Hell Below (2016–2018): Season 1, Episode 5 - Destroyer Killer - full transcript
June, 1944. Six allied commandos spying on Japanese ship movement fall under threat when their covert operation is discovered by the enemy. Stuck in the jungles of occupied Borneo, the only hope for rescuing them is USS Harder, an American Gato Class submarine. To save the operatives, Commander Sam Dealey and his crew ply through waters guarded by a key Japanese Naval base, an act that pits the single submarine against dozens of warships. The daring rescue puts USS Harder's strength and stealth to the test.
JANUARY 1942.
A BRASH U-BOAT SKIPPER SURFACES
TO GIVE HIS CREW
A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME VIEW
OF THE MANHATTAN SKYLINE.
PART OF A SECRET NAZI OPERATION,
HE COMMANDS ONE OF FIVE
SUBMARINES
READY TO BRING THE WAR
TO AMERICA'S DOORSTEP.
WITH DETERMINED ENEMIES
IN THE PACIFIC AND THE ATLANTIC
AND BARELY A MONTH SINCE
THE START OF THEIR WAR,
HOW MUCH DAMAGE WILL
THESE U-BOATS INFLICT
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES
CAN FIGHT BACK?
IN WORLD WAR II,
A SUBSEA WEAPON ALLOWS WARRIORS
TO FIGHT FROM BENEATH THE WAVES.
WITH CUNNING, FORCE
AND TENACITY,
THEIR ENEMIES STRIKE BACK.
REVOLUTIONARY BUT STILL
SOMETIMES PRIMITIVE,
IT'S A DESPERATE BID
TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF WAR.
THEIR STORIES ARE LEGEND.
IN JANUARY 1942, OFF THE COAST
OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK,
A BRITISH OIL TANKER STEAMS
TO JOIN AN ATLANTIC CONVOY
TO ENGLAND.
WELL INSIDE AMERICAN WATERS,
IT EXPECTS NO DANGER.
A LURKING NAZI U-BOAT SKIPPER,
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT
REINHARD HARDEGEN,
CANNOT BELIEVE HIS GOOD FORTUNE.
AS HE PROWLS THE DARK WATER,
THE TANKER HAS ALMOST RUN
INTO HIS GERMAN SUBMARINE.
HARDEGEN WILL NOT
PASS UP AN EASY SHOT
AND POSITIONS HIS U-BOAT.
AT 3:41 A. M.
HE FIRES A SINGLE TORPEDO.
LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER,
THE EXPLOSION LIGHTS UP
THE NIGHT SKY,
SENDING FLAMES HIGH IN THE AIR.
U- 123 HAS TORPEDOED
65,000 BARRELS OF OIL
JUST 85 MILES FROM
THE LIGHTS OF MANHATTAN,
WITH NO RESPONSE
FROM AMERICAN DEFENSES.
IT'S AN OPENING STRIKE OF WHAT
THE GERMANS CALL PAUKENSCHLAG-
OPERATION DRUMBEAT.
AND FOR AMERICA,
IT STRUCK TOO CLOSE TO HOME.
ONE MONTH EARLIER, THE JAPANESE
AMBUSH ON PEARL HARBOR
CATCHES THE UNITED STATES
OFF GUARD.
IN GERMANY, COMMANDER OF U-BOATS
KARL DÖNITZ
BEGS THE FÜHRER FOR A CHANCE
TO DO THE SAME.
DÖNITZ WANTS
TO SMACK THE AMERICANS.
HITLER WANTS HIM TO
SMACK THE AMERICANS.
THERE'S NO QUESTION.
BUT HITLER'S PRIMARY
FOCUS IS ON THE GROUND WAR
AND DEFEATING THE SOVIET UNION.
HE DOESN'T FULLY APPRECIATE
THE POTENTIAL OF U-BOAT WARFARE
TO STRANGLE
THE ALLIED WAR EFFORT.
HITLER GRANTS DÖNITZ
ONLY LIMITED RESOURCES
FOR AN AUDACIOUS PLAN.
DÖNITZ HOPES TO SHOCK THE U. S.
WITH A SERIES
OF SUBMARINE ATTACKS
RIGHT OFF THE AMERICAN COAST.
THE TARGETS WILL BE
MERCHANT SHIPS,
WHICH TRANSPORT GOODS ALONG
THE EASTERN SEABOARD.
THE VITAL CARGO SHIPPING,
IN PARTICULAR THE VITAL OIL,
MOVE INDIVIDUALLY UP AND DOWN
THE AMERICAN COAST
TO THE CONVOY ASSEMBLY POINTS.
THIS IS A PARTICULAR
VULNERABILITY.
DÖNITZ HANDPICKS
A GROUP OF U-BOAT COMMANDERS
FOR THE JOB.
THIS INCLUDES REINHARD HARDEGEN.
AN AMBITIOUS OFFICER, HIS COMBAT
CAREER IS ABOUT TO BE CUT SHORT.
HIS CAREER WAS LIMITED
DUE TO HIS BAD HEALTH
FROM AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT
BEFORE THE WAR
WHEN HE SERVED IN
THE AERONAUTICAL SERVICE
OF THE KRIEGSMARINE.
HARDEGEN KNEW TO BECOME
SOMETHING LIKE A HERO OR AN ACE,
HE HAD TO PERFORM VERY WELL,
SO HE NEEDED TO BE AGGRESSIVE
AND RISK A LOT TO HAVE SUCCESS.
HE'LL HAVE FEW PATROLS
TO SECURE HIS LEGACY.
A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
U-BOATS BEGIN TO SNEAK OUT
FROM THE BASE AT LORIENT,
ON THE COAST OF OCCUPIED FRANCE.
PATROLS OFTEN LAST
70 OR 80 DAYS.
FRESHWATER IS ONLY USED
FOR DRINKING.
CREWS REFRAIN FROM SHAVES,
SHOWERS OR WASHING LAUNDRY.
PERISHABLE FOODS LAST
ONLY ABOUT A WEEK
IN THE HUMIDITY OF THE U-BOAT,
AFTER THAT, THE CREW RELIES
MOSTLY ON CANNED GOODS
AND OTHER PRESERVES.
THE AUSTERE CONDITIONS
TAKE A TOLL ON HARDEGEN.
THE ABDOMINAL INJURY FROM
HIS EARLIER PLANE CRASH
NEVER FULLY HEALED.
HE HAD STOMACH PROBLEMS.
BUT HE COULDN'T GET A SPECIAL
DIET ABOARD A SUBMARINE,
BECAUSE THE KITCHEN IS
VERY, VERY LIMITED.
WITH A BLEEDING STOMACH,
HARDEGEN CANNOT EAT MUCH OF
THE FOOD PREPARED FOR HIS MEN.
IN CHRONIC PAIN AND UNDERFED,
HARDEGEN FOCUSES
ON THE JOB AT HAND.
A LARGER SUBMARINE,
CALLED TYPE IXs,
ALLOW THEM TO ATTEMPT
THE DARING OPERATION.
THE 250-FOOT LENGTH MAKES IT
MORE THAN 30 FEET LONGER
THAN THE TYPE VIIs.
BIGGER BUNKERS
INCREASE FUEL CAPACITY
FOR AN EXTENDED RANGE
UP TO 12,000 MILES.
THE TYPE IX IS
THE CLASSIC INSTRUMENT
FOR THIS LONG-RANGE OFFENSIVE.
THEY CAN CROSS THE ATLANTIC AND
THEY CAN OPERATE FOR SOME TIME
IN THEIR OPERATIONAL AREA.
THE CREW OF U-123
SPENDS THE CHRISTMAS OF 1941
AT SEA.
HARDEGEN HAS CHRISTMAS TREES
PLACED IN EVERY COMPARTMENT
FOR THE MEN TO DECORATE.
LETTERS AND PACKAGES FROM HOME
ARE DISTRIBUTED.
WITH FOOD AND MUSIC, THE CREW
CAN LEAVE THE WAR BEHIND,
IF ONLY FOR A FEW HOURS.
ON DECEMBER 27,
FOUR DAYS INTO THEIR JOURNEY,
THEY CROSS 20 DEGREES WEST.
U- 123 IS CONSIDERED
ON ACTIVE COMBAT DUTY.
THE CREW GETS A PAY RAISE,
AND HARDEGEN CAN OPEN
THE TOP SECRET OPERATION ORDERS.
THEY KNOW THEY ARE HEADING TO
THE EAST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA,
BUT EVEN THEIR CAPTAIN
DOESN'T KNOW WHERE EXACTLY.
HARDEGEN REVEALS THE DETAILS
OF THEIR MISSION.
THEY ARE TO SEEK AND DESTROY
MERCHANT SHIPS
IN THE WATERS AROUND
NEW YORK CITY.
THE FOUR OTHER U-BOATS
HAVE SIMILAR ORDERS
AGAINST DIFFERENT PARTS
OF THE ATLANTIC COAST.
ADMIRAL DÖNITZ CALLS
THE CAMPAIGN PAUKENSCHLAG,
OR OPERATION DRUMBEAT.
BUT HARDEGEN HAS A PROBLEM.
SHALLOW WATERS ARE
FULL OF HAZARDS
AND DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.
U- BOAT HEADQUARTERS CAN'T EVEN
PROVIDE PROPER NAUTICAL CHARTS.
BECAUSE THE GERMANS
HADN'T PREPARED FOR THIS
BEFORE THE WAR, ALL HE HAS IS
A SORT OF A MAP OF NEW YORK,
A GENERAL CHART OF THE WATERS,
AND A GUIDEBOOK.
TO SAFELY NEGOTIATE
INSHORE SHIPPING LANES
WHILE HE HUNTS AND SINKS SHIPS
WILL REQUIRE ALL
OF HARDEGEN'S SKILLS.
BUT FIRST, THE 3,500-MILE
CROSSING TAKES U-BOAT 123
THROUGH THE WORST
OF WINTER STORMS.
YOU HAVE WIND BLOWING
UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR.
IF IT'S STORMY OUTSIDE
LIKE IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC,
IT'S NOT A PLACE
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
A LOW-PRESSURE TROUGH
CREATES STORM-FORCE WINDS
AND ROUGH SEAS.
30-FOOT WAVES CRASH ACROSS
THE CONNING TOWER.
BUT TO MAINTAIN FULL SPEED,
HARDEGEN RIDES U-123
ON THE SURFACE.
SUBMERGED, HIS SPEED IS LIMITED
TO A MAXIMUM OF EIGHT KNOTS
IN SHORT BURSTS.
SURFACED, HE CAN PUSH
TWICE AS FAST,
NEARLY 22 MILES PER HOUR.
HIS LOOKOUT CREWS SPEND
FOUR-HOUR SHIFTS
ALL DAY AND NIGHT
SEARCHING CONSTANTLY
FOR THREATS AND TARGETS.
AS THE WORLD WEARILY RINGS IN
ANOTHER YEAR OF WAR,
FIVE NAZI U-BOATS CRUISE
TOWARDS OPERATIONAL AREAS
FROM CANADA'S
GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE
TO CAPE HATTERAS,
NORTH CAROLINA.
THE U-BOAT COMMANDERS ARE
VERY EXCITED ABOUT DOING THIS.
THEY HAD GOT VERY, VERY
FRUSTRATED IN THE AUTUMN OF 1941
THAT THEY WERE ATTACKING CONVOYS
ESCORTED BY AMERICAN SHIPS,
AND THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED
TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE
IN SINKING AMERICAN SHIPS.
