13 January 1942 A.D. German U-Boats Begin Ops on US East
Coast—OERPATION PAUKENSCHLAG; 150,000 Tons Sunk in 1st Month
Editors. “1942 – German U-Boats
begin operations of the US East Coast. The move is called operation
Paukenschlag (Drum Roll).” This Day in U.S. History. N.d. http://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/january-13/. Accessed 12 Jan 2015.
1942 – German U-Boats begin operations of the US East Coast. The move is
called operation Paukenschlag (Drum Roll). Admiral Doenitz has faced arguments
from his superiors in the German Navy who do not favor the operation, and he
has had the difficulty that only the larger 740-ton U-Boats are really suitable
for such long range patrols. When Doenitz gives the order for the attack to
begin there are 11 U-Boats in position and 10 more en route. Together they sink
more than 150,000 tons during the first month. Intelligence sources have given
reasonable warning of the attack but the U-Boats find virtually peace-time
conditions in operation. Ship sail with lights on at night; lighthouses and
bouys are still lit; there is no radio discipline – merchant ships often give
their positions in plain text; there are destroyer patrols (not convoys with
escorts) but these are regular and predictable and their crews are naturally
inexperienced.
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