidi7871]

Das Boot is literally one of the best WW2 movie ever. I'd rank it even higher than Saving private Ryan.

[@pineapplethief4418]

Das Boot is incredible movie

[@Goatboysminion]

Absofuckinglutely.

[@harpomarx7777]

Agree!

[@davidobriend8560]

Check out "come and see" it's in Belarusian. I don't think it's the best wwii movie made, but it's def an experience to watch.

[@alanpearson7554]

@@davidobriend8560 Definitely worth a watch, not much to laugh at in that film

[@LewisRenovation]

I'm a cold war US submariner. A nuclear sub is almost a vacation compared to the WW2 diesel boats.

[@RodneyGraves]

I wouldn't go quite that far... Nothing quite like waking up to the collision alarm when operating submerged.

[@Conn30Mtenor]

what, no stink of diesel, sweat, urine and farts?

[@RodneyGraves]

@@Conn30Mtenor There is still a distinctive submarine funk: 2190TEP (lube and hydraulic fluid), Hydrazine, and other lesser contributors.

[@lobsterbark]

@@RodneyGraves If you are smelling hydrazine I don't think you are gonna be alive much longer.

[@robertkras5162]

Thank you for your service. I had a friend that served on a cold-war sub - he used to tell me I would never believe the missions they undertook. I figured he just meant the cat-and-mouse pinging game. Years later I read books on the feats in the Okhotsk sea and such. True to his oath though, he took his stories with him to the grave.

[@PeskyWabb1t]

Its interesting that you mention captured submariners were sent to POW camps deep in the Canadian wilderness. Indeed, I know of such a place. I have an island cottage in Lake of the Woods Ontario and on one of the islands there was one of these camps. There are several notable stories from this time period. Apparantly, the germans wwere treated quiet well and had alot of freedom since there was nowhere to escape to in the deep Canadian wilderess. They could fish and swim and even go into port to visit the local pub, with one story claiming that the prisoners once had to carry the camp guards back onto the boats from the pub to get back to the camp because all the guards had passed out drunk. Due to their luck of being held in such a beutiful and trusting POW camp, with much freedom of activity, the prisoners never sought to escape, the vast emptiness of the Canadian wilderness would have made escape pointless anyway as the next city in either direction of lake of the woods would have taken days of walking, if not weeks. Moreover, who would want to escape such luxury to return to a brutal war, and even if they escaped how would they get back to Germany? Anyway, after the war ended and POWs were released many of them chose to return to Lake of the Woods to build cottages of theeir own, having fallen in love with its beauty during their tenure as 'prisoners'. Thus, many residents of Lake of the Woods are now Germans.

[@minuteman4199]

Neys Provincial Park, about half way between Sault Sainte Marie and Thunder Bay was also a POW camp, and back then Highway 17 didn't exist yet. The only way in and out was by train, or boat I suppose, but I imagine they used the rail line.

[@WorldWarTwo]

That is fascinating, thank you for sharing about that POW camp.

[@robertkras5162]

The crew of U-559 (?) was kept isolated from other POWs after that boat was boarded and the enigma seized. The Brits didn't even acknowledge their capture for security reasons (and in violation of the Geneva convention) to protect Ultra.

[@floydvaughn836]

There was an excellent movie about German submariners traversing Canada in WW 2. Title escapes me.

[@owencarroll9878]

@@robertkras5162 kinda ironic how readily countries are more than happy to ignore rules they themsleves made if it gives themselves an upper hand in the war

[@douglasturner6153]

Keeping morale up for Uboat crews was a prime objective for Admiral Doenitz. The French Ports gave lavish welcomes. French wine, food and bordellos. One funny fact was the band's performing for the crew's return played American marching tunes like "Stars and Stripes Forever"! Either Doenitz or another top German liked the tunes. The young sailors thought those were their own Kriegsmarine marching songs. Several veterans were later very surprised to hear US Troop bands playing "Their own Uboat's music"!