THAT WILL SERVE THEM RIGHT
FOR THIS UNDECLARED WAR
THEY'D BEEN WAGING
BEFORE PEARL HARBOR.
IN JANUARY 1942,
ONLY WEEKS AFTER THE JAPANESE
ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR,
FIVE NAZI U-BOATS HEAD
FOR NORTH AMERICAN WATERS.
OPERATION DRUMBEAT
OPENS A NEW THEATER OF WAR
FOR THE GERMAN U-BOATS.
DÖNITZ SIMPLY WANTED TO SINK
AS MANY VESSELS AS POSSIBLE.
AT U-BOAT
HEADQUARTERS,
IT'S A SIMPLE FORMULA.
DÖNITZ'S VIEW
IS THAT HE'S FIGHTING
WHAT HE CALLS A TONNAGE WAR.
AND IN HIS MIND,
HE'S TRYING TO SINK SHIPS
FASTER THAN THE ALLIES
CAN BUILD THEM.
THE PROBLEM FOR DÖNITZ
IS HE HAS REALLY NO IDEA
HOW MUCH SHIPPING
HE HAS TO SINK.
ALL HE KNOWS IS
HE HAS TO SINK A LOT.
AND IF HE CAN SINK A LOT,
MAYBE GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
DÖNITZ MIGHT ALSO HOPE
TO DETER THE AMERICANS
FROM THE EUROPEAN THEATER
ALTOGETHER.
THE GERMANS ALSO,
I THINK,
IMAGINE THAT THE UNITED STATES
IS A VERY SOFT SOCIETY.
A REALLY SHARP BLOW
MAY DISCOURAGE US
FROM OPERATING IN EUROPE AT ALL.
WE'RE ALREADY MORE INTERESTED
IN THE PACIFIC.
MOST PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES
THINK OF THE WAR
AS A WAR AGAINST JAPAN.
THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TEST THIS RESOLVE
ARRIVES PROMPTLY.
EACH OF THE U-BOATS IS UNDER
STRICT ORDERS NOT TO ATTACK
BEFORE JANUARY 13th, TO PRESERVE
THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
BLOWN OFF COURSE
BY THE WINTER STORMS,
U- 123 REACHES
THE EAST COAST EARLY.
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT
REINHARD HARDEGEN AND HIS CREW
HAVE BEEN ON CONSTANT WATCH.
THEY DISCOVER AND STALK AN ENEMY
TARGET 110 MILES FROM THE COAST.
IT COULD BE A MERCHANT SHIP
OR AN ALLIED DESTROYER.
HARDEGEN MANEUVERS
FOR A CLOSER LOOK.
A BRITISH STEAMER,
ABOUT 10,000 TONS,
LIKELY FILLED WITH
ALLIED SUPPLIES.
IT'S A LUCRATIVE TARGET.
BUT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE START
OF THE SECRET MISSION,
HE WOULD REVEAL THEIR POSITION.
HARDEGEN IS STILL TEMPTED.
SUBMARINE COMMANDERS
ARE ALWAYS VERY AGGRESSIVE,
AND THE SIGHT OF
AN ALLIED MERCHANT SHIP
WAS SOMETHING THAT HARDEGEN
COULD NOT, COULD NOT RESIST.
TARGETING THE STEAMER,
HARDEGEN LAUNCHES
HIS FIRST TORPEDO.
TO IGNITE A FIERY GLOW
AGAINST THE NIGHT SKY.
RADIO OPERATORS ABOARD U-123
INTERCEPT THE SHIP'S
EMERGENCY TRANSMISSIONS.
S- O-S, THEN S-S-S,
THE DISTRESS CODE USED
WHILE UNDER ATTACK BY SUBMARINE.
TO SAFEGUARD THEIR MISSION,
HARDEGEN MUST SILENCE
HIS VICTIM.
HE POSITIONS U-123 TO LAUNCH
ANOTHER TORPEDO.
HIS CREW AIMS FOR THE BRIDGE
TO TARGET THE RADIO
SENDING THE DISTRESS CALL.
SECONDS LATER, ANOTHER EXPLOSION
BRIGHTENS THE NIGHT SKY.
PASSENGERS AND CREW
OF THE SHIP CYCLOPS
DRIFT FOR 20 HOURS.
ONLY TWO ARE KILLED
IN THE INITIAL ATTACK.
86 MORE DIE FROM EXPOSURE
TO THE ICY WATERS
OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC.
U- 123 LAUNCHES THE FIRST
UNOFFICIAL STRIKE
OF OPERATION DRUMBEAT.
STORMY SEAS AND THEIR ATTACK
HAVE DELAYED HARDEGEN
AND THE CREW.
THEY MUST NOW HURRY TO REACH
THEIR REAL TARGET-
NEW YORK CITY.
HARDEGEN ANTICIPATES TROUBLE.
HIS ATTACK HAS ANNOUNCED
THE PRESENCE
OF A NAZI U-BOAT TO THE ALLIES,
HE EXPECTS HEAVY DEFENSES
AS HE NEARS THE COAST.
BUT IT TURNS OUT
THE U-BOAT MISSION
WAS NOT A SURPRISE...
AFTER ALL.
AMERICAN REAR-ADMIRAL
ADOLPHUS ANDREWS IS TASKED
WITH PROTECTING THE EASTERN
SEABOARD OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE IS THE COMMANDER
MOST RESPONSIBLE, IF YOU LIKE,
FOR COASTAL CONVOYS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF 1942,
THERE'S NOTHING HE HAS.
IT JUST DOESN'T EXIST.
AMERICA HAS ONLY BEEN
AT WAR FOR A FEW WEEKS,
AND NOT BY CHOICE.
THEY HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN TO
MOBILIZE THE MEN AND MACHINES
NEEDED TO FIGHT ENEMIES
OFF TWO COASTS.
THE SINKING OF CYCLOPS
CONFIRMS WHAT ANDREWS FEARED,
BASED ON INTELLIGENCE
FROM ALLIED CODEBREAKERS.
AS SOON AS NAZI U-BOATS
LEAVE PORT,
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE EXPLOIT
A KEY WEAKNESS
IN KARL DÖNITZ'S
SUBMARINE OPERATIONS.
YOU NEED
A LOT OF COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN THE SUBMARINES AND
WITH THE HEADQUARTER IN EUROPE.
AND THESE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS
COULD BE INTERCEPTED
BY THE ALLIED FORCES.
AS THE ALLIES BUILD
A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL
DIRECTION-FINDING SYSTEM
AROUND THE WORLD
WITH STATIONS
ALL OVER THE PLACE.
IF YOU TRANSMIT AND USE
YOUR RADIO,
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
WILL PRETTY QUICKLY
FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ARE.
THIS ALLOWS
ALLIED NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
TO PINPOINT THE LOCATION
OF ANY GERMAN SUBMARINE
WHOSE MESSAGES ARE INTERCEPTED.
THE BRITISH CAN KEEP
PRETTY GOOD TABS
ON WHERE A SUBMARINE IS
BECAUSE OF THIS FIXATION
THE U-BOATS HAVE WITH
TRANSMITTING ON RADIO.
IT'S RATHER LIKE SAYING, "HELLO,
I'M HERE, COME AND SINK ME."
AND THIS IS A TERRIBLE WEAKNESS.
IN THE EARLY DAYS
OF 1942,
BRITISH NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
WARNS THE AMERICANS
OF THE IMMINENT ARRIVAL
OF FIVE NAZI U-BOATS.
THE SINKING OF THE MERCHANT SHIP
CYCLOPS CONFIRMS IT.
U.S. REAR-ADMIRAL ANDREWS
APPEALS FOR RESOURCES
TO DEFEND THE EASTERN SEABOARD,
KNOWING THAT MORE U-BOATS
ARE COMING
TO THE NORTH AMERICAN COAST.
BUT HIS SENIOR OFFICER,
ADMIRAL ERNEST KING,
HAS EVEN BIGGER PROBLEMS.
IN JANUARY 1942,
ADMIRAL KING IS
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
HE'S IN CHARGE
OF THE WHOLE U. S. NAVY.
THE U. S. NAVY IS BUILDING
A LOT OF SHIPS,
BUT THEY DON'T EXIST YET.
HE'S ALREADY FIGHTING U-BOATS
IN CONNECTION WITH THE BRITISH.
THERE ARE ALREADY
LARGE U. S. FORCES
COMMITTED TO THAT JOB.
HE CAN'T JUST WRITE OFF
THE PACIFIC.
AND BECAUSE OF
THE ENORMOUS DISTANCES,
ANYTHING HE DOES IN THE PACIFIC
COSTS A LOT OF RESOURCES.
KING IS FACED WITH
THESE TERRIBLE CHOICES.
THERE ARE LIMITED
ASSETS TO MOUNT ANY DEFENSE
AGAINST THE APPROACHING U-BOATS.
CLEAR SKIES ALLOW HARDEGEN
TO PINPOINT HIS EXACT POSITION
AFTER DAYS OF BAD WEATHER,
AND HE SETS A COURSE
FOR NEW YORK.
HE'S BEHIND SCHEDULE.
FOUR OTHER U-BOATS, DELAYED BY
STORMY SEAS, TOO, ALSO CLOSE IN.
U- 130 OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF
OPERATION DRUMBEAT
BY SINKING TWO SMALL FREIGHTERS
ON JANUARY 13th
NEAR THE NEWFOUNDLAND COAST...
WHILE HARDEGEN CRUISES SOUTH IN
U-123, TOWARDS HIS TARGET AREA.
WITH CRUDE CHARTS,
HE IS UNSURE OF THE COASTLINE.
BUT HE ALSO HAS THE HELP
OF THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE,
BECAUSE THE AMERICANS
HAVEN'T TURNED OFF
THEIR NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS.
EVERYTHING WAS LIT UP.
THEY WERE STILL LIVING
LIKE IN PEACETIME.
THE AMERICANS STILL HAD
THEIR RADIO NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
TURNED ON,
SO HE COULD RELY ON THAT.
LATE IN THE EVENING
OFF MONTAUK POINT,
THE CREW SPOTS A LIGHT
ON THE PORT SIDE.
A LARGE VESSEL APPROACHES.
IT COULD BE A THREAT.
THE WATER IS
NOT SO DEEP.
IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS
SITUATION FOR HIM.
WITHOUT ACCURATE CHARTS,
THE EXACT DEPTH OF THE WATER
IS UNCERTAIN.
HARDEGEN CAN'T DIVE TO ESCAPE.
HE IDENTIFIES
THE APPROACHING SHIP,
WHICH TRAVELS FULLY LIT,
AS THOUGH THERE WAS NO WAR.
AN OIL TANKER.
THIS IS WHAT HE HAS COME FOR.
HARDEGEN'S WATCH SCANS THE
HORIZON FOR ANY TYPE OF ESCORT,
BUT THE SHIP APPEARS ALONE.
HE ORDERS HIS CREW TO FIRE
TWO TORPEDOES AT THE TANKER.
BUT THE ATTACK PROVES
DISAPPOINTING.
HIS TORPEDOES
DIDN'T EXPLODE.
MANY OF THE TORPEDOES
LOADED ABOARD U-123
ARE G7e MODELS-
THE MOST SOPHISTICATED ELECTRIC
TORPEDO IN THE NAZI ARSENAL.
THEY'RE 23 FEET LONG
AND ARMED WITH 600 POUNDS
OF EXPLOSIVE POWER.
