Korvettenkapitän Manfred Buchmann
Patrol # 23

Duration:	19.02.1943 - 05.04.1943, 46 days on sea
Patrol Area:	EJ 38
Ship:	U 841, Crossed Swords
Type:	IX C/40
Flotilla:	9. Flotille, Brest

22:50
U-268 fails to respond to BdU calls.

20 Feb, 11:25, BF8111
Air alarm. No damage.

21 Feb, 08:00
U-623 radios from AL33 that she has been attacked by aircraft while submerged (!) and is now sinking. The thought is mind-boggling that a submarine is sunk while submerged. I do not tell the crew about this message.

22 Feb, 11:00
U-606 fails to respond to calls.

23 Feb, 13:25
U-522 fails to respond to calls. This is the fourth boat in as many days to be sunk.

28 Feb, 14:51, EJ3832
I reach patrol area.

Lookout

1 Mar, 07:37, EJ3824
Smoke on the horizon! Hurrah! A small convoy is spotted, course 340, speed 11. Heavily escorted. I submerge and work my way into position. At 9:00 I am able to send a message to BdU just before I attack. My fears are thus realized - destroyers immediately rush to my position. Radio signals are about as effective as jumping up and down, waving arms, saying, "Here I am! Here I am!" I have time to fire torpedoes, one of which hits a pursuing corvette, blowing it sky-high. The other torpedoes sink a 12.000 BRT tanker and a 10.000 BRT escort aircraft carrier! However, planes and escorts are pouncing onto my position, so I submerge, and I am punished for my actions. I can not surface until 8 hours later. I have sustained moderate damage, and the convoy is lost. I resume patrol.

9 Mar, 07:29, EJ3841
Ship at 53 degrees (relative). An American tanker! A quick setup on the surface, and two torpedoes sink it for 9.000 BRT.

11 Mar, 10:39, EJ3872
Troop ship at 355. I attack from a submerged position, sinking it with three torpedoes for a whopping 20.000 BRT! Hurrah! Certainly one of the largest ships we've sunk so far.

17 Mar, 10:33, EJ3845
Ship at 358. One stern torpedo sinks the 4.000 BRTmerchant.

18 Mar, 11:05, EJ3832
Shipt at 40. One stern torp sinks another 4.000 BRT merchant. This sinks on an even keel, how lucky for the crew. They send off the lifeboats with no difficulty.

21 Mar, 11:35, EJ3811
Ship at 298. Two torpedos sink the 10.000 BRT freighter.

22 Mar, 14:00, EJ3856
Ship at 356. One torpedo is a dud, the other hits and sinks the "S.S. Godine" for 5633 BRT. A message is sent from the ship, determining the name and BRT.

17:10, EJ3876
Three hours later, a small ship appears. The last torpedo is fired at the merchant, sinking the "S.S. Naomi" for 2.229 BRT. We start our return trip home.

27 Mar, 13:47, CJ8468
Air alarm.

29 Mar, 06:30, BF7375
Air alarm.

30 Mar, 16:00, BF5579
Attack by a Sunderland aircraft. I scream "Alarm", and we jump down the hatch. However, we do not submerge! I run to the chief, who is desperately trying to open the valves, but the main valves are jammed! Good Lord, the plane is close, we can hear it! I yell for him to get us down, open the trim tanks! He is already on it, but suddenly the boat is smashed by four massive explosions aft. I tell him to keep the boat surfaced and to assess the damage. I rush up to the bridge with the members of the watch and man the machine guns. The Sunderland is already flying away, so not a shot is fired. Soon the damage is clear: the propellers and the propeller shafts are damaged. We can only make minimal speed. We are so close to home, yet now we could be a week away!

In the machine-room

We stay on the surface, and the main ballast tank valves are examined.

5 April, 10:03
We limp into Brest.

That was a very close call. I am interested to see from the drydock report just what the hell was the matter with our ballast tank valves. I expect that we shall be ready to go again soon, however.

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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