Battle of Point Judith
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Point Judith is the popular name for a naval engagement fought between the United States
and Nazi Germany
during World War II
. On May 5 and 6, 1945 American surface combatant
s and two blimp
s sank a German U-boat
off Point Judith, Rhode Island
in one of the last actions of the Battle of the Atlantic.
.
On 5 May, U-853 was lying in wait off the point when she sighted and fired on the SS Black Point, a collier
with armed guards
aboard underway for Boston
, Massachusetts
. Her torpedo
es struck, and within fifteen minutes, Black Point had capsized in 95 ft (29 m) of water, the last American flagged merchant ship sunk in the war. Twelve men died, including one of the guards, and thirty-four others were rescued by nearby vessels. One of the rescuing ships, the SS Kamen, sent a report of the torpedoing that was picked up by Eastern Sea Frontier HQ, in New York, and 1st Naval District HQ, in Boston, who immediately started to assemble a search and destroy mission.
The nearest warships were the vessels of TF60.7, five vessels under the command of Cdr F McCune. TF60.7 was en route to Boston
, having escorted convoy GUS 84 to New York
.
TF60.7 comprised the destroyer
(Lt.Cdr CA Baldwin), destroyer escort
s (Lt.Cdr EL Barsumian) and (Lt.Cdr L Iselin ), and frigate (Lt.Cdr Tollaksen CG). When the summons came Ericsson, with McCune on board, was transiting the Cape Cod Canal
, so the remaining four ships, with Tollaksen in temporary command, headed for Kamen’s location.
Arriving At 19.30 they commenced their search, and just before midnight discovered U-853 bottomed in 108 ft (32.9 m). After making an attack, oil was sighted just after midnight, and the first of a series of claims made that the U-boat had been destroyed.
The ships continued to find contacts however, and the attacks on them also continued.
During the night Ericsson arrived, and McCune resumed command. Amick was detached to make a pre-arranged rendezvous, and later re-inforcements arrived, comprising the destroyers Barney, Breckinridge and Blakeley, the frigate Newport, the corvettes Action and Restless, and the auxiliary destroyer Semmes. These took up position around the search site, to guard against the U-boat slipping past the attackers.
The attacks continued through the night, and at 0530 oil, planking, life rafts, a chart tabletop, clothing, and an officer's cap were detected. Nevertheless destruction of U-853 was not accepted by HQ in Boston, and the hunt continued.
After daybreak, two K class
blimp
s, K-16 and K-58, from Lakehurst
, New Jersey
, joined the attack, locating oil slicks and marking suspected locations with smoke and dye markers. K-16 also attacked with 7.2 in (182.9 mm) rocket bombs. Finally, at 1207, Eastern Sea Frontier HQ accepted the destruction of the U-boat, and the hunt was called off.
found the wreck of U-853 in 130 feet of water. There was evidence of two hits which had resulted in its destruction, along with all fifty-five men.
It is clear U-853 was destroyed at some point between midnight and mid-day on the 6th and that many of the attacks made by TF60.7 were tin-opener attacks, i.e. made on a U-boat wreck in order to gain evidence of destruction.
During the 17 hour hunt TF60.7 expended 264 Hedgehog bombs
, 95 depth charge
s, 6 rocket bombs, and at least one ship was damaged by the concussion from the ordnance exploding in shallow waters.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On May 5 and 6, 1945 American surface combatant
Surface combatant
Surface combatants are a subset of Naval Warships which are designed to engage in combat on the surface of the water, with their own weapons. They are generally ships built to fight other ships, submarines or aircraft, and can carry out several other missions including counter-narcotics operations...
s and two blimp
Blimp
A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is a floating airship without an internal supporting framework or keel. A non-rigid airship differs from a semi-rigid airship and a rigid airship in that it does not have any rigid structure, neither a complete framework nor a partial keel, to help the airbag...
s sank a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
off Point Judith, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in one of the last actions of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Battle
U-853 was one of five U-boats dispatched in February 1945 for operations off the North American coast. By May 1945 she was one of just six operating off the North American coast, and the only one of the February boats remaining active. In May 1945, after one success, she was operating off the coast of Rhode IslandRhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
On 5 May, U-853 was lying in wait off the point when she sighted and fired on the SS Black Point, a collier
Collier (ship type)
Collier is a historical term used to describe a bulk cargo ship designed to carry coal, especially for naval use by coal-fired warships. In the late 18th century a number of wooden-hulled sailing colliers gained fame after being adapted for use in voyages of exploration in the South Pacific, for...