HE HAD
AN ELECTROMAGNETICAL DEVICE
TO KEEP THE TORPEDO EXPLODING
BELOW THE SHIP.
AND IF THE TORPEDO'S
TRAVELING TOO LOW,
THEN THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF
THE SHIP IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH
TO MAKE THE TORPEDO EXPLODE.
HARDEGEN AIMS HIGHER
WITH CONSECUTIVE SHOTS.
HE TORPEDOED IT,
AND IT WAS A FUEL TANKER,
AND THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION.
BUT IT TAKES HIM
FIVE TORPEDOES TO SINK THE SHIP.
AS THE TANKER BREAKS APART,
12,200 TONS OF FUEL OIL BURN.
ITS CREW BROADCASTS
AN EMERGENCY MESSAGE.
WHEN THE EXPLOSION
GOES OFF IN THE TANKER,
IT THINKS THAT IT MIGHT HAVE
STRUCK A MINE.
YOU WOULD HAVE EXPECTED
A SUBMERGED SUBMARINE
TO CREEP IN AND LAY A MINEFIELD
AND THEN CREEP AWAY AGAIN,
NOT COME IN ON THE SURFACE.
HARDEGEN MAKES AN ESCAPE,
BUT NOT BEFORE U-123
IS SPOTTED BY SURVIVORS
IN AND AROUND THE LIFEBOATS-
THE FIRST EYEWITNESSES
OF A NAZI U-BOAT
SINKING SHIPS
IN AMERICAN WATERS.
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT HARDEGEN EXPECTS
FURIOUS COUNTERMEASURES.
BUT STRANGELY,
THERE IS NO REPLY.
THE GERMANS ARRIVE
ON THE EAST COAST
OF THE UNITED STATES
AND ARE JUST GOB-SMACKED
BY THE FACT THAT SHIPPING'S
NOT PROTECTED.
TO THEM, IT'S INEXPLICABLE.
AFTER DESTROYING
THE TANKER NORNESS,
HARDEGEN SUBMERGES
DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS.
HE SETTLES U-123 ON THE BOTTOM,
UNDETECTED,
WHILE THE CREW RESTS AND
PREPARES FOR ITS NEXT ATTACK.
BACK ON THE SURFACE, THEY
MONITOR LOCAL RADIO CHANNELS
TO LEARN THE TANKER NORNESS
IS FINALLY SPOTTED,
AND THE CREW RESCUED, NEARLY
12 HOURS AFTER THE SINKING.
IF THERE'S
NOTHING AROUND,
THEN IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER
WHERE YOU GET SUNK,
IT'LL BE A LONG TIME
BEFORE ANYONE SHOWS UP.
MERCHANT SHIPS
ALSO RECEIVE THE WARNING
OF A U-BOAT IN THE AREA.
U- 123 CONTINUES TO USE
THE AMERICANS' OWN
NAVIGATIONAL AIDS.
LIGHTSHIPS PROVIDE ORIENTATION.
THESE FLOATING LIGHTHOUSES MARK
THE ENTRANCE TO AMERICAN PORTS,
IF THE CITY SKYLINES DON'T
SHINE BRIGHTLY ENOUGH.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE NAVY TO CONVINCE
THE GOVERNORS AND MAYORS
OF MAJOR CITIES ON THE COAST
TO BLACK OUT.
PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T GET
THE MESSAGE THAT THIS IS A WAR
AND YOU, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING.
AFTER THREE WEEKS AT SEA,
THE GLOW OF NEW YORK CITY
PROVES AN IRRESISTIBLE BEACON.
HARDEGEN COULD SEE
THE WHOLE SKYLINE OF NEW YORK,
SOMETHING PROBABLY EVERY GERMAN
DREAMT OF BEFORE THE WAR.
THE CAPTAIN INVITES
HIS CREW UP TO THE BRIDGE
TO SEE THE LIGHTS OF MANHATTAN.
BUT U-123 ISN'T HERE
TO SIGHTSEE.
AS THEY LEAVE NEW YORK HARBOR...
THE STERN WATCHMAN SPOTS A SHIP
APPROACHING FROM THE REAR.
HARDEGEN SEES,
FULLY LIT UP,
AGAINST THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK,
A TANKER.
A NICE, LARGE, JUICY TANKER.
AT CLOSE
TO 7,000 TONS,
BRITISH OIL TANKER COIMBRA
CRUISES UNESCORTED
OUT OF NEW YORK HARBOR.
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT HARDEGEN
MANEUVERS HIS SUBMARINE
INTO ATTACK POSITION
WITH TEXTBOOK PRECISION.
IT'S PART OF THE GAME
OF THE U-BOAT COMMANDER
TO BE COOL, TO BE RESOLUTE,
TO BE COLD-BLOODED.
AT LEAST TO APPEAR SO TO CREATE
CONFIDENCE WITHIN HIS CREW.
JUST 800 YARDS
FROM THE TARGET...
HE LAUNCHES HIS FIRST TORPEDO.
58 SECONDS LATER...
A HIT.
FLAMES LICK 650 FEET IN THE AIR
AND LIGHT UP THE NIGHT SKY...
FUELED BY 65,000 BARRELS
OF OIL CARGO.
IN FACT,
IF ANYTHING SYMBOLIZES
THE TOTAL UNPREPAREDNESS
OF THE UNITED STATES,
IT'S THIS ATTACK
IN NEW YORK HARBOR.
WITHIN MINUTES OF
STRIKING THE OIL TANKER COIMBRA
85 MILES FROM MANHATTAN,
U- BOAT KAPITÄNLEUTNANT HARDEGEN
FIRES A SECOND TORPEDO
TO SPEED THE SINKING AND
SILENCE ANY DISTRESS SIGNALS.
LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORT
THE SHIP BURNING
32 MILES OFF OF LONG ISLAND.
ONLY 10 OF 46 CREWMEMBERS
SURVIVE TO BE RESCUED.
WITH THE RASH OF SINKINGS
AND KNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN MORE
U-BOATS ARE CLOSING IN,
U.S. NAVY LEADERSHIP MONITORS
THE SITUATION CLOSELY.
IN THE HARBORS OF NEW YORK,
AN ARSENAL OF 23 SHIPS
ASSEMBLE-
DESTROYERS, CARRIERS,
CRUISERS, AND BATTLESHIPS.
THE ARMADA IS CALLED
TASK FORCE 15,
READY TO ESCORT AMERICAN TROOPS
TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER.
ADMIRAL ERNIE KING MUST CONSIDER
DELAYING THE TROOP SHIP CONVOY,
BUT IS CONFRONTED BY THE LARGER
POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS.
ONCE THE UNITED STATES
IS IN THE WAR,
IT'S VITAL TO SHOW ITS ALLIES
THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
AND THAT MEANS
AMONG OTHER THINGS,
THERE HAVE TO BE U. S. TROOPS
DEPLOYED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
TO BRITAIN, NORTHERN IRELAND,
ICELAND.
THEY HAVE TO BE CONVOYED THERE.
NOW THOSE ESCORTS ARE NOT
AVAILABLE FOR OTHER JOBS.
IN THE END,
ADMIRAL KING DISPATCHES THE TASK FORCE
AND TROOPS TO SAIL TO EUROPE.
ANY IMMEDIATE MILITARY RESPONSE
TO THE U-BOAT PRESENCE
IS NOW IMPOSSIBLE.
HARDEGEN CONTINUES TO HIDE
THE SUB ON THE OCEAN FLOOR
DURING DAYTIME HOURS.
AS THE SUN SETS ON NEW YORK
ON JANUARY 15th...
U- 123 RISES TO HUNT.
BUT THEY SURFACE TOO SOON.
ONE OF THE FEW ACTIVE
AMERICAN PATROL AIRCRAFT
SEES THE SUB BROACHING
IN THE LAST GLINTS OF SUNLIGHT.
BEFORE ALL THE WATER
CAN CLEAR THE BRIDGE,
THE SUBMARINE'S LOOKOUTS
ALSO SPOT THE PLANE.
HARDEGEN MUST DIVE
CAREFULLY.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL DEPTH
OF THE WATER,
MAKING IT DIFFICULT
TO EVADE ANY ATTACK.
FOUR AERIAL BOMBS
GO OFF STARBOARD,
BUT WIDE OF THE SUBMARINE.
THEY WAIT.
THE AIRCRAFT DOES NOT
PRESS THE ATTACK
OR CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS.
NAVY AIRCRAFT
DROP SOME BOMBS,
BUT THEY WERE NOT
VERY EFFECTIVE.
THIS IS RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE WAR,
THE AMERICANS ARE
VERY INEXPERIENCED,
AND THEY JUST HAVEN'T
PUT THE EFFORT
INTO ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE.
IT'S NOT JUST LACK OF SURFACE
SHIPS THAT'S CREATING PROBLEMS.
IT'S LACK OF
AVIATION ASSETS, TOO.
SINCE
THE UNITED STATES HAS
NONE OF THESE RESOURCES,
SINCE IT HAS ONLY A FEW
AIRPLANES FLYING PATROLS
AND NOT VERY EXPERIENCED AT IT,
SUDDENLY THERE'S THIS
TREMENDOUS VULNERABILITY.
THE U-BOATS
OF OPERATION DRUMBEAT
STRIKE AGAIN AND AGAIN,
ALL ALONG A DEFENSELESS COAST.
DÖNITZ SIMPLY CANNOT
BELIEVE HIS GOOD FORTUNE.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY
TO DESCRIBE IT.
THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
AND HE FINALLY GETS
INTO THE AMERICAN ZONE,
AND IT'S A FREE-FIRE ZONE.
IN THE AMERICAN PRESS,
QUESTIONS MOUNT ABOUT
THE DESTRUCTION HAPPENING
ON THE DOORSTEP
OF THE UNITED STATES.
BUT THE U. S. NAVY SEEMS
UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESPOND.
AFTERWARDS,
PEOPLE KEEP SAYING,
WELL, IF KING HAD REALLY CARED
ABOUT ANYTHING,
HE WOULD HAVE HAD CONVOYS,
HE WOULD HAVE ORGANIZED.
WITH WHAT?
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THERE'S NO WHAT.
IT'S NOT AS THOUGH THE COAST IS
BRISTLING WITH MINES AND GUNS
AND TOUGH ARMY BOMBER CREWS
WAITING TO GO OUT ALL THE TIME.
THE THING ABOUT THE
U. S. NAVY AND ABOUT ERNIE KING
IS THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL
PRETTY MUCH FOCUSED
ON THAT NOTION THAT THE PRIMARY
FUNCTION OF THEIR NAVY
IS TO DESTROY
THE OTHER GUY'S NAVY.
AND SO IT TOOK THEM A LONG TIME
TO COME TO THE SAME REALIZATION
THAT THE BRITS DID,
THAT WHAT YOU NEED
IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE TECHNOLOGY
TO SINK SUBMARINES.
WHAT YOU NEED IS
TO SEND A SHIP OUT,
DRIVE THAT GUY DOWN,
PUSH HIM OFF.
HAVING FOUGHT GERMAN
U-BOATS FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES
ENTERED THE WAR,
THE OTHER ALLIES WANT TO SHARE
WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED.
THE BRITISH AND
THE CANADIANS ACTUALLY HAVE
THE CAPACITY IN AMERICAN PORTS
TO ORGANIZE CONVOYS.
THAT WAS NOT GONNA HAPPEN
UNDER ERNIE KING'S WATCH.
THE WHOLE THING WAS
RUN BY THE U. S. NAVY.