[@MandalorV7]

Well the tunes are very upbeat. And I take it that the decision to use American music was done while the U.S was still not at war with the Axis?

[@MsZeeZed]

Beyond the Atlantic convoy war each sea brought its own dangers to submarines. In the Pacific and the Java Sea icing is replaced with heat high enough to disable the boat, for crew in the water replace hypothermia with sharks. The Java Sea carried some of the same operational problems as the Mediterranean, narrow patrolled straights and clear shallow water were even a bottom dive could leave you visible to surface ships in daylight. The nerves required to stay quiet in a war where every mile could be listened to by dozens of hostile ears is quiet incredible.

[@halfmanthehand8803]

My grandfather was a submariner (though not during WW2) - he had a bunch of hats that said “Silent Service.” He passed away last year, but I’m still proud to have had a sewer-pipe sailor in my family :)

[@gunman47]

I cannot fathom or imagine being on a submarine during wartime. The confined spaces inside a submarine makes things pretty claustrophobic, and the constant fear of being bombarded by enemy depth charges and sunk to the bottom of the sea in what is essentially a metal coffin must have been dreadful and terrifying at times.

[@leandro9311]

I think that, like any other job on the world, it just becomes normal and natural. Its your job, you get in a routine, you gain experience and you do the same every day, every week, every month and, in the case of military service members, hopefully every year

[@BlueDebut]

watch the movie Das Boot. it portrays it so well

[@adamburge5988]

"Fathom." I see what you did there.

[@bojankotur4613]

@@BlueDebut better to watch the TV series. The movie is just cut down version of the series afaik..

[@BlueDebut]

@@bojankotur4613 I watched the 5 hour version. Loved it so much

[@majormoolah5056]

I love these specials about the everyday life the soldiers experienced. And their non-lethal equipment like boots and bicycles. Keep up the good work!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you, Major Moolah!

[@thebashar]

I was a submariner in the USN for 9 years. Thank you for this episode.

[@starkparker16]

9408?

[@georgepurdy7823]

Indy & co. Are we going to see similar coverage of the US Gato class? Just a small window into modern submarines; when a new sailor qualifies and is pinned with the “Dolphins/Fish” submarine warfare qualification. We all pick a specific Gato class and a certain story of her past and have it read while the pin is attached. And yes; we still use the words “skimmer/targets”

[@sageburner127]

I'd guess that that ought to wait until the torpedoes get figured out next year...

[@WorldWarTwo]

George, We have tons of hardware specials in the pipeline, as the end of this war doesn't seem very near at all. We'll definitely cover submarines in more depth 😉 But to ensure we can, please consider joining the TimeGhost Army today and help us produce those special episodes you love www.patreon.com/join/timeghosthistory

[@tavshedfjols]

Walter Boat HTP Drives could use a mention, they’re very interesting.

[@georgepurdy7823]

@@WorldWarTwo I’ll definitely consider that! Thanks for replying! ❤️

[@arkadisevyan]

The perro class is better

[@alexamerling79]

They didn't call them Iron coffins for nothing. The U Bootwaffe had a 75% casualty rate, the highest among the German forces during the war.

[@joshuajimenez5925]

Absolutely captivating. You guys run an amazing program, you should all be proud of the work you do and the knowledge you help spread concerning this time period :)

[@WorldWarTwo]

Joshua Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words of support. We can't stress enough how much it means to us to have such a great audience as you who take this history seriously. Thanks again and stay tuned

[@thunderbird1921]

One thing Indy didn't mention: Some U-Boat sailors captured were sent to Camp Ruston down in Louisiana, in addition to the Canadian POW camps. I don't know how many exactly were, but this was the fate of the U-505 crew survivors. Their presence in the camp was considered top secret, and even the Red Cross was apparently not told about them.

[@clamum9648]

Totally agreed. This is so far above anything on History channel it's not even close. Really there's MANY KZbin history channels that are high quality but I really like the "real-time" aspect these guys do.

