Korvettenkapitän Manfred Buchmann
Patrol # 21

Duration:	11.10.1942 - 14.11.1942, 34 days on sea
Patrol Area:	DN 63
Ship:	U 519, Crossed Swords
Type:	IX C
Flotilla:	9. Flotille, Brest

12 Okt., 06:45, BF5442
Air alarm.

10:40, BF4664
Air alarm.
22:50
We listened to BdU try many times to contact U-597. U-597 failed to report back.

13 Okt. 16:25, BE6731
Air alarm.

15 Okt. 08:00
U-619 sent out a distress signal in AL23. Destroyers had overwhelmed the boat.
08:05
Five minutes later U-661 signals that the boat is sinking in AK3233 from aircraft attacks.

20 Okt. 15:30
U-216 fails to answer BdU's frantic calls. That makes four boats destroyed so far.

22 Okt., 08:00
U-412 is severely damaged by depth charges from aircraft and cannot submerge. She is sinking and requests help.

24 Okt. 07:50
U-599 fails to report in to BdU. That makes six boats destroyed.

26 Okt. 00:20, DN6342
We reach our patrol area.

A cruise in the caribean sea, like holidays!

07:01, DN6365
Air alarm.

27 Okt., 13:10, DN6352
A ship is spotted. One torpedo sinks the ship for 6.000 BRT.

Allied Ship detected!

28 Okt., 21:34, DN6311
Finally! A hopeful radio transmission! U-1125 reports a convoy in DN2858, inbound. Shortly after the message is sent, we receive instructions from BdU to intercept the convoy and attack. We swing the boat around on to an intercept track and begin our pursuit!

29 Okt., 18:33, DC8766
The convoy is in sight. Course 40 degrees, speed 9. There are many escorts visible, but the night is coming quick and a fog is beginning to form. We wait until the fog is thick, and then we make our attack on the surface! The 1st Officer and I take care of firing at the ships, and the lookouts are told to keep their eyes peeled for escorts. Sure enough, escorts are on our heels, but because of our low profile in the water, they can't exactly pinpoint us, so we have the edge in speed. The torpedoes are let loose at 20:04, sinking two tankers for 20.558 BRT and damaging another. The escorts pin us in, so we submerge and take quite a battering. The fuel tanks are damaged (67%), the stern torpedo tube doors are damaged (62%), and the periscopes are wrecked. Any more shooting will have to be done on the surface.
We surface again after the destroyers have left and quickly catch up with the convoy. Big ships are picked out, especially tankers, and we have a field day while maneuvering away from the escorts. All told, 108.829 BRT is sunk during the two attacks made by U-519. We break off the attack on 30 Okt., 03:08, in DC8515. There are no more torpedoes, so we head home. Quite a long trip to go right back home again!

31 Okt., 08:25, DC3998
Air alarm.

5 Nov., 00:00, CC3666
A small British merchant is sighted, and is destroyed with deck gun fire for an additional 1.000 BRT.

10 Nov., 12:00 BE5237
On the way back to Brest, we run into an escort, which keeps us pinned down as a convoy passes near. If only I had more torpedoes!

11 Nov., 08:53, BE5687
Air alarm.

12 Nov., 09:53, BF4474
Air alarm. Another air alarm happens that day at 17:00.

13 Nov., 07:50, BF5472
Air alarm.
At midnight, on the morning of the 14th, we arrive at Brest.

PATROL RESULTS

DECORATIONS

U-boat badge	1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class	1939 Iron Cross 1st Class	Knights Cross	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves	Knights Cross with Oak Leves and Swords	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

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