AND THE NAVY
IS JUST NOT PREPARED.
SO THERE IS NO ONE TO STOP
REINHARD HARDEGEN
FROM RACKING UP TONNAGE.
BY MONITORING
THE RADIO FREQUENCIES,
HARDEGEN KNOWS LOCAL SHIPPING
IS ON ALERT,
AND THERE ARE FEWER SHIPS
TO TARGET IN THE AREA.
WITH SOME TORPEDOES LEFT, U-123
WIDENS ITS RANGE OF OPERATIONS,
TRAVELING DOWN THE EAST COAST.
WHEN U-123 SURFACES NEAR
KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA...
THEY SPOT A RED FLASH
AND HEAR TWO EXPLOSIONS.
HARDEGEN CORRECTLY SPECULATES
IT'S THE HANDIWORK OF U-66,
WHICH HAS JUST SUNK ANOTHER
TANKER, THE ALLAN JACKSON.
IN THE EARLY MORNING
OF JANUARY 18th,
HARDEGEN FINALLY LOCATES TARGETS
WORTHY OF HIS
REMAINING TORPEDOES.
BUT AS DAWN BREAKS, HE RUNS OUT
OF TIME TO SET UP THE SHOTS.
CONFIDENT THERE WILL BE
MORE STEAMERS THE NEXT NIGHT
IF HE IS NOT SPOTTED,
HE BOTTOMS HIS SUBMARINE.
WHEN NIGHT FALLS, HARDEGEN
DECIDES TO HUNT IN THE WATERS
JUST OFF OF CAPE HATTERAS,
NORTH CAROLINA.
HE ORDERS U-123 TO TRAVEL ALONG
THE NAVIGATIONAL BUOYS,
WHICH HE NOTES THE STEAMERS
KEEP TO THEIR PORT SIDE.
JUST BEFORE 3:00 A. M.,
HARDEGEN ENCOUNTERS
A MERCHANT SHIP
HE ESTIMATES AS 4,000 TONS
AND FIRES AT A VERY SHORT RANGE
OF 275 YARDS.
THE SHIP, CITY OF ATLANTA,
CARRYING FOOD AND CARGO,
SINKS IN MINUTES.
ONLY THREE OF 47 CREWMEMBERS
WOULD SURVIVE THE NIGHT.
SMALL SHIPS PASS, BUT HARDEGEN
DOESN'T WANT TO WASTE
HIS LAST TWO TORPEDOES.
BUT HE HAS ANOTHER WEAPON
AT HIS DISPOSAL.
HARDEGEN ORDERS HIS CREWS
TO THEIR DECK GUNS.
A TANKER, THE SS MALAY,
IS EMPTY OF FUEL,
BUT FULL OF FUMES.
IT ERUPTS UNDER FIRE
FROM THE SHELLS.
HARDEGEN TURNS
AND FIRES A TORPEDO
ON ANOTHER SHIP NEARBY...
WOUNDING A FREIGHTER.
STILL MONITORING
THE RADIO CHANNELS,
THEY LEARN THAT THE CREW
HAS CONTAINED THE FIRES
ABOARD THE SS MALAY.
HARDEGEN DECIDES TO FINISH
WHAT THEY STARTED
AND MAKE GOOD USE
OF THEIR LAST TORPEDO.
THEY HIT THE MARK.
HIS ARSENAL OF TORPEDOES SPENT,
AND FUEL BEGINNING TO RUN LOW,
HARDEGEN MUST TURN FOR HOME.
BUT AS U-123 LEAVES
AMERICAN WATERS,
THE ELUSIVE SUBMARINE
IS BEING FOLLOWED.
CAPTAIN.
EINAR GLEDITSCH,
CAPTAIN OF THE NORWEGIAN WHALER
KOSMOS II, STALKS THE U-BOAT.
MANY MERCHANT VESSELS
FROM NORWAY
BEGAN TRANSPORTING GOODS
FOR THE ALLIES
AFTER THE NAZI OCCUPATION
OF THEIR HOMELAND.
THE COMMANDING OFFICER
ABOARD THE CIVILIAN SHIP
JUST DID WHAT THEY ALREADY DID,
THE BRITISH,
IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR,
HE ATTEMPTED TO RAM
THE SUBMARINE.
RAM IT.
IF THE NORWEGIAN
CAN RAM THE U-BOAT,
THE HULL DAMAGE
TO U-123 WILL ENSURE
IT WILL NOT SUBMERGE AGAIN.
AS KOSMOS II CLOSES IN, THE CREW
SPOTS THE CHARGING SHIP.
WITH JUST 65 FEET BELOW THEM,
THE WATERS HERE ARE TOO SHALLOW
TO DIVE FOR PROTECTION.
U- 123 MUST OUTRUN THE NORWEGIAN
AND TURNS SEAWARDS
TO DEEPER WATERS.
BUT HARDEGEN
CAN'T GET ENOUGH SPEED.
HIS CHIEF ENGINEER
TOLD HIM
THAT HE HAD LOST ENGINE POWER
ON ONE OF HIS DIESEL ENGINES.
AND SO HE COULD NOT
OUTRUN THE WHALER.
THE HUNTER,
HE TURNS TO BE THE PREY.
AFTER ATTACKING
ALLIED MERCHANT SHIPPING
FROM NOVA SCOTIA
TO NORTH CAROLINA...
THE TABLES HAVE FINALLY TURNED
ON U-BOAT KAPITÄNLEUTNANT
REINHARD HARDEGEN.
IN A STRANGE TWIST, THE ATTACK
DOES NOT COME
FROM THE UNITED STATES NAVY
OR COAST GUARD,
BUT A GIANT WHALING SHIP
CONVERTED INTO A FUEL TANKER
IN SERVICE OF THE WAR EFFORT.
WITH ONE ENGINE DOWN, U-123
LIMPS TOWARDS THE OPEN OCEAN.
KOSMOS II IS IN CLOSE PURSUIT.
THE ENORMOUS WHALER CRUISES ONLY
ABOUT A KNOT FASTER THAN U-123.
BUT IT'S ENOUGH TO SLOWLY GAIN
ON THE U-BOAT.
IT'S QUITE
A DRAMATIC INCIDENT,
BECAUSE THE SUBMARINE IS NOT
IN A GOOD CONDITION.
ONE OF ITS ENGINES IS DOWN.
THAT MEANS IT CAN'T GO AT
ITS NORMAL SPEED ON THE SURFACE.
THEREFORE THIS RELATIVELY SLOW
MERCHANTMAN
IS POSSIBLY GOING TO CATCH IT
AND HIT IT.
AND SO WE HAVE THIS
EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION
OF THESE TWO SHIPS RATHER SLOWLY
CHASING EACH OTHER
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.
THE SURVIVAL OF U-123
MAY DEPEND
ON ENGINE MECHANIC
RICHARD KRAXEL.
HE MUST REPAIR
A COOLING PIPE
NEEDED TO BRING THE OTHER
DIESEL ENGINE ON LINE.
U-123'S SECOND ENGINE
SPRINGS TO LIFE.
WITH THE WHALER
ONLY 80 YARDS BACK,
THE U-BOAT INCREASES
ITS CRITICAL MARGIN,
PULLING AWAY, WITH A TINY
HALF-KNOT ADVANTAGE.
HARDEGEN ESTABLISHES
A NORTHERLY COURSE.
THEN REDIRECTS
INTO DEEPER WATERS,
DIVING TO EVADE ENEMY AIRCRAFT.
HARDEGEN LEAVES BEHIND
THE BURNING WRECK
OF HIS FINAL TARGET
AND A BATTERED AMERICAN COAST.
HARDEGEN WAS
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
OF THE INITIAL WAVE
OF DRUMBEAT U-BOATS.
HE SINKS EIGHT SHIPS,
AND IT DEMONSTRATES WHAT AN
AGGRESSIVELY HANDLED SUBMARINE
CAN DO IN THIS
TARGET-RICH ENVIRONMENT.
HE IS CREDITED
WITH SINKING
SOME 50,000 TONS OF SHIPS...
ALTHOUGH HIS LAST VICTIM,
SS MALAY,
WOULD LIMP INTO PORT
UNDER ITS OWN STEAM.
WHEN WORD OF THEIR SUCCESS
REACHES U-BOAT HEADQUARTERS,
DÖNITZ SENDS
A SPECIAL MESSAGE...
"TO THE DRUMBEATER HARDEGEN,
BRAVO! YOU BEAT THE DRUM WELL."
U- 123 ALSO RECEIVES WORD
THAT HARDEGEN IS TO RECEIVE
THE COVETED KNIGHT'S CROSS.
THE FIRST FIVE U-BOATS
OF OPERATION DRUMBEAT
SINK 23 SHIPS AND KILL
HUNDREDS OF SAILORS.
IN GERMANY, HITLER APPROVES THE
CONTINUATION OF THE OFFENSIVE
AGAINST THE AMERICAN
EASTERN SEABOARD.
WAVES OF U-BOATS
STRIKE THE COAST,
AS THE GERMAN ONSLAUGHT
HAMMERS AMERICAN SHIPPING.
HARDEGEN AND U-123
RETURN AGAIN IN MARCH,
THIS TIME SINKING 10 MORE SHIPS.
THE GERMANS SINK MORE
SHIPS IN THE U. S. COASTAL ZONE
IN ONE YEAR THAN NEARLY
THE REST OF THE WAR
IN ALL THE OCEANS
OF THE WORLD COMBINED.
THEY SINK SIX MILLION TONS
OF MERCHANT SHIPPING
WITH SUBMARINES IN 1942 ALONE.
IT'S JUST STAGGERING.
OPERATION DRUMBEAT WAS
SEEN BY THE GERMAN U-BOAT MEN
AS A PERIOD WHERE
THEY COULD GAIN SUCCESSES
IN SINKING VESSELS WITHOUT
MEETING RESISTANCE.
IT BECAME PROBABLY THE SECOND
GOLDEN AGE FOR THE U-BOATS.
DRUMBEAT WAS A TERRIBLE
SELF-INFLICTED WOUND.
IT WAS THE GREATEST VICTORY
FOR THE U-BOATS
THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
NEARLY 700 SHIPS GO DOWN
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES NAVY
IS ABLE TO IMPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE CHANGE.
AMERICAN ADMIRAL ERNIE KING
FINALLY ESTABLISHES
A CONVOY SYSTEM FOR MERCHANT
SHIPPING IN THE SUMMER OF 1942.
U- BOAT ATTACKS ON THE EAST COAST
MELT AWAY IN THE FACE
OF OPPOSITION.
WHEN THE AMERICANS LEARN,
THEY LEARN FAST, AND
THEY APPLY THEIR RESOURCES,
AND THEY DO IT VERY EFFECTIVELY.
SO IT'S A STEEP LEARNING CURVE,
BUT ONCE THEY GET OVER IT,
THEY, THEY MOVE VERY QUICKLY.
THE LONG-TERM HISTORICAL LEGACY
OF THE 1942 CATASTROPHE
OFF THE U. S. EAST COAST
I DON'T THINK
HAS EVER BEEN RESOLVED.
IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME
BY AMERICAN ARCHIVISTS
THAT THEY, THE U. S. NAVY, AVOIDS
THIS STORY LIKE THE PLAGUE.
THEY JUST DON'T WANT
TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND IT'S HARD TO BLAME THEM.
THE SILENCE CAUSES
THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE
OF THE SAILORS
AND THEIR FAMILIES
TO BE LARGELY FORGOTTEN...