[@robertfrost1683]

The great movie " Das Boot" is a very good description of the actual life. I seem to remember that 30,000 UBOAT Men perished during the war.

[@melvynparkerson9984]

How many merchant seamen who were not military died in U boat attacks ?.

[@SHKEVE]

@@melvynparkerson9984actually, about the same number.

[@christopherrasmussen8718]

On the flip. My grandad had an old Merchant Marine sailor working for us. I was young. One day I asked him how many boats he had shot out from under him. Without a break. He said 5! 5! I asked him what was the longest he spent in a life boat. He told me 1 week once. Nice little man he was. I’ll never forget him.

[@joshuasill1141]

I heard an interview with an old timer Merchant Marine. Someone asked him how he was able to sleep at night. Without out a beat he said it depended on what they were hauling. If they were carrying food, wood, steel plates, iron ore, wood, or other consumer goods he'd have his shoes and life preservers right beside his bed and slept in his clothes so that if they were hit he could jump out of bed, throw on his life preserver while slipping on his shoes and hoping none of the exists were blocked. He also said that you tended not to sleep very well. Now, if they were carrying ammunition, bombs, explosives, or any type of fuel or oil he said you slept like a baby because if you got hit it didn't matter.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for sharing about your granddad, Christopher. May he rest in peace.

[@RodneyGraves]

Werner's _Iron Coffins_ is an excellent historical source. Only about a third of all the thousands of U-Boat men survived the war.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

10k out of 40k.

[@paulboegel8009]

Great book. It was a miracle that they survived.

[@Spindrift_87]

I'll second that. It's not completely verified, but he's thought to have died only in 2013, having lived to 92. I almost feel sorry for him living with the nightmares (alluded to in his introduction) for all those years. Reading what those guys endured, I can't fathom how a human mind con survive such things. As an Englishman, I feel like I should probably hate the U-Boat guys... but I can't

[@blackbelt4488]

I corresponded with Herbert Werner in the 1980’s and spoke to him on the phone once. He had become a home builder in New Jersey. He was courteous and helpful and answered many questions. I still have several letters and two signed copies of Iron Coffins.

[@indianajones4321]

Unrestricted submarine warfare option: exists Germany: I’m gonna do what’s called a pro gamer move

[@Arbiter099]

Ludendorff has Indy's phone number to remind them how badly that works out

[@topeka088]

In my experience, only the US uses "submarine-er". The Brits/Canadians use "Sub-mariner". And don't get me started on "Pot-able" water. And we'd never call ourselves Bubbleheads. But did have derogatory names for groups amongst ourselves. "Nukes" vs "Coners" (ie - the forward, cone shaped part of the boat)

[@garethfairclough8715]

This.

[@LewisRenovation]

When I was a reactor operator on a SSN, east coast boats had sub-mariners and west coast boats had submarine-ers

[@theresejardinier3913]

"The Rime of the Ancient Marine-er" just doesn't have the same ring to it, somehow.

[@belbrighton6479]

It’s an old grammar thing that makes English wonderful if frustrating. How long before someone posts the full explanation?

[@keys546]

Pretty much this, its also tradition to throw money at the skimmers as they earn less than a Submariner.

[@thanos_6.0]

When I visited Hamburg once I made a tour through a soviet submarine from the Cold war 1960's. We were shown different parts of the boat and were told how the conditions on board were. And they were tough. And I only could imagine how tough the conditions in a german submarine during the second World War were, since they were 20 years less advanced as the one I visited.

[@christoffereilskov5006]

And then try to imagine 1st WW subs!

[@DoctorDeath147]

@@christoffereilskov5006 not as bad as US Civil War subs

[@wordsmithgmxch]

There are four German WWII-era U-Boote (submarines) on display: U-505 (in Chicago); U-995 (in Laboe, near Kiel, Germany -- and very much like the one in the movie); U-2540 (in Bremerhaven); and U-534 (split into sections, in Liverpool, UK).

