Korvettenkapitän Manfred Buchmann
Patrol # 30

Duration:	12.02.1944 - 01.04.1944, 48 days on sea
Patrol Area:	AE 52
Ship:	U 841, Crossed Swords
Type:	IX C/40
Flotilla:	9. Flotille, Brest

12 Feb 1944, 18:05, Brest
We leave the harbor. Things seem very agitated and hectic. Somewhat disorganized, as well. Everything is obviously very unsettled, but I don't convey my feelings to the crew. We have a crew of Brandenburger to deposit off the coast of Iceland as well - we'll see how that goes.

13 Feb, 20:34, BF1595
Air alarm.

14 Feb, 20:35, AM7821
An escort is spotted at 270 degrees. A good sign that a convoy is around. After some very careful hunting, a large convoy appears on the horizon. Smoke is churning out of their stacks - they must be picking up the pace. I radio HQ to ask if I can attack the convoy, but the request is denied. I must deposit my secret crew first. I reluctantly break off the shadowing and proceed to AE52.

U 841 signals to the barrage breaker

15 Feb, 10:40, AM7141
Air alarm.

18 Feb, 12:02, AE5298.
The patrol area is reached. We put the Brandenburger off into inflatable rafts quickly, and it is a smooth operation. Not much action around this side of Iceland. We resume our patrol.

23 Feb, 15:02, AE5283
Air alarm.

24 Feb, 08:32, AE5295
A B-17 bomber appears very quickly, and we crash dive. Three of the four depth charges dropped misses, but the fourth was very accurate. As we are commencing our dive, the charge rips open the pressure hull. I order the boat surfaced and life jackets to be put on, but not to abandon the boat yet. I order flank speed towards land, which is not too far away. Maybe I can beach the boat into shallow water to make repairs easier. The plane is hovering around, but we can't pay too much attention now. The boat is cutting quite a wake in the sea, with white foam frothing around the hull. I'm the only one on the bridge at this point. The boat is getting lower and lower into the sea, it's obvious we're sinking. I go below with my crew, fastening the hatch behind me.

Everything is mayhem. People scrambling about, trying to fix the hole in the control room. It's so cramped in here! I order "all stop", and I jump over to the depth gauge. The boat shudders to a stop at 199 meters. A little bit deeper than I had hoped, but this will have to do. We all make an effort to stop the water, and it works. 10 hours later, after several tries, the boat lifts off the bottom, and we slowly come up to the top. I take a quick look with the periscope - nothing. We surface, pump the boat out, and make more permanent repairs. I make the decision to continue the patrol.

23 Feb, 12:30, AE5291
Air alarm.

27 Feb, 18:07, AE5223
Air alarm.

29 Feb, 11:25, AE5265
Air alarm. Again at 14:20.

2 Mar, 14:57, AE5229
Air alarm.

3 Mar, 15:37, AE5256
Air alarm. Two aircraft this time. Again at 16:20.

4 Mar, 16:00, AE5298
Air alarm.

8 Mar, 10:09, AE5232
Air alarm.

10 Mar, 14:30, AE5259
Air alarm.

11 Mar, 05:46, AE5236
Finally! A ship at 332 degrees (relative)! An easy submerged setup is calculated, and one torpedo sends the 6.000 BRT merchant to the bottom.

12 Mar, 13:44, AE5297
Air alarm.

14 Mar, 07:51, AE5263
Air alarm.

20 Mar, 17:00, AE5255
Air alarm.

21 Mar, 10:00, AE5239
Air alarm. A Sunderland suprises us. We manage to shoot the plane down, but not before it drops four depth charges close-by - too close. The periscope is damaged 61% (9 hours repair), the hydrophones are damaged (84%, 3 hours repair), and the forward hatch is damaged (64%, 1 hour repair). We make the repairs and continue the patrol.

23 Mar, 15:04, AE5269
Air alarm.

26 Mar, 12:21, AE5232
A Sunderland with too good of an aim damages the forward hatch again and puts the forward exterior doors out of action. This boat has had enough. I make the decision to return to base.

17:00, AE5342
Air alarm.

29 Mar, 09:19, AM4618
Air alarm.

30 Mar, 10:54, AM7958
Air alarm.

31 Mar, 09:06, BF1838
Air alarm.

1 Apr, 09:37, BF5559
Air alarm.

14:26, Brest
We return to base.

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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