IGNORING THE SHOCKING DAYS
THAT THE NAZI U-BOATS
BROUGHT THE WAR HOME
TO AMERICAN SHORES.
A BRASH U-BOAT SKIPPER SURFACES
TO GIVE HIS CREW
A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME VIEW
OF THE MANHATTAN SKYLINE.
PART OF A SECRET NAZI OPERATION,
HE COMMANDS ONE OF FIVE
SUBMARINES
READY TO BRING THE WAR
TO AMERICA'S DOORSTEP.
WITH DETERMINED ENEMIES
IN THE PACIFIC AND THE ATLANTIC
AND BARELY A MONTH SINCE
THE START OF THEIR WAR,
HOW MUCH DAMAGE WILL
THESE U-BOATS INFLICT
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES
CAN FIGHT BACK?
IN WORLD WAR II,
A SUBSEA WEAPON ALLOWS WARRIORS
TO FIGHT FROM BENEATH THE WAVES.
WITH CUNNING, FORCE
AND TENACITY,
THEIR ENEMIES STRIKE BACK.
REVOLUTIONARY BUT STILL
SOMETIMES PRIMITIVE,
IT'S A DESPERATE BID
TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF WAR.
THEIR STORIES ARE LEGEND.
IN JANUARY 1942, OFF THE COAST
OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK,
A BRITISH OIL TANKER STEAMS
TO JOIN AN ATLANTIC CONVOY
TO ENGLAND.
WELL INSIDE AMERICAN WATERS,
IT EXPECTS NO DANGER.
A LURKING NAZI U-BOAT SKIPPER,
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT
REINHARD HARDEGEN,
CANNOT BELIEVE HIS GOOD FORTUNE.
AS HE PROWLS THE DARK WATER,
THE TANKER HAS ALMOST RUN
INTO HIS GERMAN SUBMARINE.
HARDEGEN WILL NOT
PASS UP AN EASY SHOT
AND POSITIONS HIS U-BOAT.
AT 3:41 A. M.
HE FIRES A SINGLE TORPEDO.
LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER,
THE EXPLOSION LIGHTS UP
THE NIGHT SKY,
SENDING FLAMES HIGH IN THE AIR.
U- 123 HAS TORPEDOED
65,000 BARRELS OF OIL
JUST 85 MILES FROM
THE LIGHTS OF MANHATTAN,
WITH NO RESPONSE
FROM AMERICAN DEFENSES.
IT'S AN OPENING STRIKE OF WHAT
THE GERMANS CALL PAUKENSCHLAG-
OPERATION DRUMBEAT.
AND FOR AMERICA,
IT STRUCK TOO CLOSE TO HOME.
ONE MONTH EARLIER, THE JAPANESE
AMBUSH ON PEARL HARBOR
CATCHES THE UNITED STATES
OFF GUARD.
IN GERMANY, COMMANDER OF U-BOATS
KARL DÖNITZ
BEGS THE FÜHRER FOR A CHANCE
TO DO THE SAME.
DÖNITZ WANTS
TO SMACK THE AMERICANS.
HITLER WANTS HIM TO
SMACK THE AMERICANS.
THERE'S NO QUESTION.
BUT HITLER'S PRIMARY
FOCUS IS ON THE GROUND WAR
AND DEFEATING THE SOVIET UNION.
HE DOESN'T FULLY APPRECIATE
THE POTENTIAL OF U-BOAT WARFARE
TO STRANGLE
THE ALLIED WAR EFFORT.
HITLER GRANTS DÖNITZ
ONLY LIMITED RESOURCES
FOR AN AUDACIOUS PLAN.
DÖNITZ HOPES TO SHOCK THE U. S.
WITH A SERIES
OF SUBMARINE ATTACKS
RIGHT OFF THE AMERICAN COAST.
THE TARGETS WILL BE
MERCHANT SHIPS,
WHICH TRANSPORT GOODS ALONG
THE EASTERN SEABOARD.
THE VITAL CARGO SHIPPING,
IN PARTICULAR THE VITAL OIL,
MOVE INDIVIDUALLY UP AND DOWN
THE AMERICAN COAST
TO THE CONVOY ASSEMBLY POINTS.
THIS IS A PARTICULAR
VULNERABILITY.
DÖNITZ HANDPICKS
A GROUP OF U-BOAT COMMANDERS
FOR THE JOB.
THIS INCLUDES REINHARD HARDEGEN.
AN AMBITIOUS OFFICER, HIS COMBAT
CAREER IS ABOUT TO BE CUT SHORT.
HIS CAREER WAS LIMITED
DUE TO HIS BAD HEALTH
FROM AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT
BEFORE THE WAR
WHEN HE SERVED IN
THE AERONAUTICAL SERVICE
OF THE KRIEGSMARINE.
HARDEGEN KNEW TO BECOME
SOMETHING LIKE A HERO OR AN ACE,
HE HAD TO PERFORM VERY WELL,
SO HE NEEDED TO BE AGGRESSIVE
AND RISK A LOT TO HAVE SUCCESS.
HE'LL HAVE FEW PATROLS
TO SECURE HIS LEGACY.
A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
U-BOATS BEGIN TO SNEAK OUT
FROM THE BASE AT LORIENT,
ON THE COAST OF OCCUPIED FRANCE.
PATROLS OFTEN LAST
70 OR 80 DAYS.
FRESHWATER IS ONLY USED
FOR DRINKING.
CREWS REFRAIN FROM SHAVES,
SHOWERS OR WASHING LAUNDRY.
PERISHABLE FOODS LAST
ONLY ABOUT A WEEK
IN THE HUMIDITY OF THE U-BOAT,
AFTER THAT, THE CREW RELIES
MOSTLY ON CANNED GOODS
AND OTHER PRESERVES.
THE AUSTERE CONDITIONS
TAKE A TOLL ON HARDEGEN.
THE ABDOMINAL INJURY FROM
HIS EARLIER PLANE CRASH
NEVER FULLY HEALED.
HE HAD STOMACH PROBLEMS.
BUT HE COULDN'T GET A SPECIAL
DIET ABOARD A SUBMARINE,
BECAUSE THE KITCHEN IS
VERY, VERY LIMITED.
WITH A BLEEDING STOMACH,
HARDEGEN CANNOT EAT MUCH OF
THE FOOD PREPARED FOR HIS MEN.
IN CHRONIC PAIN AND UNDERFED,
HARDEGEN FOCUSES
ON THE JOB AT HAND.
A LARGER SUBMARINE,
CALLED TYPE IXs,
ALLOW THEM TO ATTEMPT
THE DARING OPERATION.
THE 250-FOOT LENGTH MAKES IT
MORE THAN 30 FEET LONGER
THAN THE TYPE VIIs.
BIGGER BUNKERS
INCREASE FUEL CAPACITY
FOR AN EXTENDED RANGE
UP TO 12,000 MILES.
THE TYPE IX IS
THE CLASSIC INSTRUMENT
FOR THIS LONG-RANGE OFFENSIVE.
THEY CAN CROSS THE ATLANTIC AND
THEY CAN OPERATE FOR SOME TIME
IN THEIR OPERATIONAL AREA.
THE CREW OF U-123
SPENDS THE CHRISTMAS OF 1941
AT SEA.
HARDEGEN HAS CHRISTMAS TREES
PLACED IN EVERY COMPARTMENT
FOR THE MEN TO DECORATE.
LETTERS AND PACKAGES FROM HOME
ARE DISTRIBUTED.
WITH FOOD AND MUSIC, THE CREW
CAN LEAVE THE WAR BEHIND,
IF ONLY FOR A FEW HOURS.
ON DECEMBER 27,
FOUR DAYS INTO THEIR JOURNEY,
THEY CROSS 20 DEGREES WEST.
U- 123 IS CONSIDERED
ON ACTIVE COMBAT DUTY.
THE CREW GETS A PAY RAISE,
AND HARDEGEN CAN OPEN
THE TOP SECRET OPERATION ORDERS.
THEY KNOW THEY ARE HEADING TO
THE EAST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA,
BUT EVEN THEIR CAPTAIN
DOESN'T KNOW WHERE EXACTLY.
HARDEGEN REVEALS THE DETAILS
OF THEIR MISSION.
THEY ARE TO SEEK AND DESTROY
MERCHANT SHIPS
IN THE WATERS AROUND
NEW YORK CITY.
THE FOUR OTHER U-BOATS
HAVE SIMILAR ORDERS
AGAINST DIFFERENT PARTS
OF THE ATLANTIC COAST.
ADMIRAL DÖNITZ CALLS
THE CAMPAIGN PAUKENSCHLAG,
OR OPERATION DRUMBEAT.
BUT HARDEGEN HAS A PROBLEM.
SHALLOW WATERS ARE
FULL OF HAZARDS
AND DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.
U- BOAT HEADQUARTERS CAN'T EVEN
PROVIDE PROPER NAUTICAL CHARTS.
BECAUSE THE GERMANS
HADN'T PREPARED FOR THIS
BEFORE THE WAR, ALL HE HAS IS
A SORT OF A MAP OF NEW YORK,
A GENERAL CHART OF THE WATERS,
AND A GUIDEBOOK.
TO SAFELY NEGOTIATE
INSHORE SHIPPING LANES
WHILE HE HUNTS AND SINKS SHIPS
WILL REQUIRE ALL
OF HARDEGEN'S SKILLS.
BUT FIRST, THE 3,500-MILE
CROSSING TAKES U-BOAT 123
THROUGH THE WORST
OF WINTER STORMS.
YOU HAVE WIND BLOWING
UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR.
IF IT'S STORMY OUTSIDE
LIKE IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC,
IT'S NOT A PLACE
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
A LOW-PRESSURE TROUGH
CREATES STORM-FORCE WINDS
AND ROUGH SEAS.
30-FOOT WAVES CRASH ACROSS
THE CONNING TOWER.
BUT TO MAINTAIN FULL SPEED,
HARDEGEN RIDES U-123
ON THE SURFACE.
SUBMERGED, HIS SPEED IS LIMITED
TO A MAXIMUM OF EIGHT KNOTS
IN SHORT BURSTS.
SURFACED, HE CAN PUSH
TWICE AS FAST,
NEARLY 22 MILES PER HOUR.
HIS LOOKOUT CREWS SPEND
FOUR-HOUR SHIFTS
ALL DAY AND NIGHT
SEARCHING CONSTANTLY
FOR THREATS AND TARGETS.
AS THE WORLD WEARILY RINGS IN
ANOTHER YEAR OF WAR,
FIVE NAZI U-BOATS CRUISE
TOWARDS OPERATIONAL AREAS
FROM CANADA'S
GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE
TO CAPE HATTERAS,
NORTH CAROLINA.
THE U-BOAT COMMANDERS ARE
VERY EXCITED ABOUT DOING THIS.
THEY HAD GOT VERY, VERY
FRUSTRATED IN THE AUTUMN OF 1941
THAT THEY WERE ATTACKING CONVOYS
ESCORTED BY AMERICAN SHIPS,
AND THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED
TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE
IN SINKING AMERICAN SHIPS.
THAT WILL SERVE THEM RIGHT
FOR THIS UNDECLARED WAR
THEY'D BEEN WAGING
BEFORE PEARL HARBOR.
IN JANUARY 1942,
ONLY WEEKS AFTER THE JAPANESE
ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR,
FIVE NAZI U-BOATS HEAD
FOR NORTH AMERICAN WATERS.