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for sharing, Thanos. Surprisingly enough, I'm always glad to see your name in the comments!

[@davidwright7193]

@@DoctorDeath147 The only problems with the Huntley were that you had to persuade the victims to climb into it and it would only drown 10 confederates at a time

[@jaf2011]

My family vacations at the Outer Banks in North Carolina every year. I’ve fished for Groupers around the wreckage of U-85 about 14 miles off the coast. It got me interested in U-Boats and WW2 in general. I never knew WW2 battles happened so close to home. Thanks for the video and it was great as always.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Justin, it is quite amazing that there are wrecks so close to the American coast.

[@jliller]

About 50 attacks occurred near the Florida coast, some only a few miles offshore. More in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

[@LRijt]

Walked through U-505 in the Chicago Science and Industry museum once - Type IXC on permanent display. Absolutely awesome ! Also, Das Boot is one of my all time favorite movies.

[@SamLaSala71]

I toured that sub too. It is very cool.

[@gwcrispi]

Toured the 505 many times. Made me never to want to serve on a German sub. Even when not being hunted it would be pure hell.

[@thunderbird1921]

Thank goodness the US Navy was smart enough to preserve that piece of history.

[@rossbryan6102]

I TOURED THE U 505 3 TIMES! THE FIRST TIME AS A SEVENTH GRADER ON A SCHOOL TOUR. THE SECOND TIME, AS A YOUNG MECHANIC OF 24 YEARS OLD, AND COULD IDENTIFY MECHANICAL PARTS! THE THIRD TIME AFTER BEING A DIESEL MACHINIST ON THE RAILROAD I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SIMILARITIES BETWEEN SUBMARINES AND LOCOMOTIVES!

[@williamashbless7904]

As bad as the U-Boat threat was, the writing was on the wall by mid March of 1941. In Ten days the U-boat arm lost three of their most celebrated aces. Schepke and Prien were missing and presumed lost with their crews. Kretschmer was take prisoner. Hitler was so shocked by the news he didn’t have their loss released to the nation until months later.

[@BlueDebut]

YES!!! Anything about U-Boats is an immediate watch. One of my top favorite movies is Das Boot and the navy, especially submarine forces always interested me greatly.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Liam.

[@perihelion7798]

Thank you for your continuing efforts to bring us the war on a personal level. To every war-fighter, that particular war is very personal. Maps and unit movements are interesting, and necessary to understand the grand picture, but these episodes focused on the individual experiences of humans at war, and on the countless victims of war, are some of my favorite. Been there; done that. I appreciate these types of episodes a lot. Thanks again.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching every week.

[@AbbyNormL]

Former EM1(SS) in a US Navy fast attack submarine during the cold war. Always enjoy learning just how good we had it over these guys.

[@pbh81]

I saw u boat 505 at a Chicago museum years ago. Couldn't believe how small and cramped it must have been for the crew inside it.

[@SamA-bi4ly]

Das Boot greatest U-boat film ever. Best watched with German audio & English subtitles. The first time ALARM! is shouted you jump out of your chair.

[@tempo5366]

I know they’re on the wrong side, but when I see that movie I can’t help but hope for them to get home safely.

[@bubblehead78]

Enjoyed the video. I'm a retired US submariner and most of this presentation is quite true. The reason I joined the Navy and the submarine force in particular was after learning about the German U-boats and their wolfpacks. Their teamwork, professionalism, and comraderie made an impact on me. I'm thankful I did not have to endure what these men, submariners on all sides, had to endure. Much respect to those 739 boats and over 30,000 German submariners and the 52 boats and over 3,500 US submariners still on patrol.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching & sharing your experience John.

[@bart5158]

Indy is one hell of a storyteller.

[@Alan_Connor]

Makes me want to watch a good submarine war movie. "The Enemy Below" springs to mind!

[@rickmcdonald1557]

Yes, That's my favorite also~!!

[@larryzigler6812]

Yellow Submarine much better.

[@joelgalvan8358]

Run salient, run deep. Good action.

