72 Years Later, Snubbed Captain Credited With Sinking German U-Boat U-166

[Charlie Flick]

The National Geographic reports that the wartime captain of the PC-566 is now being officially credited with the Gulf of Mexico sinking of the U-boat. During the war the captain reported he thought his ship had sunk the submarine but the Navy disputed that. The sunken U-boat was discovered in 2001 by petroleum explorers and the National Geographic sponsored an expedition to find and photograph it. All hands were lost so it is considered an untouchable war grave. It is in 5000 feet of water. The link to the story is here: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141217-german-u-boat-u-166-gulf-mexico-archaeology-history/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20141217news-uboat&utm_campaign=Content&sf6394572=1

 

The U-boat is in apparently remarkable condition after 72 years.

 

 

The captain of the PC, Herbert G. Claudius, was awarded a posthumous Legion of Merit with a Combat "V" device.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

 

 

[Charlie Flick]

The PC-566, a 173 foot patrol craft.

 

 

The US Coast Guard site provides the following additional details on this action, even though the PC-566 was a Navy, not USCG, ship:

 

On 1 August 1942, a Coast Guard J4F Widgeon amphibious aircraft, USCG Number V212, piloted by Chief Aviation Pilot Henry Clark White, Coast Guard Aviator No. 115, along with crewman RM1c George Henderson Boggs, Jr., were patrolling about 100 miles south of the air base at Houma, Louisiana, at an altitude of 1,500 feet. They spotted a U-boat cruising on the surface and immediately dove on the target. The U-boat crash dived as the J4F closed. At 250 feet, White released a single depth charge, the only weapon he had on his aircraft, slightly ahead of the swirling water left by the now submerged submarine. The depth charge exploded and soon White and Boggs discerned a growing oil slick on the surface of the Gulf. They then returned to their air base and reported their attack.

After the war, the Navy examined captured German naval records and confirmed that the U-166 was reported lost in the area. That loss coincided with the J4F attack and the Navy therefore gave credit to White and Boggs for destroying the U-166. Each man was also decorated: White was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Boggs was awarded the Air Medal.

In 2001, the U-166 was discovered near the wreck of the SS Robert E. Lee, a vessel attacked and sunk by the U-166 on 30 July 1942 about 45 miles south of the Mississippi River Delta and well away from White's reported position when he attacked a U-boat. The Lee's escort, USS PC-566, reported attacking a U-boat after the patrol craft's crew sighted a periscope minutes after the Lee was torpedoed. After dropping depth charges near where the crew had seen the periscope, they reported spotting an oil slick. The commanding officer of the PC-566 modestly claimed that they had damaged the attacking U-boat in his report of the action.

The Navy, however, did not give them credit for what turned out to be a successful sinking. Indeed, the Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare Assessment Committee admonished the crew for a poorly executed attack! The wreckage of a U-boat, recently discovered by a British Petroleum/Shell contractor, was near the wreck of the Lee, in fact only one mile away. The U.S. Navy therefore erred in not giving credit for the destruction of the U-166 to the USS PC-566 and her crew.

In numerous bottom searches of the area of the reported attack by the USCG J4F Widgeon, no wreckage of any kind has been found. Interestingly, another U-boat, the U-171, reported coming under attack by an Allied aircraft on 1 August 1942 in the area of that White reported attacking a U-boat. So it would now seem that White and Boggs probably attacked the U-171, which survived the Coast Guard aviators' attack.

Press accounts to date misidentify the PC-566 as being the Lee's "Coast Guard escort," when in fact she was a commissioned US Navy warship with a US Navy crew.

 

Regards,

Charlie

 

 

[Gumshoe]

Interesting story. Fun read. Thanks for putting it together.

 

Mark

[HoustonTx]

Interesting read. I like these types of stories. I'm glad he was finally vindicated!

[bobgee]

Seems like a posthumous Navy Cross would not be out of order. Good hunting, Skipper! Bobgee

[Dave]

Seems like a posthumous Navy Cross would not be out of order. Good hunting, Skipper! Bobgee

 

At the time, the "standard" award for sinking a u-boat (with a ship, or in the case of one, a submarine) was a LOM with V device. One of the guys I researched earned the NC for sinking three u-boats in one night...a pretty remarkable feat, and thus the higher award. Interestingly, the "standard" award for sinking a u-boat with an aircraft was a Navy Cross. The poor Coasties typically ended up with a Commendation Ribbon for the feat. Just FWIW....

[topdcnut]

Three U-boats in one night? Think of the significance of that action. Navy Cross is sweet but??????????

[12A54]

Good story. In the article I saw, the actual medal was pinned on theu suit of Claudius's son by the presenting officer. I thought that was odd - when presented to someone other than the recipient, it should be handed over in the case, not pinned on. Just my opinion of course. Great action and kudos to the Navy for making it right after all these years.

[vostoktrading]

Dave,

Please share the story of that 3 U-boats in one night story. I'm intrigued! At least provide a link if you are too busy to write it up.

Thanks, Jon.

[Dave]

Dave,

Please share the story of that 3 U-boats in one night story. I'm intrigued! At least provide a link if you are too busy to write it up.

Thanks, Jon.

 

No problem...here are a couple links.

 

His obit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58008-2005Jan7.html?sub=AR

 

His listing at u-boat.net (not complete): http://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/4605.html

 

A good write up about him on WW2 awards: http://en.ww2awards.com/person/32141

 

From the destroyer escort association: http://www.desausa.org/de_photo_library/uss_bronstein_de_189.htm

 

A short movie from the Surface Navy Association: http://media.navysna.org/HOF/K/Kinney.htm

 

Interestingly, the initial "official" credit was two u-boats. When I was writing up his bio for my book, I couldn't find confirmation of the third. However, in talking to his sons, it turns out that he was able to determine the third was sunk during his job immediately after the war where he had access to u-boat records. They did indeed, confirm that the third was sunk that night. His Navy Cross citation was updated with the new information following that discovery.

 

Sadly, his medals were lost after he lent them to the Naval Academy for a display. One of the sons did happen to find his Soviet medal - the only one not used in the display - and that one is included in my book.

 

Quite an impressive guy!

 

Dave