OPERATION DRUMBEAT
OPENS A NEW THEATER OF WAR
FOR THE GERMAN U-BOATS.
DÖNITZ SIMPLY WANTED TO SINK
AS MANY VESSELS AS POSSIBLE.
AT U-BOAT
HEADQUARTERS,
IT'S A SIMPLE FORMULA.
DÖNITZ'S VIEW
IS THAT HE'S FIGHTING
WHAT HE CALLS A TONNAGE WAR.
AND IN HIS MIND,
HE'S TRYING TO SINK SHIPS
FASTER THAN THE ALLIES
CAN BUILD THEM.
THE PROBLEM FOR DÖNITZ
IS HE HAS REALLY NO IDEA
HOW MUCH SHIPPING
HE HAS TO SINK.
ALL HE KNOWS IS
HE HAS TO SINK A LOT.
AND IF HE CAN SINK A LOT,
MAYBE GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
DÖNITZ MIGHT ALSO HOPE
TO DETER THE AMERICANS
FROM THE EUROPEAN THEATER
ALTOGETHER.
THE GERMANS ALSO,
I THINK,
IMAGINE THAT THE UNITED STATES
IS A VERY SOFT SOCIETY.
A REALLY SHARP BLOW
MAY DISCOURAGE US
FROM OPERATING IN EUROPE AT ALL.
WE'RE ALREADY MORE INTERESTED
IN THE PACIFIC.
MOST PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES
THINK OF THE WAR
AS A WAR AGAINST JAPAN.
THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TEST THIS RESOLVE
ARRIVES PROMPTLY.
EACH OF THE U-BOATS IS UNDER
STRICT ORDERS NOT TO ATTACK
BEFORE JANUARY 13th, TO PRESERVE
THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
BLOWN OFF COURSE
BY THE WINTER STORMS,
U- 123 REACHES
THE EAST COAST EARLY.
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT
REINHARD HARDEGEN AND HIS CREW
HAVE BEEN ON CONSTANT WATCH.
THEY DISCOVER AND STALK AN ENEMY
TARGET 110 MILES FROM THE COAST.
IT COULD BE A MERCHANT SHIP
OR AN ALLIED DESTROYER.
HARDEGEN MANEUVERS
FOR A CLOSER LOOK.
A BRITISH STEAMER,
ABOUT 10,000 TONS,
LIKELY FILLED WITH
ALLIED SUPPLIES.
IT'S A LUCRATIVE TARGET.
BUT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE START
OF THE SECRET MISSION,
HE WOULD REVEAL THEIR POSITION.
HARDEGEN IS STILL TEMPTED.
SUBMARINE COMMANDERS
ARE ALWAYS VERY AGGRESSIVE,
AND THE SIGHT OF
AN ALLIED MERCHANT SHIP
WAS SOMETHING THAT HARDEGEN
COULD NOT, COULD NOT RESIST.
TARGETING THE STEAMER,
HARDEGEN LAUNCHES
HIS FIRST TORPEDO.
TO IGNITE A FIERY GLOW
AGAINST THE NIGHT SKY.
RADIO OPERATORS ABOARD U-123
INTERCEPT THE SHIP'S
EMERGENCY TRANSMISSIONS.
S- O-S, THEN S-S-S,
THE DISTRESS CODE USED
WHILE UNDER ATTACK BY SUBMARINE.
TO SAFEGUARD THEIR MISSION,
HARDEGEN MUST SILENCE
HIS VICTIM.
HE POSITIONS U-123 TO LAUNCH
ANOTHER TORPEDO.
HIS CREW AIMS FOR THE BRIDGE
TO TARGET THE RADIO
SENDING THE DISTRESS CALL.
SECONDS LATER, ANOTHER EXPLOSION
BRIGHTENS THE NIGHT SKY.
PASSENGERS AND CREW
OF THE SHIP CYCLOPS
DRIFT FOR 20 HOURS.
ONLY TWO ARE KILLED
IN THE INITIAL ATTACK.
86 MORE DIE FROM EXPOSURE
TO THE ICY WATERS
OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC.
U- 123 LAUNCHES THE FIRST
UNOFFICIAL STRIKE
OF OPERATION DRUMBEAT.
STORMY SEAS AND THEIR ATTACK
HAVE DELAYED HARDEGEN
AND THE CREW.
THEY MUST NOW HURRY TO REACH
THEIR REAL TARGET-
NEW YORK CITY.
HARDEGEN ANTICIPATES TROUBLE.
HIS ATTACK HAS ANNOUNCED
THE PRESENCE
OF A NAZI U-BOAT TO THE ALLIES,
HE EXPECTS HEAVY DEFENSES
AS HE NEARS THE COAST.
BUT IT TURNS OUT
THE U-BOAT MISSION
WAS NOT A SURPRISE...
AFTER ALL.
AMERICAN REAR-ADMIRAL
ADOLPHUS ANDREWS IS TASKED
WITH PROTECTING THE EASTERN
SEABOARD OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE IS THE COMMANDER
MOST RESPONSIBLE, IF YOU LIKE,
FOR COASTAL CONVOYS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF 1942,
THERE'S NOTHING HE HAS.
IT JUST DOESN'T EXIST.
AMERICA HAS ONLY BEEN
AT WAR FOR A FEW WEEKS,
AND NOT BY CHOICE.
THEY HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN TO
MOBILIZE THE MEN AND MACHINES
NEEDED TO FIGHT ENEMIES
OFF TWO COASTS.
THE SINKING OF CYCLOPS
CONFIRMS WHAT ANDREWS FEARED,
BASED ON INTELLIGENCE
FROM ALLIED CODEBREAKERS.
AS SOON AS NAZI U-BOATS
LEAVE PORT,
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE EXPLOIT
A KEY WEAKNESS
IN KARL DÖNITZ'S
SUBMARINE OPERATIONS.
YOU NEED
A LOT OF COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN THE SUBMARINES AND
WITH THE HEADQUARTER IN EUROPE.
AND THESE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS
COULD BE INTERCEPTED
BY THE ALLIED FORCES.
AS THE ALLIES BUILD
A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL
DIRECTION-FINDING SYSTEM
AROUND THE WORLD
WITH STATIONS
ALL OVER THE PLACE.
IF YOU TRANSMIT AND USE
YOUR RADIO,
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
WILL PRETTY QUICKLY
FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ARE.
THIS ALLOWS
ALLIED NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
TO PINPOINT THE LOCATION
OF ANY GERMAN SUBMARINE
WHOSE MESSAGES ARE INTERCEPTED.
THE BRITISH CAN KEEP
PRETTY GOOD TABS
ON WHERE A SUBMARINE IS
BECAUSE OF THIS FIXATION
THE U-BOATS HAVE WITH
TRANSMITTING ON RADIO.
IT'S RATHER LIKE SAYING, "HELLO,
I'M HERE, COME AND SINK ME."
AND THIS IS A TERRIBLE WEAKNESS.
IN THE EARLY DAYS
OF 1942,
BRITISH NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
WARNS THE AMERICANS
OF THE IMMINENT ARRIVAL
OF FIVE NAZI U-BOATS.
THE SINKING OF THE MERCHANT SHIP
CYCLOPS CONFIRMS IT.
U.S. REAR-ADMIRAL ANDREWS
APPEALS FOR RESOURCES
TO DEFEND THE EASTERN SEABOARD,
KNOWING THAT MORE U-BOATS
ARE COMING
TO THE NORTH AMERICAN COAST.
BUT HIS SENIOR OFFICER,
ADMIRAL ERNEST KING,
HAS EVEN BIGGER PROBLEMS.
IN JANUARY 1942,
ADMIRAL KING IS
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
HE'S IN CHARGE
OF THE WHOLE U. S. NAVY.
THE U. S. NAVY IS BUILDING
A LOT OF SHIPS,
BUT THEY DON'T EXIST YET.
HE'S ALREADY FIGHTING U-BOATS
IN CONNECTION WITH THE BRITISH.
THERE ARE ALREADY
LARGE U. S. FORCES
COMMITTED TO THAT JOB.
HE CAN'T JUST WRITE OFF
THE PACIFIC.
AND BECAUSE OF
THE ENORMOUS DISTANCES,
ANYTHING HE DOES IN THE PACIFIC
COSTS A LOT OF RESOURCES.
KING IS FACED WITH
THESE TERRIBLE CHOICES.
THERE ARE LIMITED
ASSETS TO MOUNT ANY DEFENSE
AGAINST THE APPROACHING U-BOATS.
CLEAR SKIES ALLOW HARDEGEN
TO PINPOINT HIS EXACT POSITION
AFTER DAYS OF BAD WEATHER,
AND HE SETS A COURSE
FOR NEW YORK.
HE'S BEHIND SCHEDULE.
FOUR OTHER U-BOATS, DELAYED BY
STORMY SEAS, TOO, ALSO CLOSE IN.
U- 130 OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF
OPERATION DRUMBEAT
BY SINKING TWO SMALL FREIGHTERS
ON JANUARY 13th
NEAR THE NEWFOUNDLAND COAST...
WHILE HARDEGEN CRUISES SOUTH IN
U-123, TOWARDS HIS TARGET AREA.
WITH CRUDE CHARTS,
HE IS UNSURE OF THE COASTLINE.
BUT HE ALSO HAS THE HELP
OF THE MONTAUK POINT LIGHTHOUSE,
BECAUSE THE AMERICANS
HAVEN'T TURNED OFF
THEIR NAVIGATIONAL LIGHTS.
EVERYTHING WAS LIT UP.
THEY WERE STILL LIVING
LIKE IN PEACETIME.
THE AMERICANS STILL HAD
THEIR RADIO NAVIGATIONAL AIDS
TURNED ON,
SO HE COULD RELY ON THAT.
LATE IN THE EVENING
OFF MONTAUK POINT,
THE CREW SPOTS A LIGHT
ON THE PORT SIDE.
A LARGE VESSEL APPROACHES.
IT COULD BE A THREAT.
THE WATER IS
NOT SO DEEP.
IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS
SITUATION FOR HIM.
WITHOUT ACCURATE CHARTS,
THE EXACT DEPTH OF THE WATER
IS UNCERTAIN.
HARDEGEN CAN'T DIVE TO ESCAPE.
HE IDENTIFIES
THE APPROACHING SHIP,
WHICH TRAVELS FULLY LIT,
AS THOUGH THERE WAS NO WAR.
AN OIL TANKER.
THIS IS WHAT HE HAS COME FOR.
HARDEGEN'S WATCH SCANS THE
HORIZON FOR ANY TYPE OF ESCORT,
BUT THE SHIP APPEARS ALONE.
HE ORDERS HIS CREW TO FIRE
TWO TORPEDOES AT THE TANKER.
BUT THE ATTACK PROVES
DISAPPOINTING.
HIS TORPEDOES
DIDN'T EXPLODE.
MANY OF THE TORPEDOES
LOADED ABOARD U-123
ARE G7e MODELS-
THE MOST SOPHISTICATED ELECTRIC
TORPEDO IN THE NAZI ARSENAL.
THEY'RE 23 FEET LONG
AND ARMED WITH 600 POUNDS
OF EXPLOSIVE POWER.
HE HAD
AN ELECTROMAGNETICAL DEVICE
TO KEEP THE TORPEDO EXPLODING
BELOW THE SHIP.
AND IF THE TORPEDO'S
TRAVELING TOO LOW,
THEN THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF
THE SHIP IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH
TO MAKE THE TORPEDO EXPLODE.