[@larryzigler6812]

Operation Petticoat much better.

[@Alan_Connor]

@@larryzigler6812 sounds a bit too risque for me :-D

[@robertlees6943]

I've visited U505 several times while on business trips to Chicago, well worth the visit.

[@steveandulsky566]

Good job of describing what it must have been like. There for a time, I almost felt like I was on a U-boat. Thank you for the great video.

[@binman5233]

Das Boot must be watched in its intended entirety , almost five hours and with the German sub titles. The series gives the sense of time, often boredom and the psychological pressure.The reality of sleeping amongst the provisions and the smell of oil and diesel. The abridged version dubbed in English is a travesty and should be avoided by those that wish to watch a pure Masterpiece.

[@BarryH1701]

Love this channel and all the episodes and informative special episodes. I served in the US Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s and always love the episodes having to do with naval history, battles and tactics. I never did join the submarine force though. Something about getting on a boat that sinks on purpose didn't appeal to me....LOL!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Barry, very glad you enjoy the channel & thanks for sharing a bit of your experience in the Navy.

[@williamkz]

Brilliant delivery and great content. As always. Thanks TGA.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks very much, William. Stay tuned for more every week

[@kittymervine6115]

My husband did the training in the large water tank, and was in some large room with lots of pipes that begin to leak and everyone had to fix the leaks as the water raised higher and higher!. Training was about a year extra, and pay was very good as compared to a regular ship. Also whenever the submarine would go in and out of port, in Scotland, every fisherman applied for new nets claiming the sub had snagged their nets (again!)

[@Perkelenaattori]

I have a feeling we saw this episode for a reason. Could be that very soon, maybe next month we'll be seeing something absolutely massive happen in the Battle of the Atlantic.

[@WorldWarTwo]

No spoilers

[@hardanheavy]

@@WorldWarTwo I'd say the outlook is rather BLACK if I MAY say so... ;-)

[@redheads604]

I know! Tom Hanks successfully leads convoy across Atlantic on his first trip as Captain!

[@Perkelenaattori]

@@redheads604 Naah mate that happened in early 1942 mate. Do your research. 😄

[@hanssteiner4315]

For the people who would like to experience it virtually: try wolfpack for multiplayer on steam or silent hunter series for single player.

[@auguststorm2037]

You forgot Uboat also on Steam

[@nicholasthuya7683]

@@auguststorm2037 uboat is more of a crew management simulator

[@stc3145]

@@nicholasthuya7683 If you adjust the difficulty, there is really no crew managment other than using the 4-6 officers you have.

[@tomcluny8423]

Wolfpaxk is great for a hands on experience 9n how the sub actually works, silent hunter 3 is the best game for a war wide boat experience

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

I would think it would be just the opposite--a sterile, safe, even fun environment. Everything that the actual experience was not. Does it smell overwhelmingly like broken toilets and men who haven't washed in months? (Fun fact: when the U-boats came back to their harbors, the guys who went in to clean them had to wear gas masks to keep from puking all over everything.) When you're playing this game, are you ever locked in your room, lights out, slowly asphyxiating while massive explosions are breaking the walls, terrified like never before in your life?

[@perpetualgrin5804]

Many people have such a fascination with U Boots and submarines I'm no exception.

[@clarencehopkins7832]

Excellent stuff bro

[@jjeherrera]

Submariners have the toughest life in the navies up to date.

[@gth042]

I think Indy could describe hopscotch as the most engaging and captivating event of the week. Thank y-all for what you do and why you do it.

[@WorldWarTwo]

gth042 Thank you for the kind words! I'm not sure there'll be a hopscotch episode anytime soon, though a Scotch episode does sound tempting…

[@BarryH1701]

I would agree! If Indy could provide us the fantastic End of Hydra episode for April 1 and make it so believable, I believe he could convince the non-believers that we actually landed on the moon! If I had kids in school, I would want someone like Indy and Spartacus to be teaching my kids history class!

