![]() "As we learn more about the underwater battlefield, Bluefields and U-576 will provide additional insight into a relatively little-known chapter in American history. Aeolus Sank August of 1988 as an artificial reef. Best Diving Destinations in North Carolina. Most of the wrecks met their demise at the hands of hurricanes in the early years, and German U-Boats during World War II. "Few people realize how close the war actually came to America's shores," David Alberg, superintendent of NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, said in a statement. There are tankers, ocean liners, airplanes, and both an American submarine and a German U-boat. The wreck site is considered a war grave and protected by international law. Two NOAA research vessels, the Okeanos Explorer and SRVX Sand Tiger, participated in the search for the wrecks, which were found and verified in August, NOAA said. Divers refer to this location as The Graveyard of the Atlantic, and Morehead City is the top wreck-diving destination in North Carolina. Navy Kingfisher aircraft, which provided the convoy's air cover, bombed U-576 while the merchant ship Unicoi attacked it with its deck gun," the NOAA release reads. "The U-576 sank the Nicaraguan-flagged freighter Bluefields and severely damaged two other ships. The Coast Guard crew dropped three depth charges, followed by five more 10 minutes later."īut Heinicke pressed his attack, firing off four torpedoes about 4:15 p.m. "However, at 4:00 pm just before he could fire his torpedoes, one of the Coast Guard cutters picked up a sonar contact. "In spite of his damaged ship, Heinicke decided to attack at all costs," a history from the sanctuary reads. ![]() Heinicke, who was on his fifth U-boat patrol with relatively little success against Allied shipping, saw a chance for redemption. 10 hours ago &0183 &32 First Citizens Bank sued HSBC on Monday, claiming the British lender poached more than 40 bankers from the failed Silicon Valley Bank so it could gain access to SVBs confidential, proprietary and trade secret information about tech and healthcare clients. According to documents from the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, where the wrecks rest, Heinicke had radioed back to commanders in occupied France on July 13 to say the U-boat was damaged and heading back to Germany after a month-long patrol without success against Allied shipping.Ī U-boat and its American prey haunt Gulf of MexicoĪs U-576 began that journey home, it ran across convoy KS-520, with 19 merchant vessels and five escorts, on the afternoon of July 14, according to the documents. U-576 sonar image from bottom of Atlantic off North Carolina coastīluefields did not sustain any casualties during the sinking, but all 45 crew of the U-boat were lost.Ĭommanding U-576 that July day was Kapitanleutnant Hans-Dieter Heinicke. ![]()
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