HARDEGEN AIMS HIGHER
WITH CONSECUTIVE SHOTS.
HE TORPEDOED IT,
AND IT WAS A FUEL TANKER,
AND THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION.
BUT IT TAKES HIM
FIVE TORPEDOES TO SINK THE SHIP.
AS THE TANKER BREAKS APART,
12,200 TONS OF FUEL OIL BURN.
ITS CREW BROADCASTS
AN EMERGENCY MESSAGE.
WHEN THE EXPLOSION
GOES OFF IN THE TANKER,
IT THINKS THAT IT MIGHT HAVE
STRUCK A MINE.
YOU WOULD HAVE EXPECTED
A SUBMERGED SUBMARINE
TO CREEP IN AND LAY A MINEFIELD
AND THEN CREEP AWAY AGAIN,
NOT COME IN ON THE SURFACE.
HARDEGEN MAKES AN ESCAPE,
BUT NOT BEFORE U-123
IS SPOTTED BY SURVIVORS
IN AND AROUND THE LIFEBOATS-
THE FIRST EYEWITNESSES
OF A NAZI U-BOAT
SINKING SHIPS
IN AMERICAN WATERS.
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT HARDEGEN EXPECTS
FURIOUS COUNTERMEASURES.
BUT STRANGELY,
THERE IS NO REPLY.
THE GERMANS ARRIVE
ON THE EAST COAST
OF THE UNITED STATES
AND ARE JUST GOB-SMACKED
BY THE FACT THAT SHIPPING'S
NOT PROTECTED.
TO THEM, IT'S INEXPLICABLE.
AFTER DESTROYING
THE TANKER NORNESS,
HARDEGEN SUBMERGES
DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS.
HE SETTLES U-123 ON THE BOTTOM,
UNDETECTED,
WHILE THE CREW RESTS AND
PREPARES FOR ITS NEXT ATTACK.
BACK ON THE SURFACE, THEY
MONITOR LOCAL RADIO CHANNELS
TO LEARN THE TANKER NORNESS
IS FINALLY SPOTTED,
AND THE CREW RESCUED, NEARLY
12 HOURS AFTER THE SINKING.
IF THERE'S
NOTHING AROUND,
THEN IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER
WHERE YOU GET SUNK,
IT'LL BE A LONG TIME
BEFORE ANYONE SHOWS UP.
MERCHANT SHIPS
ALSO RECEIVE THE WARNING
OF A U-BOAT IN THE AREA.
U- 123 CONTINUES TO USE
THE AMERICANS' OWN
NAVIGATIONAL AIDS.
LIGHTSHIPS PROVIDE ORIENTATION.
THESE FLOATING LIGHTHOUSES MARK
THE ENTRANCE TO AMERICAN PORTS,
IF THE CITY SKYLINES DON'T
SHINE BRIGHTLY ENOUGH.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE NAVY TO CONVINCE
THE GOVERNORS AND MAYORS
OF MAJOR CITIES ON THE COAST
TO BLACK OUT.
PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T GET
THE MESSAGE THAT THIS IS A WAR
AND YOU, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING.
AFTER THREE WEEKS AT SEA,
THE GLOW OF NEW YORK CITY
PROVES AN IRRESISTIBLE BEACON.
HARDEGEN COULD SEE
THE WHOLE SKYLINE OF NEW YORK,
SOMETHING PROBABLY EVERY GERMAN
DREAMT OF BEFORE THE WAR.
THE CAPTAIN INVITES
HIS CREW UP TO THE BRIDGE
TO SEE THE LIGHTS OF MANHATTAN.
BUT U-123 ISN'T HERE
TO SIGHTSEE.
AS THEY LEAVE NEW YORK HARBOR...
THE STERN WATCHMAN SPOTS A SHIP
APPROACHING FROM THE REAR.
HARDEGEN SEES,
FULLY LIT UP,
AGAINST THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK,
A TANKER.
A NICE, LARGE, JUICY TANKER.
AT CLOSE
TO 7,000 TONS,
BRITISH OIL TANKER COIMBRA
CRUISES UNESCORTED
OUT OF NEW YORK HARBOR.
KAPITÄNLEUTNANT HARDEGEN
MANEUVERS HIS SUBMARINE
INTO ATTACK POSITION
WITH TEXTBOOK PRECISION.
IT'S PART OF THE GAME
OF THE U-BOAT COMMANDER
TO BE COOL, TO BE RESOLUTE,
TO BE COLD-BLOODED.
AT LEAST TO APPEAR SO TO CREATE
CONFIDENCE WITHIN HIS CREW.
JUST 800 YARDS
FROM THE TARGET...
HE LAUNCHES HIS FIRST TORPEDO.
58 SECONDS LATER...
A HIT.
FLAMES LICK 650 FEET IN THE AIR
AND LIGHT UP THE NIGHT SKY...
FUELED BY 65,000 BARRELS
OF OIL CARGO.
IN FACT,
IF ANYTHING SYMBOLIZES
THE TOTAL UNPREPAREDNESS
OF THE UNITED STATES,
IT'S THIS ATTACK
IN NEW YORK HARBOR.
WITHIN MINUTES OF
STRIKING THE OIL TANKER COIMBRA
85 MILES FROM MANHATTAN,
U- BOAT KAPITÄNLEUTNANT HARDEGEN
FIRES A SECOND TORPEDO
TO SPEED THE SINKING AND
SILENCE ANY DISTRESS SIGNALS.
LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORT
THE SHIP BURNING
32 MILES OFF OF LONG ISLAND.
ONLY 10 OF 46 CREWMEMBERS
SURVIVE TO BE RESCUED.
WITH THE RASH OF SINKINGS
AND KNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN MORE
U-BOATS ARE CLOSING IN,
U.S. NAVY LEADERSHIP MONITORS
THE SITUATION CLOSELY.
IN THE HARBORS OF NEW YORK,
AN ARSENAL OF 23 SHIPS
ASSEMBLE-
DESTROYERS, CARRIERS,
CRUISERS, AND BATTLESHIPS.
THE ARMADA IS CALLED
TASK FORCE 15,
READY TO ESCORT AMERICAN TROOPS
TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER.
ADMIRAL ERNIE KING MUST CONSIDER
DELAYING THE TROOP SHIP CONVOY,
BUT IS CONFRONTED BY THE LARGER
POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS.
ONCE THE UNITED STATES
IS IN THE WAR,
IT'S VITAL TO SHOW ITS ALLIES
THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
AND THAT MEANS
AMONG OTHER THINGS,
THERE HAVE TO BE U. S. TROOPS
DEPLOYED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
TO BRITAIN, NORTHERN IRELAND,
ICELAND.
THEY HAVE TO BE CONVOYED THERE.
NOW THOSE ESCORTS ARE NOT
AVAILABLE FOR OTHER JOBS.
IN THE END,
ADMIRAL KING DISPATCHES THE TASK FORCE
AND TROOPS TO SAIL TO EUROPE.
ANY IMMEDIATE MILITARY RESPONSE
TO THE U-BOAT PRESENCE
IS NOW IMPOSSIBLE.
HARDEGEN CONTINUES TO HIDE
THE SUB ON THE OCEAN FLOOR
DURING DAYTIME HOURS.
AS THE SUN SETS ON NEW YORK
ON JANUARY 15th...
U- 123 RISES TO HUNT.
BUT THEY SURFACE TOO SOON.
ONE OF THE FEW ACTIVE
AMERICAN PATROL AIRCRAFT
SEES THE SUB BROACHING
IN THE LAST GLINTS OF SUNLIGHT.
BEFORE ALL THE WATER
CAN CLEAR THE BRIDGE,
THE SUBMARINE'S LOOKOUTS
ALSO SPOT THE PLANE.
HARDEGEN MUST DIVE
CAREFULLY.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL DEPTH
OF THE WATER,
MAKING IT DIFFICULT
TO EVADE ANY ATTACK.
FOUR AERIAL BOMBS
GO OFF STARBOARD,
BUT WIDE OF THE SUBMARINE.
THEY WAIT.
THE AIRCRAFT DOES NOT
PRESS THE ATTACK
OR CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS.
NAVY AIRCRAFT
DROP SOME BOMBS,
BUT THEY WERE NOT
VERY EFFECTIVE.
THIS IS RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE WAR,
THE AMERICANS ARE
VERY INEXPERIENCED,
AND THEY JUST HAVEN'T
PUT THE EFFORT
INTO ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE.
IT'S NOT JUST LACK OF SURFACE
SHIPS THAT'S CREATING PROBLEMS.
IT'S LACK OF
AVIATION ASSETS, TOO.
SINCE
THE UNITED STATES HAS
NONE OF THESE RESOURCES,
SINCE IT HAS ONLY A FEW
AIRPLANES FLYING PATROLS
AND NOT VERY EXPERIENCED AT IT,
SUDDENLY THERE'S THIS
TREMENDOUS VULNERABILITY.
THE U-BOATS
OF OPERATION DRUMBEAT
STRIKE AGAIN AND AGAIN,
ALL ALONG A DEFENSELESS COAST.
DÖNITZ SIMPLY CANNOT
BELIEVE HIS GOOD FORTUNE.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY
TO DESCRIBE IT.
THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.
AND HE FINALLY GETS
INTO THE AMERICAN ZONE,
AND IT'S A FREE-FIRE ZONE.
IN THE AMERICAN PRESS,
QUESTIONS MOUNT ABOUT
THE DESTRUCTION HAPPENING
ON THE DOORSTEP
OF THE UNITED STATES.
BUT THE U. S. NAVY SEEMS
UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESPOND.
AFTERWARDS,
PEOPLE KEEP SAYING,
WELL, IF KING HAD REALLY CARED
ABOUT ANYTHING,
HE WOULD HAVE HAD CONVOYS,
HE WOULD HAVE ORGANIZED.
WITH WHAT?
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THERE'S NO WHAT.
IT'S NOT AS THOUGH THE COAST IS
BRISTLING WITH MINES AND GUNS
AND TOUGH ARMY BOMBER CREWS
WAITING TO GO OUT ALL THE TIME.
THE THING ABOUT THE
U. S. NAVY AND ABOUT ERNIE KING
IS THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL
PRETTY MUCH FOCUSED
ON THAT NOTION THAT THE PRIMARY
FUNCTION OF THEIR NAVY
IS TO DESTROY
THE OTHER GUY'S NAVY.
AND SO IT TOOK THEM A LONG TIME
TO COME TO THE SAME REALIZATION
THAT THE BRITS DID,
THAT WHAT YOU NEED
IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE TECHNOLOGY
TO SINK SUBMARINES.
WHAT YOU NEED IS
TO SEND A SHIP OUT,
DRIVE THAT GUY DOWN,
PUSH HIM OFF.
HAVING FOUGHT GERMAN
U-BOATS FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES
ENTERED THE WAR,
THE OTHER ALLIES WANT TO SHARE
WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED.
THE BRITISH AND
THE CANADIANS ACTUALLY HAVE
THE CAPACITY IN AMERICAN PORTS
TO ORGANIZE CONVOYS.
THAT WAS NOT GONNA HAPPEN
UNDER ERNIE KING'S WATCH.
THE WHOLE THING WAS
RUN BY THE U. S. NAVY.
AND THE NAVY
IS JUST NOT PREPARED.
SO THERE IS NO ONE TO STOP
REINHARD HARDEGEN
FROM RACKING UP TONNAGE.