[@gth042]

@@WorldWarTwo I'll start research immediately.

[@gianniverschueren870]

Love this tie. Bright yet classy, not understated but also not in your face... Wonderful stuff. 4/5

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks as always, Gianni!

[@ryannelson145]

I just have to say. The sheer amount of incredible content you guys put out is astounding. You have my utmost respect and certainly my viewership!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you very much, Ryan!

[@danielnavarro537]

The U-Boats and many other submarines of both Allied and Axis were in the same state. Waiting, listening, and hoping not to perished or be spotted. Men who partook in all actions in all oceans and seas had times of hardships, brotherhood, and hope. Godspeed to all who perished in the waters of the Earth. Requies Aeterna In Aquis

[@petergray7576]

Germany built or possessed 1162 U-boats during WW2, of which 785 were sunk by enemy action or in accidents for a loss rate of 67%. By contrast the British only lost 74 subs, and the US Navy only 54 subs (out of 263 deployed). The German loss rate per ton of enemy shipping sunk was 4.75 times greater than the US Navy. Jusr 10% of Allied convoys were attacked by U-boats, and just 1% of all Atlantic crossing by Allied merchant ships resulted in destruction by a U-boat. Uboats sank 21 million tons GRT, but the Allies added 38 million tons.

[@wallaceb9120]

Send tha nazi bastards to "Hell"!

[@JB-rt4mx]

You are including the Turkey Shoot of the Pacific Theatre with heavy Japanese losses

[@richardcharay7788]

Enjoyed, thanks!

[@jasondrew5768]

Good video Indy! You and your hard working staff are doing a good job as usual!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Jason, the whole crew appreciates your support

[@living2ndchildhood347]

Thank you for clarifying the correct pronouncement of submariners. American submarine sailors insist that they are sub-mariners not mareeners. In the USN, we call divers bubble heads. I have never heard the term “sewer pipe sailors”. I personally am a Puddle Pirate, aka: Coastie (US Coast Guard).

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, glad you appreciated the nomenclature note.

[@pauljohnson9542]

Only true in US.

[@steveread6843]

When reading Karl Doenitz' memoir, one of the things that stands out is the amount of training and preparation that went into getting crews and boats ready for deployment. U-boats, submarines in general, are complicated pieces of equipment and as Indy noted, any little mistake can kill you and all your mates. So getting personnel and equipment trained and vetted was no small task in terms of effort and time so that they didn't die of their own volition. Fortunately, Doenitz had been in charge of a training ship in the Kreigsmarine after the Great War and understood the logistics of training. Although he never got the numbers of U-boats he desired, it is still amazing that under Doenitz, Germany could build the numbers that they did, sustain the losses, yet keep a continuous line of highly trained crews in marvelously built vessels coming throughout the war. Say what you want about Doenitz, and there's lots to say, in this regard he was the right person for this job at this time in history.

[@malcolmscrivener8750]

My Grandfather , Lt Gregory Scrivener was Acting Skipper of the British Sloop HMS Snapdragon in WW1 and rammed and sank a German submarine . Most of the crew got out except for either 4 or 6 , can’t remember exactly , but the captain was Karl Doenitz . Feeling against the submariners was high and Karl was locked up in the Skippers private toilet until they got back to port . He complained and the Admiralty court martialled Gregory and severely censured him but later one of the officers on the panel privately congratulated him and told him he would have done the same !

[@jeremy28135]

FANTASTIC episode. One of your best, I do believe

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Jeremy!

[@patrickmcglynn5383]

If you ever get to Chicago check out the completely intact U-505 at the Museum of Science and Industry,one of the coolest museums in America.

[@AIRRAID2]

Truly terrifying, been with you guys n gals since the WW I days . So glad i found out about you😊 when you gonna do another baseball ep Indy? 👍🏻👍🏻

[@WorldWarTwo]

Covering this war is a full-time job… and then some. Don't hold your breath for more baseball episodes, but do stay tuned here to see where the war takes us.

