A Sunken Nazi Sub Is Visited Off The Texas Coast [Updated]

[steve2470]

http://io9.com/a-sunken-nazi-sub-has-been-discovered-off-the-texas-coa-1605257102

In a shocking reminder of how close the Second World War came to America, a German U-boat has been visited by marine archaeologists working off the shores of Texas in the Gulf of Mexico.

Update: I just received a note from the Ocean Exploration Trust who informed me that they did not discover the sub, they're just visiting it. The sub was actually found back in 2001.

That Nazi subs once prowled the Gulf of Mexico may come as a bit of surprise to Americans.

"And there's a very good reason," said shipwreck diver Richie Kohler in a WFAA video. "The United States government didn't want us to know. They didn't want us to know how Germany was taking us to task, how successful these U-boats were."

Cool underwater pics at above links.

[lapfog_1]

1. My father told me a story of his service in WWII

As fire control officer aboard a US destroyer, his ship and another destroyer were credited with sinking a U-boat in New York harbor...inside the statue of Liberty... and he was awarded an American Theater Battle Ribbon.

That ribbon always drew attention in the Post War years during dress inspection... and he couldn't tell any of the visiting admirals or brass what he did to earn it because the entire crew was sworn to secrecy for fear of public panic, a secrecy that was never lifted (officially to him while he was in the service).

[steve2470]

2. wow great story and thanks to your dad for his great service ! nt

[MADem]

3. As a child, I had an uncle (who was not an uncle at all, he was a friend of my grandfather's)

who was too old for active service under arms in WW2. He was fluent in German owing to the fact that his parents were from the Old Country and never learned English. He never went to Germany, was born here, and was a bilingual all American boy.

He spent WW2 translating for captured Germans, to include Germans captured from U-boats off the coast (something that was not advertised so as to not ruin morale). Many of them spoke some English and in those instances his utility was in quietly listening to them converse to find out what they were up to!

[Separation]

4. Used to dive on a German sub off of NC

It was probably my favorite spot to dive in NC. I would always take a gallon ziplock bag full of rice crispies with me to feed the fish. They would surround me to the point of not being able to see more than 5ft. I turned around one time and saw a mouth open that could easily of swallowed me. For about 3-4 seconds I thought I was done for until I realized it was a super grouper that probably weighed 800lbs. Scared the crap outta me.