BY MONITORING
THE RADIO FREQUENCIES,
HARDEGEN KNOWS LOCAL SHIPPING
IS ON ALERT,
AND THERE ARE FEWER SHIPS
TO TARGET IN THE AREA.
WITH SOME TORPEDOES LEFT, U-123
WIDENS ITS RANGE OF OPERATIONS,
TRAVELING DOWN THE EAST COAST.
WHEN U-123 SURFACES NEAR
KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA...
THEY SPOT A RED FLASH
AND HEAR TWO EXPLOSIONS.
HARDEGEN CORRECTLY SPECULATES
IT'S THE HANDIWORK OF U-66,
WHICH HAS JUST SUNK ANOTHER
TANKER, THE ALLAN JACKSON.
IN THE EARLY MORNING
OF JANUARY 18th,
HARDEGEN FINALLY LOCATES TARGETS
WORTHY OF HIS
REMAINING TORPEDOES.
BUT AS DAWN BREAKS, HE RUNS OUT
OF TIME TO SET UP THE SHOTS.
CONFIDENT THERE WILL BE
MORE STEAMERS THE NEXT NIGHT
IF HE IS NOT SPOTTED,
HE BOTTOMS HIS SUBMARINE.
WHEN NIGHT FALLS, HARDEGEN
DECIDES TO HUNT IN THE WATERS
JUST OFF OF CAPE HATTERAS,
NORTH CAROLINA.
HE ORDERS U-123 TO TRAVEL ALONG
THE NAVIGATIONAL BUOYS,
WHICH HE NOTES THE STEAMERS
KEEP TO THEIR PORT SIDE.
JUST BEFORE 3:00 A. M.,
HARDEGEN ENCOUNTERS
A MERCHANT SHIP
HE ESTIMATES AS 4,000 TONS
AND FIRES AT A VERY SHORT RANGE
OF 275 YARDS.
THE SHIP, CITY OF ATLANTA,
CARRYING FOOD AND CARGO,
SINKS IN MINUTES.
ONLY THREE OF 47 CREWMEMBERS
WOULD SURVIVE THE NIGHT.
SMALL SHIPS PASS, BUT HARDEGEN
DOESN'T WANT TO WASTE
HIS LAST TWO TORPEDOES.
BUT HE HAS ANOTHER WEAPON
AT HIS DISPOSAL.
HARDEGEN ORDERS HIS CREWS
TO THEIR DECK GUNS.
A TANKER, THE SS MALAY,
IS EMPTY OF FUEL,
BUT FULL OF FUMES.
IT ERUPTS UNDER FIRE
FROM THE SHELLS.
HARDEGEN TURNS
AND FIRES A TORPEDO
ON ANOTHER SHIP NEARBY...
WOUNDING A FREIGHTER.
STILL MONITORING
THE RADIO CHANNELS,
THEY LEARN THAT THE CREW
HAS CONTAINED THE FIRES
ABOARD THE SS MALAY.
HARDEGEN DECIDES TO FINISH
WHAT THEY STARTED
AND MAKE GOOD USE
OF THEIR LAST TORPEDO.
THEY HIT THE MARK.
HIS ARSENAL OF TORPEDOES SPENT,
AND FUEL BEGINNING TO RUN LOW,
HARDEGEN MUST TURN FOR HOME.
BUT AS U-123 LEAVES
AMERICAN WATERS,
THE ELUSIVE SUBMARINE
IS BEING FOLLOWED.
CAPTAIN.
EINAR GLEDITSCH,
CAPTAIN OF THE NORWEGIAN WHALER
KOSMOS II, STALKS THE U-BOAT.
MANY MERCHANT VESSELS
FROM NORWAY
BEGAN TRANSPORTING GOODS
FOR THE ALLIES
AFTER THE NAZI OCCUPATION
OF THEIR HOMELAND.
THE COMMANDING OFFICER
ABOARD THE CIVILIAN SHIP
JUST DID WHAT THEY ALREADY DID,
THE BRITISH,
IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR,
HE ATTEMPTED TO RAM
THE SUBMARINE.
RAM IT.
IF THE NORWEGIAN
CAN RAM THE U-BOAT,
THE HULL DAMAGE
TO U-123 WILL ENSURE
IT WILL NOT SUBMERGE AGAIN.
AS KOSMOS II CLOSES IN, THE CREW
SPOTS THE CHARGING SHIP.
WITH JUST 65 FEET BELOW THEM,
THE WATERS HERE ARE TOO SHALLOW
TO DIVE FOR PROTECTION.
U- 123 MUST OUTRUN THE NORWEGIAN
AND TURNS SEAWARDS
TO DEEPER WATERS.
BUT HARDEGEN
CAN'T GET ENOUGH SPEED.
HIS CHIEF ENGINEER
TOLD HIM
THAT HE HAD LOST ENGINE POWER
ON ONE OF HIS DIESEL ENGINES.
AND SO HE COULD NOT
OUTRUN THE WHALER.
THE HUNTER,
HE TURNS TO BE THE PREY.
AFTER ATTACKING
ALLIED MERCHANT SHIPPING
FROM NOVA SCOTIA
TO NORTH CAROLINA...
THE TABLES HAVE FINALLY TURNED
ON U-BOAT KAPITÄNLEUTNANT
REINHARD HARDEGEN.
IN A STRANGE TWIST, THE ATTACK
DOES NOT COME
FROM THE UNITED STATES NAVY
OR COAST GUARD,
BUT A GIANT WHALING SHIP
CONVERTED INTO A FUEL TANKER
IN SERVICE OF THE WAR EFFORT.
WITH ONE ENGINE DOWN, U-123
LIMPS TOWARDS THE OPEN OCEAN.
KOSMOS II IS IN CLOSE PURSUIT.
THE ENORMOUS WHALER CRUISES ONLY
ABOUT A KNOT FASTER THAN U-123.
BUT IT'S ENOUGH TO SLOWLY GAIN
ON THE U-BOAT.
IT'S QUITE
A DRAMATIC INCIDENT,
BECAUSE THE SUBMARINE IS NOT
IN A GOOD CONDITION.
ONE OF ITS ENGINES IS DOWN.
THAT MEANS IT CAN'T GO AT
ITS NORMAL SPEED ON THE SURFACE.
THEREFORE THIS RELATIVELY SLOW
MERCHANTMAN
IS POSSIBLY GOING TO CATCH IT
AND HIT IT.
AND SO WE HAVE THIS
EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION
OF THESE TWO SHIPS RATHER SLOWLY
CHASING EACH OTHER
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.
THE SURVIVAL OF U-123
MAY DEPEND
ON ENGINE MECHANIC
RICHARD KRAXEL.
HE MUST REPAIR
A COOLING PIPE
NEEDED TO BRING THE OTHER
DIESEL ENGINE ON LINE.
U-123'S SECOND ENGINE
SPRINGS TO LIFE.
WITH THE WHALER
ONLY 80 YARDS BACK,
THE U-BOAT INCREASES
ITS CRITICAL MARGIN,
PULLING AWAY, WITH A TINY
HALF-KNOT ADVANTAGE.
HARDEGEN ESTABLISHES
A NORTHERLY COURSE.
THEN REDIRECTS
INTO DEEPER WATERS,
DIVING TO EVADE ENEMY AIRCRAFT.
HARDEGEN LEAVES BEHIND
THE BURNING WRECK
OF HIS FINAL TARGET
AND A BATTERED AMERICAN COAST.
HARDEGEN WAS
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
OF THE INITIAL WAVE
OF DRUMBEAT U-BOATS.
HE SINKS EIGHT SHIPS,
AND IT DEMONSTRATES WHAT AN
AGGRESSIVELY HANDLED SUBMARINE
CAN DO IN THIS
TARGET-RICH ENVIRONMENT.
HE IS CREDITED
WITH SINKING
SOME 50,000 TONS OF SHIPS...
ALTHOUGH HIS LAST VICTIM,
SS MALAY,
WOULD LIMP INTO PORT
UNDER ITS OWN STEAM.
WHEN WORD OF THEIR SUCCESS
REACHES U-BOAT HEADQUARTERS,
DÖNITZ SENDS
A SPECIAL MESSAGE...
"TO THE DRUMBEATER HARDEGEN,
BRAVO! YOU BEAT THE DRUM WELL."
U- 123 ALSO RECEIVES WORD
THAT HARDEGEN IS TO RECEIVE
THE COVETED KNIGHT'S CROSS.
THE FIRST FIVE U-BOATS
OF OPERATION DRUMBEAT
SINK 23 SHIPS AND KILL
HUNDREDS OF SAILORS.
IN GERMANY, HITLER APPROVES THE
CONTINUATION OF THE OFFENSIVE
AGAINST THE AMERICAN
EASTERN SEABOARD.
WAVES OF U-BOATS
STRIKE THE COAST,
AS THE GERMAN ONSLAUGHT
HAMMERS AMERICAN SHIPPING.
HARDEGEN AND U-123
RETURN AGAIN IN MARCH,
THIS TIME SINKING 10 MORE SHIPS.
THE GERMANS SINK MORE
SHIPS IN THE U. S. COASTAL ZONE
IN ONE YEAR THAN NEARLY
THE REST OF THE WAR
IN ALL THE OCEANS
OF THE WORLD COMBINED.
THEY SINK SIX MILLION TONS
OF MERCHANT SHIPPING
WITH SUBMARINES IN 1942 ALONE.
IT'S JUST STAGGERING.
OPERATION DRUMBEAT WAS
SEEN BY THE GERMAN U-BOAT MEN
AS A PERIOD WHERE
THEY COULD GAIN SUCCESSES
IN SINKING VESSELS WITHOUT
MEETING RESISTANCE.
IT BECAME PROBABLY THE SECOND
GOLDEN AGE FOR THE U-BOATS.
DRUMBEAT WAS A TERRIBLE
SELF-INFLICTED WOUND.
IT WAS THE GREATEST VICTORY
FOR THE U-BOATS
THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
NEARLY 700 SHIPS GO DOWN
BEFORE THE UNITED STATES NAVY
IS ABLE TO IMPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE CHANGE.
AMERICAN ADMIRAL ERNIE KING
FINALLY ESTABLISHES
A CONVOY SYSTEM FOR MERCHANT
SHIPPING IN THE SUMMER OF 1942.
U- BOAT ATTACKS ON THE EAST COAST
MELT AWAY IN THE FACE
OF OPPOSITION.
WHEN THE AMERICANS LEARN,
THEY LEARN FAST, AND
THEY APPLY THEIR RESOURCES,
AND THEY DO IT VERY EFFECTIVELY.
SO IT'S A STEEP LEARNING CURVE,
BUT ONCE THEY GET OVER IT,
THEY, THEY MOVE VERY QUICKLY.
THE LONG-TERM HISTORICAL LEGACY
OF THE 1942 CATASTROPHE
OFF THE U. S. EAST COAST
I DON'T THINK
HAS EVER BEEN RESOLVED.
IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME
BY AMERICAN ARCHIVISTS
THAT THEY, THE U. S. NAVY, AVOIDS
THIS STORY LIKE THE PLAGUE.
THEY JUST DON'T WANT
TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND IT'S HARD TO BLAME THEM.
THE SILENCE CAUSES
THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE
OF THE SAILORS
AND THEIR FAMILIES
TO BE LARGELY FORGOTTEN...
IGNORING THE SHOCKING DAYS
THAT THE NAZI U-BOATS
BROUGHT THE WAR HOME
TO AMERICAN SHORES.