[@jonmcgee6987]

some of the most interesting battles were the one between Destroyers and Submarines. At least two times that I know of. Crews from these two types of ship engaged in hand to hand combat on the open ocean. One report of U.S sailors chunking their coffee cups at the German crew.

[@CameraHam]

This is Buckley vs U-66 if anyone wants to look it up

[@paul41to45]

very good delivery of an important historical subject, thank you

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, paul

[@meteor2012able]

Wonderful presentation.. Thanks !

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for watching, USA Latino!

[@harpomarx7777]

Delighted beyond belief to hear you correctly pronounce "Submariner", Indy. The highlight of all time was climbing up into the bridge on the surface after a long patrol .. and seeing a HUGE, black sky filled with stars .. smelling real air and hearing the wind rush by. Well done, sir.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Harpo!

[@paulandsueroberts4121]

Sorry but Indy’s pronunciation of submariner is wrong.... perhaps it’s the American way of pronouncing it.

[@ErwinPommel]

@@paulandsueroberts4121 Perhaps so. And he uses it in a video exclusively about German U-boat crews, who I suspect didn't call themselves either of those pronunciations.

[@harpomarx7777]

@@paulandsueroberts4121 Submariners pronounce it that way .. and civvies and skimmers pronounce it your way. Pull it up on the web and WEEP! We also called ourselves "bubbleheads" .. with pride! And since you probably don't wear a pair of dolphins, you shouldn't be trying to correct Indy or myself on this matter.

[@AKguru762]

I highly recommend the podcast “lions lead by donkeys” episode 124 about this same thing. It’s a great episode!! They tell the story of U-1206, the time the captain killed his men by not using the toilet correctly!!!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for the recommendation

[@naveenraj2008eee]

Hi Indy This special episode awesome to watch.. Thanks..

[@zacharyellison4189]

wow you really pack a lot of information and footage into these

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Zachary! The research & writing teams work hard on every single episode, and so do all the members of our team. Please consider joining the TimeGhost Army to help us produce more information-dense episodes like this that you enjoy www.patreon.com/join/timeghosthistory

[@tommy-er6hh]

good episode, but i kinda wish it had been about a Japanese I-boat, U-boat stories are so common. Almost as uncommon as USSR sub stories.

[@mervviscious]

Targets, that's awful.. accurate but still..

[@jamesstuart3346]

Excellent video. Well-researched and presented

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you James! I hope you'll like & subscribe, and please consider joining the TimeGhost Army to help us produce more episodes all the time. www.patreon.com/join/timeghosthistory

[@motorTranz]

This was superbly done! Thank you!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you motorTranz!

[@SoothSprayer]

Reminds me of a joke I heard in the Air Force. What's the difference between an aeronautical engineer and a civil engineer? An aeronautical engineer builds weapons. A civil engineer builds targets.

[@jimmypenrose1401]

U-47 wasn't just the number of Günther Prien's submarine - it also happens to be the model number of one of the most legendary microphones ever made. The Neumann U-47 was originally designed and manufactured by Georg Neumann in the bombed out ruins of Berlin just after the end of the war. It was used by by everybody from Frank Sinatra to The Beatles.

[@davidtong2776]

Thank you very much.

[@silvonis1]

Awesome work Indy and crew

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Ben!

[@ransidthesquid]

Obligatory comment recommending the movie "Das Boot".

[@WorldWarTwo]

Obligatory comment thanking you for the recommendation 😉

[@Valdagast]

Was life very different on a US submarine?

[@Masada1911]

No not really

[@Alex-cw3rz]

No pretty similar on all subs one thing Us crews may have experienced more would have been that their torpedoes failed more often than others early in the war. So would have snuck up on ships with all that anxiety and heightened tension to fail their mission more often however that was up until they solved the problems with their torpedoes

[@auguststorm2037]

Apparently they were less cramped since Pacific submarines were larger than Atlantic one's.