with armed guards
United States Navy Armed Guard
United States Navy Armed Guard units were established during World War I in an attempt to provide defensive firepower to merchant ships in convoy or merchant ships traveling alone...
aboard underway for Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Her torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es struck, and within fifteen minutes, Black Point had capsized in 95 ft (29 m) of water, the last American flagged merchant ship sunk in the war. Twelve men died, including one of the guards, and thirty-four others were rescued by nearby vessels. One of the rescuing ships, the SS Kamen, sent a report of the torpedoing that was picked up by Eastern Sea Frontier HQ, in New York, and 1st Naval District HQ, in Boston, who immediately started to assemble a search and destroy mission.
The nearest warships were the vessels of TF60.7, five vessels under the command of Cdr F McCune. TF60.7 was en route to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, having escorted convoy GUS 84 to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
TF60.7 comprised the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
(Lt.Cdr CA Baldwin), destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
s (Lt.Cdr EL Barsumian) and (Lt.Cdr L Iselin ), and frigate (Lt.Cdr Tollaksen CG). When the summons came Ericsson, with McCune on board, was transiting the Cape Cod Canal
Cape Cod Canal
The Cape Cod Canal is an artificial waterway traversing the narrow neck of land that joins Cape Cod to mainland Massachusetts.Part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the canal is roughly 17.4 miles long and connects Cape Cod Bay in the north to Buzzards Bay in the south...
, so the remaining four ships, with Tollaksen in temporary command, headed for Kamen’s location.
Arriving At 19.30 they commenced their search, and just before midnight discovered U-853 bottomed in 108 ft (32.9 m). After making an attack, oil was sighted just after midnight, and the first of a series of claims made that the U-boat had been destroyed.
The ships continued to find contacts however, and the attacks on them also continued.
During the night Ericsson arrived, and McCune resumed command. Amick was detached to make a pre-arranged rendezvous, and later re-inforcements arrived, comprising the destroyers Barney, Breckinridge and Blakeley, the frigate Newport, the corvettes Action and Restless, and the auxiliary destroyer Semmes. These took up position around the search site, to guard against the U-boat slipping past the attackers.
The attacks continued through the night, and at 0530 oil, planking, life rafts, a chart tabletop, clothing, and an officer's cap were detected. Nevertheless destruction of U-853 was not accepted by HQ in Boston, and the hunt continued.
After daybreak, two K class
K class blimp
The K-class non-rigid airship was a class of blimps built by the Goodyear Aircraft Company of Akron, Ohio for the United States Navy. These blimps were powered by two radial air-cooled engines mounted on outriggers on the side of the control car that hung under the envelope...
blimp
Blimp
A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is a floating airship without an internal supporting framework or keel. A non-rigid airship differs from a semi-rigid airship and a rigid airship in that it does not have any rigid structure, neither a complete framework nor a partial keel, to help the airbag...
s, K-16 and K-58, from Lakehurst
Lakehurst, New Jersey
Lakehurst is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,654.Lakehurst was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1921, from portions of Manchester Township, based on the results of a...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, joined the attack, locating oil slicks and marking suspected locations with smoke and dye markers. K-16 also attacked with 7.2 in (182.9 mm) rocket bombs. Finally, at 1207, Eastern Sea Frontier HQ accepted the destruction of the U-boat, and the hunt was called off.
Conclusion
Later that day, divers from USS PenguinUSS Penguin
USS Penguin has been the name of three United States Navy ships:, a steamer purchased at New York on 23 May 1861 which served in the U.S. Navy until 1865., a minesweeper laid down 17 November 1917 at the New Jersey Dry Dock and Transportation Co., Elizabethport, New Jersey which served in the U.S...
found the wreck of U-853 in 130 feet of water. There was evidence of two hits which had resulted in its destruction, along with all fifty-five men.
It is clear U-853 was destroyed at some point between midnight and mid-day on the 6th and that many of the attacks made by TF60.7 were tin-opener attacks, i.e. made on a U-boat wreck in order to gain evidence of destruction.
During the 17 hour hunt TF60.7 expended 264 Hedgehog bombs
Hedgehog (weapon)
The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
, 95 depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s, 6 rocket bombs, and at least one ship was damaged by the concussion from the ordnance exploding in shallow waters.