[@stc3145]

You’d be safer in one beacause the Japanese did not have sufficient escorts or the good ASW like the allies had.

[@joegiu5575]

Gato class subs were bigger and had air conditioning

[@davidschonhardt4958]

This was really good!! Thank you very much! I was a cold war submariner, and have several stories of the life and struggles out at sea.

[@WorldWarTwo]

David Thank you for watching! I'm sure you must have incredible stories from your time on boats

[@bocrillz2488]

Great video Indy And Crew!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Bo!

[@robertm.8653]

What a great episode! It takes some nerves of steel to be part of a submarine crew, yet it can also create life long bonds. It is nice to see some faces to the " Wolves of the Atlantic " , interesting to hear about the losing battle they fight but still don't know , and especially how hard it was for them to survive after even one " successful " mission.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Robert. I can't imagine how difficult it was under those circumstances, for the allied shipping convoys and the U-boats.

[@kainigwon5433]

Good storytelling!

[@davesnyder2458]

20 year retired Chief Petty Officer here who served exclusively on operating fast attack subs. I, and the hundreds of men I served with pronounced it 'sub-MAR'-in-ner" Indeed, I never heard "sub-ma-RINE-er" until after 2010, and that was from civilians. Love the channel, keep up the excellent work!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks a lot!

[@edknabel2811]

Indi, this is one of your best episodes. Well done.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Ed

[@ludwigvan2932]

Great episode!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Ludwig!

[@bradolsen8629]

I want to take the time to say thank you for this wonderful video of course all the videos are awesome keep them coming buddy I like what you do you tell the story is if it’s happening right now

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks very much @Brad Olsen!

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up for support

[@thurbine2411]

Nice video. Would be interesting to have these kinds of episodes for different planes and tanks(or other vehicles) as well

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thurbine Thanks for watching. Stay tuned, plenty more hardware specials to come.

[@shawnr771]

Very cool and informative narrative. Well done. I can imagine the events being played out. Utmost respect to anybody that gets in one. They were brave people. Indy As a side note a few days ago The History Guy released a video about the HMS Terrapin. Also a very informative video about a submarine with a Texas connection. Thank you for all the content.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for watching, Shawn

[@treeman9312]

Holy shit 🫡 It’s very enjoyable and extremely intense to listen to the first hand account of a German U-Boat’s crew experience. As he explains so well I try to mimic the emotions and simulate the experiences that they would have gone through. The sheer terror I feel to think of being 300 meters deep, with many Destroyers or Bombers pursuing us. Having to dodge mines or tend to patchwork and damages under overwhelming pressures of death is an interesting feeling. And to be honest very exciting from the comfort of my chair. Wow he did a great job on this video. Thank you. And also I now have an even deeper respect for people putting there life on the line for a cause they may seem righteous or necessary. Regardless the reason. That’s what being human is all about.

[@jasonmussett2129]

Absolutely 💯 brilliant narration 👍😀

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Jason

[@ypaulbrown]

fantastic stuff. you are the best

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Paul, you're the best!

[@user-cu6qq9bp2t]

Very interesting topic

[@MarvinJBush]

That was excellent. I really enjoyed that.

[@blueshowlar]

Yes I'll see your specials. Thanks.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Blues!

[@Lance-Urbanian-MNB]

love the header picture. You folks have an awesome sense of war art.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Lance, Thank you! The entire crew works hard in production at bringing these episodes together. Comments like yours noticing the details goes a long way, and make the team very happy to have such a keyed-in audience. Thanks for watching

[@bradleymayberry9060]

Great episode.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Bradley

[@antoinehenderson1659]

I went to Baltimore last year and climbed aboard the USS Torsk submarine. It was incredibly cramped. I could barely stand in it.

[@hemmingwayfan]

Random U-boat crewman below 300 meters: "Pressure like a drip drip drip til I'm ready to pop"

[@ColRAPR]

Outstanding!!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Colonel!

[@riddleof]

Very good one Indy !

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, al!